A Melbourne creative who has DJd at Burning Man (US) and Balance Festival (Croatia) as DJ Be Kind to Other People, as well as hosting some of the world's top DJs on his talk show 'Coburg Up Late', Callum Padgham continues his path down the indie folk trail with his newest release.
After gaining traction with his debut single under his own name – the bright, buoyant bop 'Everything Is A Blessing' (a modern-sounding Paul Simon/ Talking Heads hybrid) in late 2025 – Callum turns the emotional levels to 11 on 'When I Was A Little Boy'.
A tender, empathy-laced self-portrait of his life-long journey from shame to self-love, 'When I Was A Little Boy' will stir emotions from the deepest corners of your soul.
A delicate acoustic guitar shimmers under Callum's fragile, yet emotionally sturdy vocals that depict heart-breaking lyrics from his own childhood.
The opening lyrics: 'When I was a little boy I was overweight / It made me feel inadequate / I wish so desperately to be like my friends / Otherwise I was a cheerful little boy,' will crush your heart, but for anyone who's livid a similar experience, it'll radiant a strength knowing the resilience required is its own super power.
That same acoustic guitar is fleshed out with sonic textures (glistening drums, serene egg shakers – or is it a corrugated iron roof; read on to find out), the rhythm offering a brightness that offers sonic relief while capturing a deep truth and turning the transmuting pain into positivity.
As that same finger-picked acoustic steadily flows, it allows the song's sentiment to deepen, seeping into the marrow of your mind, as lyrically Callum turns to his latter years, adding a matured outlook, his vulnerability displayed on both his sleeves, visible for all to see.
It's a beautiful ballad that enriches the human spirit and will most likely leave your eyes a little moist. If that happens, as Callum sings: "Don't look away, feel it." Oomph!
Ahead of the song's release tomorrow (29 April), today scenestr is thrilled to premiere 'When I Was a Little Boy'. Enjoy.
"'When I Was A Little Boy' is a story that traces all of my behaviour in life back to that of a self-conscious little boy, thereby forgiving myself for the shame I've accumulated along the way," shares Callum.
"It's the most personal artwork I've ever created – and for that reason, it's also the most important. My hope is that others can see echoes of their own story in mine, reminding them that they too are just innocent children in grown-up bodies and worthy of true forgiveness!"
Despite being only his second solo single as Callum Padgham, '...Little Boy' highlights an incredible songwriting talent especially when compared to his first offering.
"The song is the sonic and thematic opposite of my first single 'Everything Is A Blessing'," Callum says, "but I couldn't write a song so optimistic without first understanding pain – and I'm grateful for all of life's experiences in shaping my perspective."
Although a song that lay buried within him for two-plus decades, it took a ten-day silent retreat for the bones of '...Little Boy' to appear.
"I vividly remember when the song first came to me, during a ten-day silent meditation retreat called a Vipassana, which literally translates to 'seeing things as they really are'.
"By the fifth day of uncomfortable silence, I saw my whole life flash before my eyes – suddenly understanding, with compassion, why I'd previously acted in certain ways that I wasn't proud of. It was a true breakthrough moment for me and a feeling of profound relief: 'Oh! I'm just a wounded little boy, that's all!' Cue waterworks.
"We weren't allowed to talk, read or write so I wrote 'When I Was A Little Boy' in my head to capture the experience and literally stay sane.
"The chorus refrain 'come on up – don't look away just feel it' refers to the core Vipassana teaching of observing sensations rise up in your body and resisting the urge to look away – an ancient Indian meditation technique helping people process their pain for 2,500-plus years."
Once Callum had returned to the bustle of modern life, he began piecing together the musical aspects of the song.
"Soon after the Vipassana, with a new lease on life, I recorded the instrumental portion of the song at my friend Josh Barber's (Gretta Ray, Dallas Frasca) converted 1930s church studio in the Victorian goldfields.
"My life-long creative collaborator Miles de Carteret handled the delicate guitar duties, whilst Josh covered percussion by literally banging on an old piece of corrugated iron roof.
"I knew we'd made something special when I performed the song to some close friends a few weeks later – emotions ran high and my mate Jono Colliver (Vance Joy, Dr Colosus) earnestly requested to direct my vocal recording to 'capture the most raw and vulnerable performance possible'.
"Before long I was laying down verses in a DIY vocal booth on my mate Billy Barker's sheep farm in Killarney, West Victoria, being carefully conducted by Jono and Billy. The result is what you hear – a profoundly intimate disclosure to my nearest and dearest."
