"My Fantasy" is her latest song and in the video clip, Lilly Palmer, an internationally renowned German DJ, emerges from the water with a new generation Joan of Arc armor. A proud and beautiful warrior. A past as a nutritionist and a future as a music manager, read the L'OFFICIEL interview with Lilly Palmer.

Lilly Palmer, German DJ originally from Nuremburg but raised musically in Zurich, forefront of the new female electronic scene with Charlotte de Witte and Amelie Lens, has been at the top for almost ten years now (in sound, in the charts and in her personal life). Her song We Control has become a viral and global hit, her latest single My Fantasy follows in its wake. In the video clip Lilly is a warrior who comes out of the water proud. Because being a woman can also be a battle. A dispassionate love for life, music and her work; a past as a nutritionist and a future as a music manager with her own record label. Read the interview with DJ Lilly Palmer.
L'OFFICIEL: What does being a DJ mean to you? <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">LILLY PALMER: My passion, my work, the possibility of being able to express myself through music and being able to connect with so many amazing people around the world. <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">Educate the public by showing my style, taste and attitude. Escaping reality and having fun with my fans, that's what it means to me.
LOI: The music system is changing a lot even in the electronics sector&hellip; LP: For me there is a pre and a post pandemic. When I started, about eight years ago, I remember that there weren't that many female artists yet. There were Amelie Lenz and Charlotte De Witte who were quite well known but not yet that popular. I already liked it then and I never thought about the question of "female DJ or male DJ". But more like , &ldquo;Hey, can I do this? Maybe I could." So I started. In recent years, there has been much more talk about diversity, respect and acceptance, all of which has helped many women to take courage and try, starting their own business (even in music). <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/soul-spirituality/body-positivity-and-social-media-the-impact-of-online-platforms-on-our-body-image" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Social media</a> has also given a good boost and continues to be an important tool for exploring one's artistic talent and promoting it.
LOI: What is your relationship with social media? LILLY PALMER: I know a lot of artists actually don't like social media because there's a certain pressure to create a lot of new content, and a sort of competition for the perfect content. I understand it: you always have to reinvent yourself, self-promote yourself and tell your story. It can be frustrating at times. In my case social media also means fun, from the beginning I saw them as a challenge in terms of marketing: &ldquo;What are people interested in? What do we show, what do we create?&rdquo;. This way everything is easier and it is given the right importance.
LOI: You manage the social network, but the social network doesn't manage you&hellip; LP: Yes, exactly. There are times when I say &ldquo;No, I really don't feel like publishing&rdquo;. Days when stupid or hateful comments are harsh, but you learn to live with them. I met my husband through Instagram, I can't be negative about a tool that has brought something so amazing into my life. I believe it should be used and evaluated with the right perspective.

LOI: Speaking of artists, who are your favourites? LP: I really like Lady Gaga for what she's done in the last 10 years, she's never been afraid to explore new and crazy things. She is an extraordinary artist, with a very personal approach to music, and a sublime voice even live. She always reinvents herself and I respect her for this. If I were to think about a collaboration instead, I'd like to remix a Coldplay track.
LOI: So you like pop music? LP: 100%! Especially when there are also electronic sounds. And then, I love watching video clips, I've been doing it since I was 15 and there was MTV, I decided to often make them for my songs because they give an extra edge.
LOI:One of your latest videos was &ldquo;My Fantasy&rdquo;, where you come out of the water in armor&hellip; LP: My biggest hit so far was &ldquo;We Control&rdquo; and I wanted &ldquo;My Fantasy&rdquo; to follow in that vein. I was going to <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/design/model-emily-didonato-is-living-every-new-yorker-s-fantasy" target="_blank" rel="noopener">New York</a> and recorded my voice with my phone at the airport gate. I didn't think I would be able to use it but we finally did. I played it for the first time in New York and people went crazy, in those moments you realize you've created something beautiful. After the summer the song had reached such high hype that I thought I'd celebrate it with a video. I have always liked the image of women wearing armor, like Joan of Arc, and I had also seen some videos on Tik Tok shot in <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/ibiza/ai-revolution-in-ibiza-fashion-fast-fashion-fashion-in-ibiza" target="_blank" rel="noopener">AI</a> : I combined the two things, ordered an appropriate dress and went to the beach with my team to shoot. I was in the water dressed up with people around swimming and enjoying themselves the season but in my head I was a warrior ready to fight.
LOI: Are you a combative woman? LP: I am a strong woman who is not afraid to take risks. I am also very emotional and sometimes I think too much. Maybe it's my weakness, but also an added value. I don't follow a masculine attitude just because I'm a DJ, I like being a woman. At the beginning of my career, I wore oversized t-shirts, to disguise my body a bit. But now I say: &ldquo;no, no, no, no, I want to celebrate my femininity, not hide it&rdquo;. I am very honest and have no problem with criticism, as long as it is fair. This is one of the deficits of the (music) industry, because there are a lot of toxic policies in place. Luckily I have a close-knit team that understands me both as an artist and as a person, who I am and what I want. And if the team understands you completely, then you can be successful.

LOI: There is the Lilly the artist and the Lilly the person&hellip; LP: Not everything is perfect, even if you are a strong woman I have my bad moments. If you're traveling and you have to play and you don't sleep, it can be very difficult. The times when I cry with my husband because I feel like I can't do it, like I can't ask for more from my body... people can't know all this. Sometimes you just need to take a break, stop for a moment. Then your team arrives to motivate you, the affection of the fans and you recharge.
LOI: When did you discover this passion for music? <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">LP: When I was in high school, my friends at the time introduced me to minimal techno. At the time I only listened to rock and metal music. They took me to a small club in my hometown, I remember standing there motionless watching people dance on their own, completely immersed in their personal space. I thought, &ldquo;What are they doing? It seems so strange." But then I started the same way too, taken by music. In that moment something clicked and with a little time I told myself I could do it too.
LOI: You are also a nutritionist... how did you combine the various aspects of your life and profession? LP: It was my first job, and it took up a big part of my life. Today, I simply like to live a <a href="https://www.lofficielibiza.com/soul-spirituality/well-being-specialist-with-tips-for-a-healthier-life" target="_blank" rel="noopener">healthy life</a>, knowing what is good for you and what is not. I'm not obsessed with it. And as mentioned before: the constant traveling and flying can be very exhausting. So&hellip;if you don't eat and sleep well, you will definitely be stressed and unhappy. I gave myself some rules, one among all: I always look for hotels with good food options for myself and my team (including the pilot).
LOI: Going back to music&hellip; what direction are you going in? LP: I'd like to keep a rather energetic techno with a melodic touch, I don't want to go in too strong a direction; in the last two years since the pandemic, hard techno has become very popular, too much so. I like my sound and I want to keep it: elegant - not too crazy - with my voice and new sounds that we create from time to time.
LOI: A wish about the future? <span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: inherit; font-size: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-weight: inherit; letter-spacing: 0px;">LP: I love this life! I have an amazing husband, an amazing team, amazing animals, an amazing horse! I like to travel, see new countries and play my music but at the same time stay at home and enjoy the nature of the Netherlands, where I live now. I'm exactly where I want to be and I would like everything to stay that way. Maybe some new collaborations and bigger goals with my record label. In the coming years I would like to help emerging and young artists to grow in the industry and develop their projects. I'm German, I organize everything perfectly and I would be an efficient manager. It could be my second career, a great alternative to continue this type of work.

(Daniel Sars/Courtesy The Media Nanny)

Photography: Daniel Sars

In conversation with DJ Lilly Palmer: renowned German DJ

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