Ep. 238: Illenium | Addiction Almost Killed Him. Music Saved Him.
And The Writer Is...with Ross Golan
Developing a Signature Sound
He explains blending influences—glitch, pop-punk, cinematic drums—and focusing on drum timbre to define his sound.
Today's guest is a multi-platinum DJ, producer, and songwriter who turned personal devastation into one of electronic music's most emotionally resonant careers.
From opioid addiction in high school to wilderness therapy at rock bottom, he rebuilt his entire life in Denver—sober, alone, and teaching himself music theory from scratch.
Now 13 years clean, he's become a voice for mental health in a scene built on excess, collaborating with Jon Bellion, Halsey, Teddy Swims, and countless others to create music that connects survivors.
His latest album, Odyssey, is a cinematic journey through heartbreak, recovery, and the sessions that saved his life.
And The Writer Is... Illenium!
In this episode of And The Writer Is…, Nick Miller (Illenium) opens up about:
* Moving every two years as a kid and never having roots
* Falling into opiates at 15 and hitting bottom by 2011
* Moving to Denver alone and getting sober at 21
* The Good Things Fall Apart session (and demo)
* How music saved his life entirely
and much more...
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Chapters:
0:00 Intro
1:00 Childhood and Moving Every Two Years
5:00 Getting Into Music Through Tiesto's Album
6:30 The Electronic Artist That Inspires Industry Musicians
9:00 Getting Sober—His Rough Patch in 2011
10:00 Escapism and Addiction
12:30 The Wilderness Program That Saved His Life
16:30 Getting Lost in Music and How He Learned to Create
17:30 Illenium's Roots
18:00 Learning From Other Producers and YouTube
20:00 Thinking of Sound as a Picture
21:00 World Building and Finding His Brand… and His Purpose
23:00 Ross Opens Up on How Music Saved Him
24:00 The Personality Trait All Successful Creatives Have
26:00 How He Popped Off
31:00 Working With Unknown Artists and How He Picks Them
33:00 How to Find Your Sound
34:30 NMPA and Splice Midroll
41:00 Touring—The Downs After a Show
44:00 Good Things Fall Apart
47:00 Collaboration in DJ Culture
49:00 Why He Doesn't Chase Big Songs
54:24 COVID
1:13:00 Gaming on Tour
1:17:00 Good Things Fall Apart Demo
Hosted by Ross Golan
Produced by Joe London and Jad Saad
Creative Direction by Jad Saad
Post-Production VFX by Pratik Karki
Guest Watercolor Art by Michael White
Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.
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