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Pop Culture

‘The devil couldn’t reach me’: TikTokers are sharing their Achilles’ Heels through a Gab Sadie song

Creators get candid.

Photo of Charlotte Colombo

Charlotte Colombo

TOS - 'The devil couldn't reach me'

When it comes to storytelling, characters often have what’s called a “fatal flaw.” This is a character trait or physical attribute that ultimately leads to the character’s downfall (think Achilles’ Heel). It dates back to Ancient Greek mythology and philosophy.

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That One Sound is a column from internet culture reporter Charlotte Colombo that explores the origin of popular sounds heard on TikTok.

But what does this have to do with a TikTok sound? Well, users are facing up to some of their own fatal flaws thanks to a trend that starts with the phrase: “The devil couldn’t reach me.”

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The sound

As a soft female voice hums a tune in the background, pensive TikTokers look into the camera. Accompanying this is on-screen text identical to one another that reads: “The devil couldn’t reach me, so he made me X.”

@iluvshino #relatable #quotes #fypシ ♬ Mom Told Me Everything Will Be Okay – Gab Sadie

The thing that the devil “made” these TikTokers is personal and varies depending on the person. The majority are serious. Here are some examples:

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“The devil couldn’t reach me, so he gave me a heart that cared too much,” said @niccolocosci.

“The devil couldn’t reach me, so he makes me the most sensitive girl in the world,” said @secretlifeofdotti.

The devil couldn’t reach me, so he makes anyone I talk to or be with fall out of love with me,” said @iluvshino.

Where’s it from?

Returning to the sound, the vocalizing woman in question is Gab Sadie. She’s an artist signed with independent record label The System. The song in question, which was released this year, is “Mom Told Me Everything Will Be Okay.”

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@secretlifeofdotti

the crybabies will understand me

♬ Mom Told Me Everything Will Be Okay – Gab Sadie

The song has no lyrics and consists entirely of humming — but it has struck a chord with plenty of people.

Sound off

Over on Spotify, the song has been streamed over 3 million times, no doubt in part due to its relation to this popular TikTok trend.

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@niccolocosci

♬ Mom Told Me Everything Will Be Okay – Gab Sadie

In total, the sound has been used in a whopping 167,400 videos, which just goes to show that, at least, these TikTokers aren’t alone in how they’re feeling.


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