Current band members:
Eloi Youssef - vocals, guitar, keys
Casper Starreveld - guitar, vocals, keys
Jan Haker - bass, keys, backing vocals
Niles Vandenberg - drums
The band formed in 2006 with Casper Starreveld on lead vocals, and with original drummer Lucas Lenselink, after the dissolution of the band Quad. In the same year they released their first single "An Introduction To...", followed by their self-titled first EP in 2007, which featured guitarist Eloi Youssef as co-lead vocalist for the first time.
Drummer Lucas Lenselink decided to leave the band in 2008, and was succeeded by Niles Vandenberg. In the same year the band released their "Youth" EP, which gained them their first country wide airplay. The band's sudden success lead to the release of Kensington's first album, "Borders", which was released in 2010. The album was the first to have Eloi Youssef sing all of the lead vocals, with Casper Sterreveld handling the backing vocals.
There’s no such thing as a key to success, but recording your debut Borders in Kaiser Chiefs’ studio in Leeds, getting it mastered by John Davis (U2, Arctic Monkeys, Snow Patrol) and sharing the stage with the likes of Razorlight, My Chemical Romance and The Wombats, definitely make up for a good start. In 2011 this success is starting to pay off.
After playing the Eurosonic/Noorderslag festival in January 2011, (popular music magazine OOR: “One of the best bands of the Netherlands”) things started rolling for Kensington. The band performs in prime-time TV talk show ‘De Wereld Draait Door’ and embarks on a headlining No Borders tour throughout Holland. They sell out venues such as Paradiso (Amsterdam), Rotown (Rotterdam) and Tivoli (Utrecht), and a concert review by 3VOOR12 (leading online music magazine) speaks of “international standards”.
With their single Let Go, which was recorded in Berlin and mastered in New York, the band’s ascent continues. Radio 3FM (one of the largest Dutch radio stations) starts playing the song the day after the band returns from the studio and the song quickly reaches ‘3FM Megahit’ status, resulting in heavy airplay. A second headlining tour is announced along with a long list of summer festivals. Furthermore, the band is nominated for 'Best newcomer' at the 3FM Awards 2011. In two years time, Kensington have established themselves in the Dutch music scene.
In 2012 the band released their second album, Vultures, and played as headliner on many Dutch festivals that year and in 2013. In the summer of 2014 third album Rivals. Shortly after, they announced a European tour with over 20 dates in several countries. The finish of the tour will be in the Ziggo Dome. The first show sold out in eleven hours which made the band decide to add a second show as well. The second gig sold out as well, confirming Kensington's status as one of the biggest dutch acts.
DISCOGRAPHY:
2006 - An Introduction To... (EP)
2007 - Kensington (EP)
2008 - Youth (EP)
2010 - Borders
2012 - Vultures
2014 - Rivals
Little Light
Kensington Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Hoping on the collide
With a soul that
Knows a heart from a lie
When you show it
Sees a heart in the lie
That you show
Not a style that I
Take any pride in
But the greed of my mind
Isn't going
All the greed of my mind
Isn't going away
Have some
But I'll be taking it all
Again
Yeah, I'll be taking it all
And on my way
And on my way
I wanted it all
Hey, I can see
A little light here
Know that I'm
Ready to fight
Oh, but I'll run
And I'll hide again
Hey, I can see
A little light there
Know I should
Get up and try
Oh, but I'm better at
Hiding it
Going out on a weekday
Knowing all of my pride
Will dissolve in
All the seeds of my mind
That are growing
Oh, the seed of my mind
Isn't going away
Have some
But I'll be taking it all
Again
Yeah, I'll be taking it all
And on my way
And on my way
I wanted it all
Hey, I can see
A little light here
Know that I'm
Ready to fight
Oh, but I'll run
And I'll hide again
Hey, I can see
A little light there
Know I should
Get up and try
Oh, but I'm better at
Hiding it
When I'll wait
For the dueling to get
A little cold again
Then no one but I
Will know me
When all of my light ends
The lyrics of Kensington's song "Little Light" speak about a person who is trapped in their own greed and desires, who is constantly battling between their conscience and their want for more. Going out on a weekday, to find someone who knows the true intentions of their heart, the singer is constantly at war with themselves. One part of them wants to deny their weaker parts and not indulge in a lifestyle that they don't take pride in, but the other part of them is not ready to let go of their desires yet.
The singer talks about how they wanted it all and how the greed of their mind isn't going away. They know that they are taking it all and yet cannot help themselves. The lyrics speak about the constant cycle of wanting and taking, and how the singer is better at hiding their true intentions than confronting them. They acknowledge that they can see a little light, but they run and hide instead of trying to fight it.
The last stanza speaks about waiting for the dueling to get a little cold again, and how, in the end, no one but the singer will know them. This is a reflection of how sometimes, one's internal struggles can be so personal that they cannot be shared with others. The singer is slowly losing their light, consumed by their own greed and unable to fight or find a way out. Overall, the song explores the themes of internal conflict, greed, and the struggle for self-discovery.
Line by Line Meaning
Going out on a weekday
Venturing out on a mundane day of the week
Hoping on the collide
Wishing for an unexpected encounter
With a soul that
Seeking someone with a particular quality
Knows a heart from a lie
Able to discern between honesty and deceit
When you show it
When you reveal your true nature
Sees a heart in the lie
Finds sincerity amidst falsehood
That you show
That you display
I'll deny all the weak play
Rejecting all forms of vulnerability
Not a style that I
It's not a way of life that suits me
Take any pride in
I don't see it as something to be proud of
But the greed of my mind
However, my innermost desire for more
Isn't going
Isn't diminishing
All the greed of my mind
The full extent of my longing
Isn't going away
Isn't dissipating
Have some
I currently possess some of what I crave
But I'll be taking it all
But I'm determined to acquire everything
Again
One more time
Yeah, I'll be taking it all
Yes, I'll acquire everything
And on my way
And continue my journey
I wanted it all
I desired to own everything
Hey, I can see
Hey, I notice something
A little light here
A glimmer of hope or positivity around me
Know that I'm
Acknowledging my current state
Ready to fight
Prepared to struggle or resist
Oh, but I'll run
Oh, but I'll escape
And I'll hide again
And I'll once again conceal myself
Hey, I can see
Hey, I perceive something
A little light there
A glimmer of hope or positivity somewhere else
Know I should
Realizing what I need to do
Get up and try
Motivating myself to take action
Oh, but I'm better at
Oh, but I'm more skilled in
Hiding it
Concealing my true emotions or thoughts
Knowing all of my pride
Fully aware of my arrogance
Will dissolve in
Will disappear into
All the seeds of my mind
The ambitions buried deep within my thoughts
That are growing
That are expanding or intensifying
Oh, the seed of my mind
Oh, the origin of my desires
Isn't going away
Isn't decreasing or subsiding
When I'll wait
When I'll bide my time
For the dueling to get
For the conflict to escalate
A little cold again
To become slightly less intense
Then no one but I
Then only I
Will know me
Will understand who I really am
When all of my light ends
When every particle of positivity or hopefulness disappears from me
Writer(s): NIELS VAN DEN BERG, ELOI YOUSSEF, FRITZ RATING, NIELS ZUIDERHOEK, JAN HAKER, CASPER STARREVELD
Contributed by Nora N. Suggest a correction in the comments below.
Renata Ciscon
I just love this song ❤️
Melissa Verhulst
♥️♥️♥️♥️ Love them!!
David T
incredible live performance
svetla ivanova
amazing voice
Peacefull Extraterrestrial
This Band is World Class...Love!!!
K Tina
Love love loveeeee it ❤ heel hartelijke groeten uit duitsland
Cornelia Bruna - Kervink
J’adore !!
Daniël De Tram Metro Bus en Trein Spotter
WOW! Amazing!
Mirjam Kooloos
Hee boy's!
Jullie zijn echt geweldig, ik bedoel....
Die muziek....
Zonder Kensington is muziek NIET compleet!
Duimpje omhoog voor jullie 👍🏼
Maureen Freie
3 woorden: Schitterend, Prachtig, Kippenvel <3