Todd Hahn, a 55-year-old gay lyricist from rural Australia, has released his latest track, “I Am Billy’s Brother,” a defiant, life-affirming dance anthem exploring queer identity, grief, and the enduring presence of loved ones lost. The song uniquely balances vulnerability and strength, encouraging listeners to honor memory not with silence, but with movement, rhythm, and pride.
While the vocals and music for “I Am Billy’s Brother” were generated using AI tools, the lyrics and creative direction are entirely Hahn’s own. The accompanying music video is a deeply personal piece, drawing inspiration from numerous stories of loss within the gay community, as well as Hahn’s own journey of self-acceptance.
Hahn explains that the character of Billy in the song represents a longed-for role model—someone charismatic, fearless, and authentically themselves. Billy is depicted as a victim of the AIDS pandemic, but more broadly, he embodies a collective longing for those lost and the courage to live authentically. The video serves as Hahn’s tribute to those who passed and a celebration of living life out loud.
Hahn’s work often delves into themes of family, identity, and the quiet resilience found in survival. Growing up, he faced a distant relationship with his police officer father. At 18, after coming out, he was sent to a psychiatric “retreat” in an attempt at conversion, where he unexpectedly found his first genuine support system.
Like many in his generation, Hahn came of age during the AIDS crisis—a period marked by fear, stigma, and silence. This era instilled a profound longing for connection, tempered by the pervasive fear of its potential cost. This enduring tension between love and fear, between being seen and seeking safety, continues to shape his artistic perspective.
His songwriting frequently illuminates the unseen: unspoken grief, quiet endurance, and the subtle emotional currents beneath ordinary lives. Many of his lyrics are informed by his upbringing, including the strained relationship with his father, the closeness with his mother, and the tensions within their marriage. For Hahn, writing offers a means to reflect on these formative experiences with honesty and compassion, providing a voice to feelings that once lacked a safe outlet.
Though not a musician himself, Hahn’s deep passion for music fuels his creative endeavors. He notes that while he “dabbled with lyrics” in his youth, as he has matured, the lyrics now seem to “find him,” enabling him to express an “other self.” Hahn has been with his partner for 34 years.
“I Am Billy’s Brother” is now available on YouTube.
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