Following her SAMA nomination for her sophomore album and the success of her first post-album single “Big Talker,” South African alt-pop artist Carla Franco returned a new single, “Hot Mess” in April 2025. It’s an electrifying burst of chaos, heartbreak, and unapologetic truth.
Carla Franco’s “Hot Mess” is Bold, Biting, and Brutally Honest
“Hot Mess” is a sonic firestorm, showcasing Carla Franco’s emotionally charged storytelling and genre-bending sound. Known for her fierce authenticity and for breaking barriers as a hearing-impaired singer-songwriter, Carla pulls no punches in this cathartic anthem about loving someone who simply cannot love you back the right way.
Born from the Chaos of a Toxic Love
“Hot Mess” was inspired by the emotional turmoil of a toxic relationship—where instability and contradiction take the place of genuine care.
“It’s about being stuck in a cycle with someone who’s hot and cold, where love feels more like a mind game than a connection,” Carla Franco explains. “I think we’ve all had that one person who can’t make up their mind — and it leaves you feeling like the crazy one.”
Beyond its biting wit and playful jabs, “Hot Mess” digs deep into the emotional toll inconsistency can take. “It’s messy love. It’s fighting to keep your dignity when you’re being disrespected, gaslit, or taken for granted,” Carla shares. “But it’s also about finding your voice again — even if it’s loud, chaotic, or imperfect.”
An Emotional Release, Not a Polished Product
The song came together in a deeply personal and fast-paced writing process, in collaboration with another local songwriter and producer Jono Greyling.
“I was honestly just so done, so frustrated, and so hurt,” Carla Franco recalls. “I knew I still loved her so much, but all of the emotions needed a home to live in, thus birthing ‘Hot Mess.’ The lyrics spilled out like journal entries. The sarcasm, the pain, the humour — it was all real. This wasn’t about overthinking melodies or perfect lines; it was about emotional release.”
Raw, Punchy, and Perfectly Imperfect
Recorded in Cape Town, “Hot Mess” fuses gritty pop-rock energy with alternative edge. “We kept the production raw and punchy to match the lyrics—sharp drums, distorted guitars, and layered vocals that reflect the emotional volatility,” Carla says. “It’s messy by design. We wanted it to sound like the chaos it represents.”
While the track itself explores the turbulence of a toxic romantic relationship, the music video delves deeper— turning the focus inward. Through arresting visuals and layered symbolism, Franco reveals that the true enabler of dysfunction isn’t only the significant other—it is the self.
“I wanted to show that we often allow these cycles to continue because of our own unresolved patterns,” says Franco. “The song may sound like it’s about someone else, but the music video makes it personal. It’s about facing your own role in the wreckage.”
Centered around the powerful lyric “I’m the mess that’s giving you access,” the video features Carla Franco in a dual role: a composed, well-presented version of herself confronting her own chaotic, emotionally unraveled alter ego. This dramatic encounter symbolizes the often-ignored internal conflict— the quiet complicity that allows toxicity to take root and grow.
Check out the video below:
Filmed by Kyle Lendon, the video showcases Franco’s distinct creative vision, with all visuals and artistic direction conceived and executed by herself. As a hearing-impaired artist, FRANCO uses visual storytelling to offer fans
“a new way to hear” “Hot Mess”.
Through stylized movement, stark contrasts and raw emotional tension, the music video becomes a vivid, sensory experience that speaks louder than words.
The song, with lines like “You love to hate me and it can’t be denied” and “I’m a pit stop on the ride of your life,” pulses with frustration, confusion, and ultimately, self reckoning. But it is in the bridge—“What a mess, And I gotta confess, I’m the mess that’s giving you access”— where Franco distils the central truth of the narrative.
“Hot Mess” is more than just a song— it is a mirror. And in a world where accountability is too often displaced by blame, this music video emerges as a courageous and introspective piece of art.
You can stream/download “Hot Mess” HERE.
Watch this space for updates in the Music Videos category on SA Music Zone.
To stay in the loop with all things SA Music, Subscribe to our newsletter.
Looking for something to do? Check out our Upcoming Events section or the SA Gig Guide.
Want to explore the SA Music Scene? Check out our Artist/Band/Group Profiles section.
Want to discover fresh music? Follow our editor's 2025 playlist on Spotify.
