Madison Beer Prefers to 'Stay in the Now' amid Viral 2016 Trend, Says She Didn't 'Have the Best Time in My Teenage Years' Tereza ShkurtajFebruary 1, 2026 at 4:30 AM 0 Madison Beer. Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty In January 2026, pop singer Madison Beer spoke to Interview Magazine about her thoughts on the viral "2026 is the new 2016" nostalgia trend While many are revisiting fashion, music and social media moments from that era, Beer said she prefers to focus on the present The 26yearold also revealed what she wishes she had done more of a decade ago Madison Beer has spent more than half...
- - Madison Beer Prefers to 'Stay in the Now' amid Viral 2016 Trend, Says She Didn't 'Have the Best Time in My Teenage Years'
Tereza ShkurtajFebruary 1, 2026 at 4:30 AM
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Madison Beer.
Weiss Eubanks/NBCUniversal via Getty
In January 2026, pop singer Madison Beer spoke to Interview Magazine about her thoughts on the viral "2026 is the new 2016" nostalgia trend
While many are revisiting fashion, music and social media moments from that era, Beer said she prefers to focus on the present
The 26-year-old also revealed what she wishes she had done more of a decade ago
Madison Beer has spent more than half her life in the spotlight, building a devoted fan base while growing up online.
Now 26 and riding the creative wave of her latest album Locket, she's sounding off on one of social media's newest obsessions – the idea that "2026 is the new 2016."
"I've seen it," Beer told Interview Magazine. "I definitely feel way better in my life now than I did then."
Madison Beer in 2017.
Justin Goff Photos/Getty
The trend itself has seen wide participation from celebrities and influencers alike, with stars like Charlie Puth sharing throwbacks to his 2016 hits and Hailey Bieber reposting decade-old pictures.
While many remember 2016 as a carefree time before today's ultra‑curated digital culture, Beer admitted that she doesn't feel drawn to relive the period herself.
"There are nostalgic moments from 2016, the music and the Snapchat filters and the Mannequin Challenge and whatever, all that stuff that I think is really funny," she said. "But as someone who did not have the best time in my teenage years, I definitely prefer to stay in the now, honestly."
Still, Beer played along when asked what she might have kept from that era, joking that some old clothes from when she was 17 would have been worth holding onto.
"Maybe some clothes, because I feel like a lot of clothes are coming back in style that were popular then," she said.
The "Bittersweet" singer also reflected on what she might have done differently back in 2016, surprisingly pointing to her relationship with her younger brother.
Madison Beer and brother Ryder Beer.
Image Press Agency/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
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"I probably would've hung out with my little brother more because, I don't know, when we were teenagers, he used to really annoy me and now we're best friends," she shared. "But other than that, nothing."
Beer rose to fame at just 13 years old after Justin Bieber tweeted a link to her YouTube cover of Etta James' "At Last."
In an April 2025 interview with Elle, Beer reflected on getting her start in the industry at such a young age, noting that, nowadays, she doesn't think her "story would happen, in the sense of how I was mistreated."
"But in 2012, things were different. I didn't feel protected, and I didn't feel like people approached judging me like they were judging a 14-year-old," she shared. "It forced me to grow up really fast, and it messed me up in a lot of ways. I've hopefully recovered a bit by now."
on People
Source: "AOL Entertainment"
Source: Entertainment
Published: January 31, 2026 at 06:36PM on Source: PRIME TIME
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