French/Australian music artist Benedict Sinister is back with his latest single, "Only Sixteen," via the Music For Sapiosexuals label. This release marks a fascinating departure from his previous club hits, "EDM Mockney" and "Going Away," revealing a more introspective side of the artist.
In an intriguing twist, Benedict Sinister decided to adapt an Italian song titled "Autostima" by the underground teen Napolitan-Roman duo Psicologi, which went viral and was featured on the soundtrack of Netflix's "Summertime." The original Italian title translates to "Self Esteem," but Sinister chose to change it to "Only Sixteen" for a clever reason. As he explains, "I decided to change it, not to avoid confusion with the British artist of that name, but to create confusion with the 1975 Dr. Hook hit 'Only Sixteen,' written by Sam Cooke. I chose the same title to mess with Spotify's and YouTube's algorithms and aid discovery from the massive army of Dr. Hook fans."
"Only Sixteen" is a poignant love song that delves into the memories of teenage heartbreak, blending elements of emo rap with the emotional depth of Adele. This track, adapted into English by Benedict Sinister, includes a new final verse that pays homage to the legendary Cat Stevens. It's his first foray into adapting an Italian song, following the success of his English versions of songs by French master lyricists Serge Gainsbourg and Vincent Delerm.
The release of "Only Sixteen" coincides with a growing interest in Italian music in the Anglo world, exemplified by the release of the English version of "Italodisco" and the meteoric rise of Italian rock sensation Maneskin. Benedict Sinister expresses his aspiration to become a "twenty-first-century Laura Branigan," citing the American singer who achieved fame in the 1980s with English versions of Italian hits like "Gloria" and "Ti Amo" by Umberto Tozzi.
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