Benedict October, an alternative pop singer from the Netherlands, has returned with a new tune that is deeply personal to him. The singer’s personal life and the close relationship he shared with his late father are revealed in “Insomnia.” His father passed away in October of 2020.
Benedict October’s star quality is on full display on “Insomnia.” The song, its colour, and his personal experience are all brought to life by the grand and powerful tunes. Foreshadowing his next album “And Then The Ocean,” the new single “Insomnia” is a work of exquisite composition.
‘Insomnia’ author Benedict October elaborates on the title and central theme: My personal circumstances and my complicated relationship with my father as a child are discussed in “Insomnia.” It describes our life together when I was a young child and he was working long hours. This song is my way of saying “thank you” for everything he’s done for me. And with this song, I’ll always remember him. It fills me with happiness, strength, a smile and tears all at once when I listen to it.
Particularly the last bit. The chorus goes something like, “We waltz through the days / Under blue Southern skies / As I dance on your feet / Lifting my chin up to your eyes / You say that you love me… you will always take care of me / Saying you never will leave me or this world behind.” These words take me back to the place of my birth.
Back when I was a youngster and he used to come home from work at lunchtime and give my sister and I a bear embrace. The first single from the next album, “And Then The Ocean,” is titled “Insomnia,” and it features the lyrics, “I can see myself dancing with him in our orange/brown 80’s kitchen, with a small FM radio in the window.”My dad passed away in the autumn of 2020, and I wrote “Insomnia” as a tribute to him. I’m doing this to show my appreciation for everything he’s done for me and my loved ones. It’s how I feel most connected to him.
My father was a vehicle mechanic, and the song is about him and me when we were little. He wished he could leave work early so he could join us at home for lunch. The best part, in my opinion, is the final stanza after the bridge. A simpler era when life was more straightforward.
I can’t even begin to guess what about this song speaks to you; for me, it’s a whole lot of things. When I listen to it, I feel like I could both dance and cry. I pray you experience the same delight and satisfaction I did while writing this.
The formative years for Benedict October’s second album were spent in a close-knit, secure neighbourhood throughout his teenage years.
He had a solid circle of pals who, as he puts it, went through some “pretty nasty” (his words) life changes quickly. Many of the singer’s classmates and friends died in tragic accidents, and both of his parents passed away unexpectedly. Each member of this group of friends was strengthened by the experiences they shared together. As Benedict October got older, he saw more and more deaths around him and assumed that was normal until he found out that his peers had never been to a single funeral. As a result of this experience, he now appreciates the value of suffering together.
Benedict’s subconsciously stored those recollections, and they served as inspiration and foundation for his new record. I aimed to encapsulate the splendour of those times in bite-sized chapters and create fictitious tales around them. His father’s illness worsened while he wrote, and he lost him in October of 2020. The pandemic was in full swing that October.
His own loss overtook the imaginary tales he had planned, and it was only in his state of mourning that he was able to see the hidden beauty that had always been there. My father’s death was a shocking and upsetting blow to our family. It’s as if a stranger picked up the family vase on the table, shook it violently, and then replaced it as if nothing had occurred. That’s our family—the vase. It’s us, the blossoms.
Hydration is the glue that holds us together. And the rain, since we’re all travelling through life in the muck. When the vase was returned to the table, one of the flowers was gone and there was mud everywhere. Adding to the murk and confusion of the water. My loss of a parent was really difficult for me. As he adjusted to his new family, he felt a mix of emotions, including rage, relief, and a mild despair. He secretly started hiding, felt free, fell in and out of love, and was occasionally unduly concerned; all while taking his mother on a trip to Canada.
During this up-and-down ride, he saw the dirt gently making its way back to the bottom of the vase, practically in time with the album’s conclusion. These days, the world is different. And everyone has shown up. Now is the time to thrive.
Listen to Insomnia on Spotify:
