Lilly Palmer’s ascent in electronic music may look meteoric, but it has been years in the making. Now based in Amsterdam, the German techno powerhouse has spent more than a decade refining her sound through persistence, reinvention, and self-discovery.
Her debut album, Bigger Than Techno, mirrors that journey. Like her high-impact DJ sets, it moves through harder styles while carrying a deeper message: techno as a tool for connection, empowerment, and social progress.
A Global Artist Built Through Resilience
Speaking from Canada during a packed North American tour, Palmer comes across as confident, grounded, and refreshingly honest. Touring relentlessly, releasing music on Kontor Records and Armada Music, and running her own label, Spannung Records, she embodies an artist fully in control of her path.
But the confidence was earned. Palmer openly reflects on difficult chapters — feeling like an outsider as a teenager, navigating adoption, and enduring the breakdown of long-term relationships. These moments, she says, shaped the artist and woman she is today.
A Sound Made for Massive Stages
Musically, Lilly Palmer operates at full throttle. Her sound blends peak-time techno with trance, psytrance, and hard dance — high-energy music built for festivals, stadiums, and superclubs.
2026 is already shaping up to be a defining year, with major appearances including EDC Las Vegas (closing set), EDC Thailand, Ultra Miami, Electric Brixton, Beyond Wonderland, Ritter Butzke, and more.
Her face-to-face sets with Armin van Buuren, including performances at Ushuaïa Ibiza and Mexico, have further cemented her reputation as a focused, commanding presence behind the decks.
From Deep House Beginnings to Peak-Time Power
Palmer’s musical roots couldn’t be further from her current sound. She began DJing deep house in small Zürich bars, long before headlining festivals. Before that, her teenage years were soundtracked by death metal, classical music, and movie scores — influences that sharpened her emotional sensitivity to sound.
Those contrasts now surface in her productions, where thundering kick drums meet soaring melodies and commanding vocals.
Bigger Than Techno: A Personal Statement
Set for release on 6 March, Bigger Than Techno is Palmer’s most personal work to date. The 16-track album captures pivotal moments from her life, from moments of self-doubt to career-defining milestones.
The project features collaborations with Armin van Buuren, Maddix, Gregor Tresher, Danny Avila, Jose Bonetto, Space 92, Vini Vici, and a rare joint production with her husband, Egbert.
One standout, Rotterdam, pays tribute to the raw energy of Egbert’s hometown, marking their first collaboration since their 2020 rework of Warp Brothers’ We Will Survive.
Strength Through Techno
For Palmer, techno is more than performance. It is transformation.
Once shy and lacking confidence, she credits techno with giving her strength, courage, and a voice. Standing in front of tens of thousands of people today, she fully embraces the philosophy behind her album and event brand.
“Techno gave me strength,” she explains. “It helped me face fears, trust myself, and live fully. That feeling — that’s bigger than techno.”
Building Something That Lasts
Beyond music, Palmer is focused on longevity. Through Spannung Records, she continues to support emerging talent while carefully curating her own path. Her advice to new artists is simple but firm: build a small, trusted team, learn when to say no, and protect your vision.
Success, she believes, isn’t about being the world’s biggest DJ. It’s about building something meaningful — together.
And judging by her trajectory, Lilly Palmer is only just getting started.