Musically (and in many other ways) Australia is one of my favourite countries. Its an enormous place with relatively few inhabitants, so it’s amazing how much talent lives among them. Carla Wehbe, whom I featured multiple times already, is one of the best examples. Sydney-based, she’s a rising singer, songwriter and producer who merges current pop melodies with a retro nostalgia. Think Harry Styles and ABBA.

However, Wehbe is not only an artist, self-taught producer and in demand songwriter. She’s also a skilled videographer and photographer. Carla is even cutting her teeth in fashion by launching her own clothing line in 2022.

Her own experiences – and the emotions of other people, which she is hyper-tuned to – form the basis of her songwriting. One of her great strengths is conveying relatable stories with depth and conviction as well as hints of melancholy.

Wehbe’s new single Life’s An Awful Mess is an upbeat pop track overflowing with charisma and addictive melodies. It deals with the contradictions of life and how despite the ups and downs we should simply embrace everything life has to offer.

In her own words: “Life’s An Awful Mess is about the contradictory nature of life, and how it can be so terrible in one moment and magical in the next. It’s also about accepting the inevitable finality that life will face and realising that it’s all not that serious when you take a step back. We’re all doing our best, and while some of us are killing this whole life thing, some of us are still bringing swords to pillow fights. Life is everything and nothing at all. But in seeing the beauty in it and accepting it – flaws and all, maybe someday we can learn the art of living.”

Life’s An Awful Mess by Carla Wehbe is the new Carte Blanche Music Wildcard. It will be prominently displayed at the top of the blog for an entire week.

More Carla Wehbe @ Carte Blanche Music

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In the Wildcards 2024 playlist you’ll find all of this year’s Carte Blanche Music Wildcards so far.

Werner Schlosser

I’m a music industry watcher and journalist. Worked at a CD club, a record store chain and was editor in chief of an entertainment trade magazine. Have been in the radio business since 1987, producing and presenting shows. Was music director of several stations. Also, I developed the European Border Breakers Chart, Music Moves Europe Talent Chart and ESNS Chart. CEO of Werner Bros. tekst | uitleg.