BENTE

Bente has been involved in music and writing since the age of seven, always following her instincts and speaking from the heart. As a teenager, she was already very much in the spotlight; she was the subject of her own documentary and gained valuable experience as an actress in feature films. In 2019, she found her musical voice in Dutch and made her breakthrough with the single “Liefste, Ken Je Mij”, released on the Top Notch record label. Following two EPs and a number of successful singles (including collaborations with artists such as Maan and Ronnie Flex), her debut album *Als Ik Met De Wind Kon Dansen* was released. Fascinated by numerology and the number 11, Bente’s debut album was released on 11 November 2022. On the album, which also features Typhoon, Tim Knol and Meau, Bente showcased her mature sound for the first time. After making a strong impression at countless festivals, Bente played her first sold-out show at Paradiso in January 2024 and toured venues across the country and Belgium with her club tour.

In October 2024, her second album, *drift*, was released, on which Bente reinvented herself once again. The album was very well received and reached number 5 in ‘The 25 best Dutch albums of 2024 according to NRC.’ The lyrics explore her place in life: as a daughter, a lover, but above all as an artist who dares to take risks. With drift, she found a new musical compass, returning to the purity of making music without worrying about what others think of it. She found greater depth in both her musical accompaniment and her vocals, and in the natural candour of her lyrics. Thanks to drift, she secured a spot at Noorderslag 2025, a nomination for an Edison Award and two 3FM Awards, and she will continue touring the Netherlands in the spring of 2025. drift is about growing up, a journey back to the essence. Just as she did naturally as a young girl, Bente is once again making music entirely based on her first instinct.