Illenium Says He Looks Up to Kaskade as a Sober DJ Role Model

World-renowned DJ and producer Illenium, who is open about his history with drug abuse, now leads a sober lifestyle.

Nick Miller, better known as Illenium, isn’t shy about his past with opiate abuse. He shared this part of his history with his fans in 2018, alongside the release of his hit single, “Take You Down.” Despite his initial nervousness, he felt it necessary to explain the raw emotion in his lyrics and music.

In a recent interview with Billboard, he reflected on this part of his life. He told Billboard that Kaskade demonstrates “you can do this and not be a party animal, because it’s hard. You see how insane people go and wonder if you’ll be accepted if you’re not partaking.” With all of the touring and festival sets, DJ are often just as much part of the party scene as fans are.

Illenium singled out Kaskade because he, too, is openly sober. Kaskade entered the dance music scene in 2015, about a decade before Illenium’s 2016 album ‘Ashes’ catapulted him to stardom. Despite Kaskade’s longer career, both DJs have built remarkable legacies in the global EDM scene. This proves that it’s possible to build a successful career without the party brand and lifestyle, which may indeed be a key to success.

While Illenium felt he took a risk by staying true to himself, it certainly paid off. In 2022, his ‘Fallen Embers’ album was nominated for the best Dance/Electronic Album. More recently, Illenium sold out back-to-back shows at Los Angeles’ SoFi stadium, which has a capacity of over 70,000. He performed alongside Avril Lavigne, SLANDER, and Seven Lions.

Sober or sober-curious lifestyles are slowly becoming more popular and talked about in the dance music scene, which is riddled with substance abuse stereotypes. Calvin Harris, Kai Wachi, Chris Lake, and Ravenscoon are examples of other artists who are openly sober.

As for Illenium, his choice to become sober has proven to pay off. He now lives in a Denver suburb with his wife Lara and their two dogs. In the interview, he also claims to have a house in LA since he spends so much time working there anyway.

Ashley

I’ve been a part of the dance music scene for nearly a decade and with Exron for more than half of that time. My first event was Diplo’s Mad Decent but these days you’ll find me at Club Space or the Brooklyn Mirage. Some of my top artists are G Jones, Tipper, Of The Trees, and CharlestheFirst. My favorite genres are techno, experimental bass, and ambient but I’ll get down to anything with a beat!

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