Under Pressure

At Amsterdam Dance Event (ADE), techno's powerhouse duo, Amelie Lens and Charlotte de Witte, sat down for a panel discussion that offered a rare window into the lives of two artists at the pinnacle of electronic music. The conversation unfolded as a candid exploration of the pressures of success, the struggle for balance, and the fierce love of music that drives them.

Living with the Pressure of Expectation

For Amelie Lens, pressure is a near-constant presence. Her success has been explosive, and with it comes a level of scrutiny that she admits can be overwhelming.

“I chose this life because I love it,” she begins, “but the expectations… it’s just giving so much pressure. Not only because of the future but because of who we are. I don’t want to make mistakes, you know? I want to live up to what people expect from me. It’s not something I specifically chose, but it’s part of the job.”

Charlotte, too, feels it. “Releasing new music is super stressful,” she adds. “You always have to be better than the last one.” There’s a sense that both artists are always looking forward, constantly seeking to surpass their previous work and stay true to the expectations of the techno scene.

Despite the toll this takes, both women emphasize that it’s their love of music that keeps them going, even if it means coping with the often relentless pace of their careers.

Making History, Realizing Impact

Their recent collaboration—a series of three sold-out shows—has generated a level of excitement that even these seasoned performers didn’t anticipate.

“Do you realize you wrote techno history with this sell-out?” the moderator, Sylvia, asks.

“This is so much bigger than us,” Charlotte replies, her voice carrying a mix of disbelief and gratitude. “It’s really difficult to let it soak in. I haven’t fully realized it, honestly.”

Amelie, too, only began to grasp the scale of their impact while on a recent U.S. tour. “Everyone was shouting, ‘See you in Belgium!’” she says, laughing. “It was surreal. People were coming from all over the world, and then in Belgium, I couldn’t even walk my dog without people asking me for tickets. It’s intense—really intense.”

She recalls an emotional moment at the airport when a fan approached her in tears because she hadn’t been able to secure a ticket. “That’s when I realized, like, wow. This is real.”

Capturing the Moment

For Amelie and Charlotte, the speed of their careers often leaves little time for reflection. As artists, they’re caught in a constant cycle of travel, performances, and studio sessions—a lifestyle that makes it difficult to savor any single moment.

“Everything happens so fast,” Amelie reflects. “You work towards something, and then it’s over. Living in the moment sounds cheesy, but when we’re on stage for our back-to-back, I want us to take a second, look at each other, and think, ‘We’re doing this. This is it.’”

Charlotte nods in agreement, adding, “When you’re constantly moving, it’s easy to forget to enjoy where you are. My first real moment of reflection came during my pregnancy break—six months at home made me realize how much I’d accomplished, ten times more than I’d ever dreamed.”

Social Media: A Necessary Evil?

Social media plays a huge role in their lives, yet it’s a complex relationship. For Charlotte, the endless cycle of posting, liking, and managing the expectations of an online audience can feel toxic. “Social media is a necessary evil,” she says with a sigh. “People compare themselves, and you compare yourself to others—it can be really toxic. I’m still learning to manage it.”

Amelie’s approach to social media is more relaxed. “I just pretend my Instagram is for friends and family,” she says with a smile, dismissing the 2.5 million followers she has accumulated. But the weight of her public life often comes from behind the scenes. “It’s not so much my own social media that’s a burden,” she explains. “It’s all the emails, the meetings. People think it’s just playing and producing, but there’s so much more to it.”

Dreams Beyond the Decks

In quieter moments, Amelie has dreams that extend far beyond music. A committed animal lover, she’s longed to create a rescue farm. “But I realized I can’t do both,” she admits. “It’s emotionally intense—animals get sick, they die. I’m involved with rescue farms, and I love being there. But it’s heavy work, and I have so much respect for people who do it.”

Charlotte, too, is drawn to a simpler life outside the city. She recently moved to the countryside, but, as she jokes, “No animals yet! It’s more of a ‘farm’ without any animals. But maybe someday.” Both artists find a sense of peace in nature, away from the intensity of their careers.

Reflecting on Choices and Mistakes

As the conversation winds down, Sylvia asks the artists about the best decisions they’ve made. For Charlotte, the answer comes easily: “Marrying Enrico Saviano,” she says, her face lighting up.

Amelie, smiling, reflects more generally on the complexity of choices and mistakes, preferring not to pinpoint one “best” decision but instead focusing on the joy and meaning her journey has brought.

Their time together at ADE marked a rare moment of pause for two artists who are often in perpetual motion. And as the three nights of their collaboration approach, it’s clear that both Amelie and Charlotte are determined to savor every second. January 31 and February 1 (2025) at Flanders Expo, in Ghent , Belgium. Their conversation at ADE offered not just an insight into the challenges of their industry but also a reminder that behind the decks, they are two individuals navigating fame, friendship, and the desire to make every beat count.

‍