Interview: Susana & Daxson on Making “Miracle”, the Latest Coldharbour Release

Susana & Daxson on Legacy, Emotion, and the Making of “Miracle”

Few voices in trance are as instantly recognizable or deeply moving as Susana’s. Over 20 years in the scene, she’s performed at Dreamstate, Tomorrowland, and UNTOLD, and recently capped that legacy with Susana|15—a one-of-a-kind acoustic concert. But if that milestone proved anything, it’s that Susana is far from finished.

From her early breakthrough with Armin van Buuren on the timeless Shivers, to Beatport-topping collaborations with Aly & Fila, RAM, and Dash Berlin, and six Trancepodium Best Vocalist awards, Susana has cemented her place as one of trance’s most powerful forces.

Now with her own label (Susa Records), a signature live show (Tales of Life with RAM), and a clear-eyed vision as both artist and entrepreneur, she’s leading vocal trance into a new chapter.

If you’ve been anywhere near a trance stage lately, you’ve likely felt the impact of Daxson. The Newcastle-born DJ/producer is quickly rising with his emotionally charged melodies and powerful, uplifting sound. After early support from Markus Schulz and Armin van Buuren, he’s become a pillar of the Coldharbour Recordings family, with massive sets at Transmission, Dreamstate, UNTOLD, and Creamfields—and a debut album (Face the Future) to boot.

Now, Susana and Daxson join forces on their stunning new collab: “Miracle.” Here, they open up about their journeys, their creative chemistry, and the powerful story behind their latest release.

Susana, you’ve said before that “Trance found you.” Can you take us back to that moment?

Susana: I feel like Trance found me, because it appeared on my path one day. A family friend saw me perform with my band when I was 18 years old. He happened to know two vocal producers who worked a lot in Trance and introduced me to them. The first track I worked on was Dark Side of The Moon with Ernesto vs Bastian—then came Shivers. I had never heard Trance before, but a whole new world opened up.

Especially when Armin invited me to join the Armin Only shows around the world. He played 9-hour sets, so I heard a lot of Trance—and fell in love with the genre, the artists, and the global fan community.

Your lyrics strike deep, yet work so well on a dancefloor. How do you balance that duality?

Susana: Part of it is subconscious—I let the music speak to me and see what comes. The other part is conscious storytelling. I imagine the track being played in a large venue and try to craft a hook that’s universal yet personal. I think that duality is what makes a great vocal track soar.

You’ve really stepped into your own as an artist-entrepreneur. What sparked that shift?

Susana: I followed my heart. Along the way, I discovered a love for entrepreneurship. To live a creative life, you need to think entrepreneurially—unless you’re lucky enough to have a team handle the business side. My drive was to build a career on my own terms and to help inspire other artists to do the same.

One big lesson? You have to do the scary stuff. Ask questions. Risk looking foolish. Get rejected. Then get back up. And remember: if you want different results, you can’t keep doing the same thing. The magic is in the work you’re avoiding.

Daxson, Markus Schulz has played a big role in your journey. How did that start?

Daxson: I sent Markus a track called Skygarden for his Transmission 2016 set. At the time, I was releasing music as Dan Dobson. He loved the track and suggested a new alias for Coldharbour—that’s how Daxson was born. Since then, it’s felt like a real family. The support from Markus and the label has helped me grow so much.

Your sound walks the line between emotion and energy. What’s your studio approach?

Daxson: It always starts with emotion. A melody or chord progression that tells a story. Then I build the energy around that without losing the emotional core. It’s a balancing act—but when it clicks, you know it.

You’ve now written four Transmission theme tracks! How do you approach something that epic?

Daxson: I imagine the arena first—the lights, the lasers, the crowd’s energy—and build something cinematic and powerful from there. It’s about scale and emotion. That moment means everything to the crowd, and I always want to deliver something worthy of it.

Susana, what makes a vocal collaboration truly special to you?

Susana: A hit can’t be manufactured—it either happens or it doesn’t. Ram’s memorial track Ramelia is a good example: we never knew how deeply it would resonate. But when both artists are creatively aligned and respect each other, that makes a huge difference.

My collab with Daxson definitely fits that. Dan is such a lovely person, and the process was smooth. I’m very happy with how Miracle turned out—so I forgive him for road testing it for a year before finalizing it! 😂

Daxson, you’ve worked with Sue McLaren and Emma Hewitt. What made Susana right for “Miracle”?

Daxson: I look for emotional honesty. Someone who doesn’t just sing the lyrics, but feels them. Susana sent over an idea and I instantly felt it—her voice brought the exact emotional weight the track needed. I knew we had something special.

How did “Miracle” come together? Smooth sailing or lots of back and forth?

Susana: It was smooth on my end. I knew what I wanted to write about immediately and didn’t make any changes after the first vocal take. Dan road tested it around the world for almost a year—he just wanted it to be perfect!

Daxson: I’d played the instrumental live and it worked—but I wasn’t happy with the intro’s energy. I knew I wanted to debut it at Transmission Prague at the O2 Arena, so I worked all night before the show and rewrote the intro with a more stripped-back, rumble drop. When the crowd roared—I knew we got it right.

What do you hope listeners feel when they hear “Miracle”?

Susana: I hope it brings that euphoric, alive feeling that made me fall in love with Trance. A memory, a hope, a miracle.

Daxson: If it resonates on a personal level and moves people on the dancefloor, we’ve done our job.

Finally, where do you each see your sound heading in the years ahead?

Susana: I’ll always write emotional songs. That’s what I love and what my voice is made for. But I’ve felt a pull toward darker, deeper sounds—like Nothing At All, Frozen, or Hope For The Hopeless. I try not to worry where Trance is headed—I just make what moves me.

Daxson: I’m experimenting with new sounds to grow as a producer while continuing to craft music for my live sets. The goal is to evolve without losing the heart of what I do.

“Miracle” by Daxson & Susana is out now — stream it everywhere and experience the emotion for yourself.