Video of the Week: Carla Wehbe, ‘Don’t Tell Me’

The debut single from Sydney-based artist Carla Wehbe is subversive story told through a shimmer of synths and rapid electronic drumming. And the video is teenage ennui perfection, like an extended, grainy supercut of ’80s wistfulness and suburban mayhem.

The singer, songwriter, musician and producer has a penchant for teaming current pop melodies with an edgy ’80s nostalgia. ‘Don’t Tell Me’ is inspired by a night out when she was confronted by a man who asked, “Would it kill you to smile?”.

“It was such a pointless and unhelpful thing to say,” Carla explains, “If I don’t feel like smiling I’m not going to for the sake of making someone else feel more comfortable.”

Now before you roll your eyes all the way back into your heads at the man’s stark portrayal of sexist assumption, Wehbe is here to make it all better. A co-writing session with Carl Ryden (Cher, David Guetta) and Paul Harris (Kylie Minogue), resulted in the line, ‘Would it kill you to smile?’, forming the song’s first lyrical origin. 

The final offering is jam-packed full of high-end melodic synth-pop and a feeling of gratitude for a much needed inclusive feminist anthem.

WATCH: Carla Wehbe, ‘Don’t Tell Me’

‘Don’t Tell Me’ is Carla Wehbe’s first solo music offering and follows her co-release with Tyron Hapi and Roy Bing on the 2019 single ‘Touched’, which has clocked over 2.5 million streams.

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