Charlotte de Witte: a techno revolutionary

Charlotte de Witte is many things: superstar DJ, label boss, producer, a bit of a goofball, and most importantly, a cultural icon. We're not lying. She is a force of nature, an unstoppable current surging through the global techno scene. From little dive bars in Belgium to the biggest stages on this planet, her story is one of grit, evolution, and joyful defiance.

Born in Ghent in 1992, Charlotte began her adventure in 2009, exploring the underground nightlife of her hometown. By 2010, she began DJing under the alias Raving George, initially drawn to electro music. Her big break came in 2011 when she won the Tomorrowland DJ Contest and opened the festival's Main Stage the day after her 18th birthday. Soon after, she was a regular on Belgian national radio and Belgium's underground clubs. In 2015, Charlotte dropped the alias and began performing under her real name, marking a turning point in both style and self-definition. "I felt strong enough to just be Charlotte de Witte. My gender didn't need to be the first thing people noticed anymore," she said. The Weltschmerz EP, her first release under her given name, signalled a shift toward darker, purer techno, a sound that would become her signature.

De Witte's music is frequently described by fans and by Charlotte herself as "dark, direct, and uncompromising." Rooted in raw, industrial techno, her sets often pulse with acid lines, trancey atmospheres, and massive basslines. "I love the raw, industrial side of techno. It has to really hit you," she explains. Over the years, she has released music on some of the most respected record labels like Drumcode, Sleaze, and Turbo, while also becoming a resident at Brussels' legendary and iconic Fuse club. By 2016, she had won a record five Red Bull Elektropedia Awards (a sort of Grammys for the Belgian electronic music scene at the time). By 2018, she had appeared on the cover of DJ Mag and recorded an Essential Mix for BBC Radio 1, solidifying her reputation as one of the genre's most compelling figures.

But the secret is that Charlotte doesn't just play music, she lives and breathes it 24/7. "Music is a reflection of who I am and what I feel. And that is often dark and melancholic." Yet there's a joyous intensity in her performances. She's known for joking around with fans and radiating genuine enthusiasm, even in the most high-pressure moments.

In 2019, Charlotte launched KNTXT, a record label and event platform that quickly grew into a global, influential brand in techno. "KNTXT is my extension. It's a platform where I can share my vision of techno," she says. However, where most others focus solely on records and events, KNTXT reaches much further. In a nutshell, it's about curating a global community. The events, held in cities from L.A. to New York and from Buenos Aires to Miami, pair high-intensity music with top-tier production. For anyone who has ever been to one of these events, it's not something you'll forget easily.

This sense of community extends to her broader role as a selector and mentor, both within KNTXT and through her collaborations. Her remix of the Belgian classic "The Age of Love" with partner Enrico Sangiuliano was more than a massive hit - it was a full-circle moment for Belgian techno. "I'm proud of my roots and the rich history Belgium has in electronic music," she notes. "Ghent is where it all started. That city still lives in my heart."

Despite the nonstop schedule, international gigs, label duties, and studio time, Charlotte has worked to find grounding. After years in Lisbon, she and Sangiuliano moved to a quieter part of Portugal. "It's quiet, very green. You hear the trees, the birds. It helps me feel balanced," she says.

This environment may not directly alter her music's sonic profile, but it shapes her headspace. "It influences my well-being, which affects the music. I feel stronger, more patient."

And even amid intense travel and pressure, she tries to stay present. "It's sometimes a lonely job, so much travel and only a little time at home. However, the energy from the crowd makes it all worthwhile. I try to focus on the positive: the opportunities I get, the people I meet."

Charlotte has never shied away from the challenges she's faced in a male-dominated industry. From early online hate to persistent doubts about her technical ability, the scrutiny was relentless. "I've been accused of not making my own music, of not playing live, of having a ghost producer," she says. "It's not just me. It's every female DJ." She's aware of her influence, especially on younger women. "If a woman tells me I inspire her, that means more to me than anything. That's bigger than my career." Though she's cautious about being reduced to a gender narrative, she knows visibility matters. "There's still sexism, 100%. But we've come far. Women are doing incredibly well in techno nowadays."

Her recent B2B sets with longtime peer and fellow Belgian Amelie Lens are a testament to that progress. Though the two intentionally focused on their individual careers for years, they recently reunited onstage. "We've both done our own thing. We've overcome the comparisons. Now we come together from a place of strength."

At the heart of it all is Charlotte's love for the club. "The club is a place where people can lose themselves and escape reality. That's what I try to create with my sets," she says. "The essence of techno lies in the experience - the dark space, the loud music, the collective energy."

Even with massive festival shows and sophisticated productions, Charlotte's roots remain in the club, where the music, not the spectacle, takes center stage. She often speaks of her role not just as a DJ, but as a selector: someone who researches obsessively, who lives to find that one track that makes a room move.

That curatorial spirit is what drives her forward. Whether she's behind the booth in Paradies Garten or back home in the hills of Portugal, Charlotte de Witte continues to shape techno's present with the same focus that defined her rise: relentless, unfiltered, and entirely her own.

We are thrilled to have Charlotte de Witte for an exclusive closing set at the Castle Stage on Sunday August 3, right after Marcel Dettmann. We encourage long-time fans and newcomers alike to come and enjoy the ride, wherever she may take us.

Interested in diving deeper into the world of Charlotte? Follow the links below:

• Charlotte de Witte - Essential Mix (2021).

• 'The Charlotte de Witte Discography' Playlist on Spotify.