A pastiche of post-rock, chamber-pop and contemporary classical composition, the self-titled debut album is strongly influenced by Ludwig-Leone's background in classical music, which includes a job assisting composer/arranger Nico Muhly.
After finishing his musical studies at Yale, Ludwig-Leone wrote the album in six weeks while holed up in a studio on the mountainous border between Alberta and British Columbia. He focused on lifeʼs top-shelf issues – youth, nostalgia, anxiety, unrequited love – and tied these vast themes to different characters through vocal contributions from longtime friend Allen Tate, as well as Jess Wolfe and Holly Laessig of Lucius.
The first track released from the album, Sonsick, tackles many of these larger themes head-on. ”It’s like a panic attack disguised as a birthday party,” Ludwig-Leone says. ”I realized that the most intense moments are the ones in which conflicting emotional worlds exist inside you, equally, at once.”
San Fermin is not an album of singles but rather a sweeping, full-bodied listen with multiple distinct peaks and ambitious thematic connections. Ludwig-Leone composed all of the album’s arrangements and lyrics in full prior to collaborating and recording, noting that “writing for a large group of unknown musicians infused the writing process with a kind of operatic scope.
Since then, the band has coalesced into a core of eight members in addition to Ludwig-Leone: Allen Tate and Rae Cassidy, lead vocals; Eliza Bagg and Rebekah Durham, vocals/violin; John Brandon, trumpet; Stephen Chen, saxophone; Tyler McDiarmid, guitar; and Mike Hanf, drums.
Little Star
San Fermin Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
Made yourself a kingdom
Imagining how you'd rule
And everyone you knew
Said she must be a genius
Look at how the brushin' moves
Keep listenin', keep watchin'
Little genius, little star
You're everything they say you are
Is it lovely in the dark?
Or do you dim as you go on?
You, autumns in the school yard
Alpha of the ex
Some girls that wanna be like you
And everything you do
She must be a leader
Look at how the crow it moves
Keep listenin', keep watchin'
Keep workin', not stoppin'
Little genius, little star
You're everything they say you are
Is it lovely in the dark?
Or do you dim as you go on?
Ohh-oh, oh oh
The days they go
Ohh-oh, oh oh
The credits show
Ohh-oh, oh oh
The crowds they know (ohh-oh, oh oh)
That no one waits for so and so
Little genius, little star
You're everything they say you are
Is it lovely in the dark?
Or do you dim as you go on?
You, winters in the basement
Trying not to face it
Wonder where your kingdom went
And when they look at you
Come on little genius, do it like you used to to
Keep workin', keep watchin'
They'll listen, no stoppin'
The lyrics of "Little Star" by San Fermin describe the journey of a talented and creative individual as they grow and evolve throughout different stages of their life. The song starts off by depicting them as a child, spending their summers in their bedroom imagining themselves as a ruler of their own kingdom. They are the subject of admiration among their peers as everyone recognizes their artistic gift. The chorus emphasizes the persona's qualities as a legendary figure, acknowledging that they truly are everything people say they are.
The song then transitions to adolescence, where the character matures and takes on the role of a leader among their friends. They are now in charge of their own "kingdom" within the schoolyard, and others look up to them with reverence, guided by the influence of the singer's actions. The final verse shows the singer in a state of disillusionment, growing tired of their own artistic gift, and wondering where their power and creativity have gone. However, the chorus gives the listener hope that the little star will continue to shine, even if it's not at its brightest at times.
One can interpret "Little Star" in various ways. An individual may consider it to be about creative expression and growth, acknowledging that every moment and life stage is essential to the evolution of their artistic talent. The lyrics can also be seen as a commentary on the pressures that come with being a creative genius, highlighting the weight that comes with people's high expectations or the concern for how to stay relevant in a constantly changing world. Overall, the song is a beautiful tribute to the power of imagination, creativity, and the journey that every artist must go through as they navigate their own career.
Line by Line Meaning
You, summers is in your bedroom
In the summer, you spent most of your time in your bedroom
Made yourself a kingdom
You created your own world to rule over in your imagination
Imagining how you'd rule
You fantasized about being in control of everything
And everyone you knew
All the people you were familiar with
Said she must be a genius
They thought you were exceptionally intelligent
Look at how the brushin' moves
They noticed your artistic talent
Keep listenin', keep watchin'
Continue to pay attention
Keep workin', not stoppin'
Don't give up, keep trying
Little genius, little star
You are a small but exceptional person
You're everything they say you are
The rumors about you are all true
Is it lovely in the dark?
Do you still shine when no one is watching?
Or do you dim as you go on?
Do you become less special over time?
You, autumns in the school yard
In the fall, you spent most of your time in the school yard
Alpha of the ex
You were the leader of your friend group
Some girls that wanna be like you
There were other girls who wanted to be just like you
And everything you do
They were inspired by everything you did
She must be a leader
They recognized you as a natural born leader
Look at how the crow it moves
They admired your graceful movements
The days they go
The days are passing quickly
The credits show
The end is coming soon
The crowds they know (ohh-oh, oh oh)
Everyone is aware
That no one waits for so and so
No one is waiting for someone less special than you
You, winters in the basement
In the winter, you spent a lot of time in the basement
Trying not to face it
You're avoiding a difficult truth
Wonder where your kingdom went
You're questioning where your power and control went
And when they look at you
When people see you now
Come on little genius, do it like you used to
You should regain your confidence and talent
They'll listen, no stoppin'
People will be inspired by you again
Lyrics © Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: Ellis Ludwig-Leone
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind
Jake Phelps
99.9% of the time I never entertain youtube commercials but yall got me with this one! Cool song!!
plip plop
Yes!! That's how I found this song too, something about it was just so nice
Aurelia
They will always be my favourite band, no one can make songs as haunting and beautiful as them
abidmabdelaziz
Royksopp
Michael Pesare
LOVE San Fermin!! I just discovered this song on Spotify - wow!
How Do You Feel?
The feeling of trying to catch up with yourself is so relatable. Loved this video! Can't wait for March 27th!!
Emily Miglin
Wow, what a song!! Love it!
Brian Roussel
this song is as beautiful as these landscapes ! 😍
Graham Popovich
Absolutely love it!!
Ronda Ann
One of the most moving song/videos I've seen in years...thank you! Shared.