[Interview] Audien Talks Upcoming PHND Headline at Torch LA, Latest Collab with ARTY, and Exploring Different Music Genres
From the quiet, music-filled corners of Mystic, Connecticut, a sound emerged that would reshape the landscape of electronic dance music. Grammy-nominated American DJ, record producer, and musician Audien, born Nathanial Rathbun has carved out an unique path for progressive house in the dance music landscape.
Audien stands as a modern beacon for progressive house, a genre often alluding to the nostalgia of the early 2010s. His commitment to creating emotionally charged dance music is unwavering. With a master’s touch for harmony and melody, he builds lush landscapes and memorable melodies that transcend typical dance tracks, inviting listeners on a journey of self discovery and genuine emotional connection. Throughout his prolific career, he continues his growth as a champion of the genre while connecting with millions of fans around the world through his music.
His journey into electronic dance music (EDM) began in 2008, sparked by trance tracks in video game soundtracks. Captivated by the genre, he honed his skills by recreating songs from Armin van Buuren’s “A State of Trance” podcasts. His career launched with the single ‘Rise & Shine‘ on Ferry Corsten’s Flashover Recordings, followed by a string of releases on prominent labels like Anjunabeats, Armada Music, Spinnin’ Records, and Astralwerks. Audien quickly established himself within the dance community, recognized for his exceptional production and uplifting melodies. In 2015, he signed with Astralwerks, releasing his debut EP ‘Daydreams,‘ featuring the notable track ‘Rooms.’ That year, his remix of Bastille’s ‘Pompeii‘ earned him a Grammy nomination for Best Remixed Recording, Non-Classical. This remix became a global sensation, dominating playlists at major festivals like EDC and Coachella and remaining a staple in DJ sets. From this year onward, he would continue with his consistent output in the studio and cement himself as an industry staple within the North American festival/club circuit.
2022 saw the launch of his “Progressive House Never Died” brand, marked by a successful Miami Music Week debut and a sold-out North American tour, including a performance at the Hollywood Palladium and a notable EDC set. He followed the tour with ‘Drifting Away‘ ft Joe Jury, reaching #2 on Dance Radio. To this date, he’s achieved over 525 million streams with over 4 million monthly listeners across various platforms and has made notable performances at the biggest festivals in the world such as Ultra, EDC Las Vegas, Tomorrowland, Lollapalooza, and Life is Beautiful. His most recent collab is called ‘One More Thing‘ with ARTY and is part of his upcoming album.
Later this year, Audien will be throwing his largest Progressive House Never Died Show at the Torch in LA with tickets available here. Catch him on his PHND tour here.
We had time to chat with Audien on what he’s been up to in 2025 below:
First off, congratulations on your upcoming PHND show at the 10,000 capacity Torch LA. It’s amazing to see how you have championed the progressive house movement to get to this point. How did you go about curating the lineup and is there anything special that you can share about the show?
You’ll have to come to the show to see all the special moments we have planned! But I’m really excited with how the lineup came together-it’s an incredibly exciting moment and I can’t imagine sharing the stage with anyone else!
Your latest single with ARTY titled ‘One More Thing’ just came out, can you explain how the two of you collaborated on it?
This is the third collaboration with Arty; and it’s always such a pleasure working with him. This is continuing the sound that we both have honed in on; and so excited with everyone seemingly really enjoying the record!
You created your first ever drum and bass single in 2024 with Fred V and OAKS, titled ‘Cold’, will we see you creating more tracks in this genre or even expanding into other genres this year?
I have always championed progressive house-but most don’t know this, but DNB was actually one of my first loves in the electronic space. Listening to pendulum in high school, in my car driving to and from class. DNB just captures a feeling that many other sub genres don’t. I’ve been a fan of Fred for years, so doing a song like this one is definitely a bucket list item. Oaks absolutely crushed the vocal on this, and she’s truly putting out some of the best stuff lately, so to have her on the song is an honor. I’m always scratching that creative itch and looking to explore more genres; but in my own way.
So there might be some fans that don’t know this about you but you started off producing happy hardcore, could we potentially see you producing a track with happy hardcore elements in the near future?
Perhaps…
B2B sets have become very common now in the festival circuit, are there any artists that you would like to play one with at a festival?
I might have a few that aren’t announced yet-stay tuned again 😉
Ever since you started the PHND movement in 2022, it’s been expanding and growing bigger year after year, where do you see it going in 2025 and onward?
We have some HUGE plans for 2026 already; and it’s really exciting seeing the growth in the community stateside. Very exciting plans are in action.
Being an artist is tough in today’s industry due to the countless hours spent in the studio and on the road, how do you take care of your mental health?
Routine’s super important to me; and so is walking. I love hiking, getting outside, feeling the sun on my skin- it’s like therapy to me.
Follow Audien on socials below:
