After dealing with a troublesome ex who only appreciates her when she’s gone, country singer Shelby Darrall takes out her frustrations in a ‘therapeutic’ and David Lynchian video for her new song.
A fake plastic smile greets you at the start of “Love Me When I’m Leavin‘,” but it’s not an insincere gesture. It’s an actual plastic mask, worn by one Shelby Darrall. In the new visual from the country singer, premiering here on HollywoodLife, Shelby finds herself in the middle of a moment of revenge. While dressed in a pink, fluffy nightgown and the plastic blonde bombshell mask, Shelby addresses her absent lover, how they “don’t wanna dance / till the rooms on fire.” Like the song’s title says, it seems that this lover only shows interest in Shelby when she’s no longer there. ‘
“You only love me when I leave / You only miss me when I’m gone / You keep that heart under your sleeve / till I throw your shit out on the lawn,” she sings later in the song. As the video progresses, Shelby – with help from a golf club – works out her anger issues on this lover’s possessions. While the video is incredible to watch, the tune at the heart of “Love Me When I’m Leavin’” is the next great breakup song. With songwriting that mixes sweet with edgy, vulnerability, and strength, Shelby shows why everyone should be keeping an ear tuned to what she does next.
“In reality, I’ve never had the pleasure of being the ‘crazy’ unhinged woman after a breakup (I’ve definitely fantasized about it), but really I just hit that little block button and try to let it go,” Darrall shares with HollywoodLife, “so it was pretty therapeutic getting to lose it a little for the video.”
Under the red light, and thanks to some exciting film techniques, director Nick Swift channels a bit of David Lynch (Mulholland Drive), a bit of Jeremy Saulnier (Blue Ruin, Green Room) in an unsettling-yet-somehow-charming video. “It’s a classic revenge fantasy,” director Nick shares. “We kept it dark, moody, and a little bit aggressive – but it’s fun. Shelby plays a crazy person perfectly. Was it real? Just a dream? You tell me!”
Hailing from Calistoga, California, Shelby grew up a music lover thanks to her musician father. After spending her youth performing in all the tasting rooms around Napa Valley, she packed her bags and headed to Music City – Nashville – to pursue her dreams and get her degree at Belmont University. Her natural wit and songwriting prowess soon found her working with some of the best in Nashville’s music community, but now, she’s ready to take the spotlight for herself. Her forthcoming EP will show more of this rising star’s shine, so don’t leave just yet: it’s just starting to get good.
