Cascada's Natalie Horler on Two Decades in Dance Music

New Single Balances Nostalgia with Modern Production

Cascada has released ALIVE, a track that pairs vulnerability with euphoria in the group's signature style. Asked about the catalyst behind the song, vocalist Natalie Horler explained the goal was to honor their recognizable sound while speaking to multiple demographics.

"We want people to reminisce and recognise the style that made us known, so to speak, but at the same time, it needs to be modern enough to speak to many demographics, not just the people who grew up listening to our music twenty years ago," Horler said. She added that the empowering message has already resonated with listeners going through difficult times.

From Physical CDs to Streaming Algorithms

When asked how the industry's transformation over two decades has affected her career, Horler acknowledged she was initially skeptical about streaming. "I was very much on the fence about the whole streaming thing years ago. I started in an era where we were literally still selling physical CDs and albums. Then it went into the illegal downloads phase, followed by iTunes, before we finally landed on how it works today."

She now sees streaming as democratizing. Her father, jazz musician Dave Horler, recently put his album on Spotify at age 83 and reached 10,000 streams within six weeks. "That's what I love, it makes the world smaller," she said. The platform has allowed Cascada to maintain a broad demographic, with listeners half her age discovering classic tracks alongside new material.

Bridging Generational Audiences

Horler's approach to welcoming younger fans discovering Cascada at festivals and on social media is straightforward: let the music speak for itself. "I wouldn't go and produce a track that sounds exactly like what we did twenty years ago, because that wouldn't make sense for today. Production quality has changed and sounds have evolved," she explained.

The group continues to perform their catalog of global hits, including Everytime We Touch and Evacuate The Dancefloor, which still draw fervent crowd reactions. Since their 2006 international breakthrough, Cascada has sold over 30 million records worldwide and earned a World Music Award for World's Best Selling German Artist.