Draven Bennington, the transgender daughter of late Linkin Park singer Chester Bennington, has released her debut song, “Follow Your Heart,” with a message for anyone struggling with self-doubt or criticism. She encouraged listeners to be themselves, chase their dreams and ignore the haters, while fans praised the track’s “old school hip hop vibe” and shared supportive messages about her father.
Draven Bennington wrote, “OUT NOW! Go download my song ‘Follow Your Heart’ on my website. Link in bio!”
“I made this song for those who really need it! If you’re ever at a point where you are second guessing yourself, stop and listen to this song! It’s all about being yourself unapologetically, going after your dreams and saying F the haters! Love you all!”
A Chester fan commented on Draven’s new song: “I know your dad is beyond proud of you hun!!!! Keep shining.”
Another fan commented: “Beautiful voice, beautiful text. Your dad is definitely proud of you. I bet he vibes to it in heaven and has a great time.”
Another fan said about the song: “Love the old school hip hop vibe!”
Draven Bennington has been in the public eye for years, so her new song arrives with plenty of personal history behind it. She has already spoken openly about living in the shadow of her father’s fame and about the grief that followed his death.
Draven opened up about Chester Bennington’s death in an interview connected to the Paramount+ and MTV series Family Legacy, which explores famous musicians through the eyes of their children. “My dad’s passing is definitely the hardest thing in my life, it’s just everything has definitely changed,” she said.
That same coverage noted that Draven is carving out a creative path of her own, with rap and hip-hop at the center rather than her father’s rock sound. She also works as an artist, which places ‘Follow Your Heart’ within a broader body of creative work.
Chester Bennington died by suicide on July 20, 2017, at the age of 41, and his death was widely reported as a major loss for Linkin Park and the wider rock world. He was survived by his wife Talinda, their children Tyler Lee, Lily and Lila, and by Draven Sebastian and two other sons from earlier relationships.
His family has remained central to his legacy ever since. His estate was left to Talinda and his six children, including Draven, through the Chester and Talinda Bennington Family Trust. That arrangement reflects how closely his personal legacy stayed tied to the family he left behind.
Chester’s own musical background also helps frame Draven’s hip-hop debut. He was known not only for Linkin Park’s hard rock sound but also for the band’s rap-rock fusion on albums like Hybrid Theory and Meteora. He reached an even wider pop-rap audience through Collision Course, Linkin Park’s 2004 collaboration with Jay-Z, which remains one of the group’s best-known cross-genre projects.
Jay-Z later paid tribute to his collaborator and tied the loss to a wider conversation about mental health. He said, “Hopefully his death serves as a wake-up call. Mental health is a real thing.” The words carry extra weight given the message behind ‘Follow Your Heart,’ a song about self-doubt, self-belief, and shutting out criticism.
