Benjamin Trillado Confronts His Past with Haunting New Single ‘16’

Naarm/Melbourne singer-songwriter Benjamin Trillado returns with his powerful new single, ‘16’, an emotionally charged track that captures the pain, reflection, and resilience of growing up queer in suburban Australia. Drawing on his own memories of adolescence, Trillado paints a vivid portrait of returning to his old high school in Sunshine — the place where he first began to confront his identity and the world around him.

From its gentle opening lines to its soaring finale, ‘16’ showcases Trillado’s ability to craft music that feels both intimate and cinematic. His poetic delivery and haunting vocals are at the heart of the track, building into a wave of energy that’s equal parts anthemic and devastatingly raw. Produced alongside long-time collaborator James McGuffie, the song carries the emotional weight of artists like Medium Build and Pinegrove, yet remains distinctly Trillado in tone and spirit.

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“I remember being at school and feeling like every day I was just trying not to get caught. I felt like I knew more about myself, yet I started to go further inwards.”

Lyrically, ‘16’ is a cathartic release — a reflection on anger, frustration, and sadness for a world that once made a young person feel small. But it’s also a song of reclamation and strength. Trillado doesn’t just revisit the past; he transforms it into something healing and beautifully defiant.

With ‘16’, Benjamin Trillado continues to cement himself as one of Melbourne’s most compelling indie voices, delivering music that’s as vulnerable as it is empowering. It’s a haunting and heartfelt reminder that even in our darkest memories, there’s power in looking back — and even more in moving forward.

Benjamin Trillado’s ‘16’ is available now, everywhere.