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.
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.”
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:
“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.”
@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.
@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.
Internet culture is chaotic—but we’ll break it down for you in one daily email. Sign up for the Daily Dot’s web_crawlr newsletter here. You’ll get the best (and worst) of the internet straight into your inbox.