The Foote Files: British Singer Mabel

(CBS 11) - The British singer/songwriter Mabel (born Mabel Alabama Pearl McVey on February 19, 1996) caught my attention the other day while listening to SIRUS XM Hits 1.

A tropical-pop artist, she was born in Malaga and raised in Sweden but moved to London at the age of 18. She is the daughter of Swedish singer Neneh Cherry and Massive Attack record producer Cameron McVey. Since 2015, she has been releasing songs for international pop charts. She had a huge hit in 2017 in the UK for "Finders Keepers" but currently she has one now doing even better.

"Don't Call Me Up" was released on January 18, 2019 and debuted at #11 on the UK Singles chart. Billboard has named her as an "emerging artist" and this song is going somewhere. It was a part of her debut mixtape called "Ivy To Roses". Apparently, she wrote this song in one day (which reminded me of rock and roll heartthrob Bobby Darin writing his first song "Splish Splash" in one day back in 1958).

The song was actually based on something that she was experiencing in real life at that point in time. Along with her writing the song were Camille Purcell and Steve Mac, produced by Steve Mac, running 2:58 on the Polydor label, the lyrics go like this:

When I'm underneath the bright lights
When I'm tryna have a good time
'Cause I'm good now you ain't mine
Now, now, now, now, don't call me up
When you're looking at my photos
Getting hot, losing control
You want me more now I let go
Now, now, now, now

I'm over you and I don't need your lies no more
'Cause the truth is, without you, boy, I'm stronger
And I know it's sad that I changed, have a cold heart
But it was your game that left scars
Ooh, I'm over you

Don't call me up
I'm going out tonight
Feeling good now you're outta my life
Don't wanna talk about us
Gotta leave it behind
One drink and you're outta my mind
Now, now take it up
Baby, I'm on a high
You're alone, going out of your mind
But I'm here up in the club
And I don't wanna talk
So don't call me up

The song hit #1 on the UK Singles, and it has been in the top ten in Finland, Ireland, The Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway, Scotland, and in the U.S., #2 on the American Bubbling Under Hot 100 Singles.

You can currently hear this song on SIRIUS XM Hits 1 (channel 2).