Cassian is a Sydney-born producer and DJ who’s been making waves across the global electronic scene.
His career journey has taken him from studio sessions with RÜFÜS DU SOL to headlining slots at Coachella, Tomorrowland, and more recently, the Las Vegas Formula 1 Grand Prix.
Next up, he’ll play once again to home crowds at major Australian festivals, Beyond the Valley and Wildlands.
The whirlwind nature of his career hasn’t been lost on Cassian. Above all, it’s the memory of holding a Grammy that continues to hit different.
“I don’t know what it feels like to win the lotto but I can only guess it feels something like that,” he tells Rolling Stone AU/NZ.
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His collaboration with RÜFÜS DU SOL — a partnership that stretches back to their first album — culminated in that golden moment, a validation years in the making.
“We’ve shared so many amazing memories, but that one tops them all,” he reflects. The win, he says, opened new doors and sparked new motivation for his solo career. “It gave me the confidence I needed to pursue being an artist in my own right.”
Cassian’s confidence has been crucial as he navigates the dual identity of being both a producer, having also worked with the likes of The Presets, What So Not, and Hayden James, and a solo artist with his own vision. It’s a balancing act that would give most people whiplash — he even admits to finding it difficult himself sometimes, but says he’s found his rhythm.
“When you spend a month or two manically trying to finish an album, it can be a challenging process to switch back into the mindset of creating new ideas and new songs for yourself,” he explains. The fix? Working with artists who bring strong visions to the table, “which helps me make a clear path in my head for which ideas will be used for who.”
His sonic world has evolved considerably since 2020’s Laps, his debut that introduced listeners to his particular brand of melodic, emotionally resonant electronic music. The years of constant touring have left their mark on his style, sharpening it into something built for the club. But lately, he’s felt the pull back toward something more introspective.
“At the moment I’m really inspired to revisit a less dance floor focused sound (like some of the songs on Laps) but with all the new production techniques I’ve learnt along the way,” he explains. His latest release, “A Feeling I Miss” ft. Matt Ryder, serves as a bridge between these two worlds, getting back to more melody and emotion while still delivering the impact to dance to it.
That exploratory spirit led him to discover Malibu, also known as DJ Lostboi, a French producer whose work has become a recent obsession and influence. “Her music really resonates with me and I’d love to make that type of music at some point in my career,” he says. He got a taste of it during a six hour open-to-close set in Brooklyn in May, where he opened with an hour of purely ambient tracks, slowly building the energy from nothing — a far cry from the peak-time festival slots he’s become known for.
Cassian’s upcoming Australian festival run, including Beyond the Valley and Wildlands, represents something deeper than just another string of gigs. “These were the gigs I dreamed of and always wanted to play as an Australian artist so having the chance to do them now really means a lot,” he says.
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Declaring that home crowds hit the hardest, he reflects on his 2018 Beyond the Valley set, where he played at the dance arena counting down to the new year. That moment marked a re-entry of sorts into the Australian festival circuit, after years of early slots or no bookings at all.
“It felt like getting properly accepted into the Aus music landscape — which is all I ever wanted.”
This time around, he’s putting everything into these sets. Playing at home always inspires him to go harder, to dig deeper. Earlier this year that pressure resulted in “Love Parade”, a song he created specifically as an exclusive weapon for his last Australian festival run. He remains tight-lipped about what to expect from his upcoming sets.
Following his sets at Beyond the Valley and Wildlands, Cassian is due to play at the Australian Open on January 15th, then he’s off to China and Thailand before a US tour leg. With some ideas for a few more Australian shows later in 2026, he is keeping an open mind about the new year.
“At the moment I’m just working on singles but that’s exactly what I said before the last album so let’s see what happens this time,” he jokes.
Find out more about Wildlands and Beyond the Valley.
