Backstage

Cascada

July 2009 | Dance

Cascada are Euro-dance royalty, having sold albums and singles by the bucketload all over the world. Now they are back with a brand new album "Evacuate The Dancefloor". Famed for their anthemic hands-in-the-air trance numbers, the new record takes a slightly different direction with some sophisticated numbers, proving abilities in a number of different genres.

We wanted to know more about this new direction for Cascada. To get the lowdown on the new album, Bonn-based Brit singer Natalie Horler stopped by for a chat...

The interview

Hey Natalie, how are you today?

I'm great, very tired though. We've been up since 6 this morning - we were on GMTV.

Now a lot of people think you are Cascada, but there are two other guys (producers Manian and Yanou) in the group...

I know, it's true. I mean I answer to the name nowadays 'cos you get used to it. I always say that I am Natalie from Cascada, not actually Cascada. But people have got used to it being just me...

How did you get involved with Manian and Yanou?

I met them 10 years ago. I was a studio singer, I was working doing sessions for them. Then a few years later, the project they called Cascada with my voice in it, came about and because in the underground scene it was popular they needed a 'face'. They asked me to be the live act, because I was the voice anyway. I thought about it and said, ok then, let's try it. It just blew up from there.

When you hooked up with the other two, what kind of music were you doing?

Dance, mainly, even more trance, more harder stuff. I just seemed to have a good sounding voice for that sort of music. They liked to work with me, I was recommended to different producers and did jobs here and there, but I did a lot of work with them and stuck with them.

Is that the music you are into?

It wasn't then, when I met them. I wanted to be a singer since I was tiny. You try and get into music to do something on a professional level - to get paid for something that is to do with your voice. The Cascada thing made that possible.

The new album is "Evacuate The Dancefloor". How have you moved on from the first two albums?

Well, a lot of people will find the third album slightly different to the first two. But that is because we have tried to evolve slightly. It's a natural process. You want to start trying new things out. For the single ("Evacuate The Dancefloor"), we wanted to make people look up, make people ask themselves, is that actually Cascada? 'Cos it sounds different to the older stuff. There are a lot of tracks that we tried different things with. Some more rocky tracks, some house flavoured numbers, some mid-tempo acoustic numbers. Very different. I don't think anyone could say that the album sounds all the same. The style on the last album was pretty much all the same. People who are not fans think it all sounds the same, but the fans will be pleased with the new stuff we are trying. There are a few tracks on there that are totally our style.

Why have you moved in this direction?

You need to evolve and change a bit. When you have been doing the same thing for such a long time - five years on tour, performing the same tracks - Creatively you want to go in different directions, but without losing focus for what the fans love you for. We've tried to find a medium between that.

So there's still some stuff for the old fans...

Totally. I love the whole album, every bit of it.

What are your favourite songs from the album?

"Evacuate..." is up there. I love that track, it's such a pleasure to perform. Fever is one my absolute favourites. "Hold Your Hands Up" is an acoustic one. There is a ballad on there as well - lots on there that I really adore.

Are you doing some Ibiza dates this summer?

Yeah, last week we did Es Paradis. We'll be back in September.

Your pretty massive all over Europe - who has the best audiences?

I get asked that a lot. I can only say that you get shows that are amazing everywhere. The reactions everywhere can be absolutely fantastic.

What are the American audiences like?

Very open and crazy - very out there and outgoing. The whole surprise was that we were so successful with "Every Time We Touch". It was played everywhere all the time. There has always been big love for dance music in the States, but it's always been underground. I hope we've succeeded in making it a bit more commercial.

What do you do in your spare time?

Well, we're on tour a lot. I am very hyperactive; I need to do stuff all the time. I see my friends and family. I'm not home a lot of the time, so when I am, I need to make a double effort to see people when you can. I love to go out clubbing. That's a big part of relaxing for me - to have a few drinks and go out with my friends. Plus there is the usual boring things... shopping, washing... unglamorous stuff. I am a shopaholic though!

Thanks for speaking to us today Natalie!

No worries have a nice day!