Kaskade is ready to bring Sun Soaked to Orange County

Kaskade has a plan — and it’s been seven years in the making.

The electronic music powerhouse brings his soulful house beats and favorite performers to Orange County next month, landing beachside at Sun Soaked in Huntington Beach on Sept. 6.

The sold-out event has a stacked lineup, including Malaa, Meduza, Sidepiece, Walker & Royce, Anabel Englund, MPH and Skilah.

It wasn’t easy to get there, but this Insomniac-produced event has been a dream in the making for Kaskade (Ryan Raddon), the American DJ and Grammy-nominated artist.

“Sun Soaked was the party I always wanted to go to — 10 toes in the sand, blue sky above, the ocean providing an ambient soundtrack, breeze on climate control and visuals courtesy of our surroundings,” he told the Daily Pilot. “The outpouring of support for Sun Soaked from day one let me know I wasn’t alone in wanting this.”

Based on a few iterations over the years, including some growing pains, the audience continues to remain committed, he said.

“I get ‘Bring back Sun Soaked’ DMs and comments almost more than any other request,” he said. “Somehow, this whole concept has struck a chord with my West Coast fans as well as those traveling in from all over the world.”

So why Orange County?

“Because they said yes,” he said. “Somehow, it’s still difficult to get through red tape and obstacles — even when everything is on the up-and-up and in order. So, we search for the best spot to do it, then put the puzzle together when we find a partner who sees it the way we do.”

It worked out and Huntington Beach was ready to host. Now, more than 25,000 people are expected to hit the sand for the artist’s curated experience.

“The lineup for Sun Soaked is your favorite DJ’s favorite DJ’s playlist,” he said. “If Malaa is the gritty back-alley warehouse, Meduza is the panoramic cliffside sunset.”

It’s all about creating the right vibe, he added.

“There’s a musical landscape that belongs at Sun Soaked, and when we have talent like MPH who has insane musical versatility combined with Sidepiece, who load their sets with unreleased edits and mashups, then we drop in Walker & Royce, who are essentially the friends you have that say they don’t take themselves too seriously, then punch you in the gut with the most rubbery bassline that leaves you stunned,” he said.

Fans will also be impressed to see some of the top talents in house and electronics on stage.

“Bring in Annabel Englund with her instantly recognizable, haunting singer/songwriter vocals that emotionally connect with a crowd in the time it takes to pop a bag of popcorn, and of course — Skilah, who is perfecting the art of melding a party vibe into a full-on live experience,” he said. “The vibe is eclectic, but they all play off each other in a super uplifting way.”

It’s a moment he’s been waiting for, he said.

“I’m hoping to keep up,” he said.

“Sun Soaked 2025 is sold out, so I’m taking that as a positive response,” he said. “When I announced it was happening, I could hear cheering in the streets. I mean, that could have been the people on my team, but I choose to believe it could be heard around the world.”

That humor — plus an audience ready to dive into drops and live mixing — are just what he has in mind. He doesn’t have the full plan and set pre-recorded, but he knows what works.

“I enjoy communicating with the audience in such a way that we take the journey in real time,” he said. “I can’t predict in my studio that there could be the entire front row screaming along to ‘Let Me Go,’ which will point me in the direction I need to go next. There will, of course, be fan favorites because those are my favorites, too. I guess in a way the audience decides what will be showcased. The louder they scream, the more I zoom in on that vibe that got them there.”

Following several tough years in the music industry post-pandemic, especially for artists heading back to live performances and festivals, Kaskade wants the festival to bring people back together again.

“It has been important for us to dance again,” he said. “During the pandemic, there was a while where I wondered if it would ever come back. I don’t forget the despair that thought gave me, and I appreciate the gratitude it hardwired in me for each time it’s happened since.”

It comes down to creating an opportunity for music lovers to simply enjoy.

“Festivals are tricky for sure, but working hard at something I love is what brings me the most joy,” he said. “I am bringing Sun Soaked back because it’s much bigger than ‘Kaskade,’ it’s a gathering where we can all appreciate the simple things we have around us, the magic of dancing with strangers and experiencing music we haven’t heard. Knowing that the sun and the ocean remain constant sources of love and life even in the toughest of times is the legacy of Sun Soaked, and I hope that message is absorbed this year.”

Sun Soaked 2025 is sold-out. Waitlist tickets for general admission and VIP are available for 2026 sunsoaked.insomniac.com.