A collab we didn’t know we needed! Sabrina Carpenter starred in the music video for Charlie Puth‘s single “That’s Not How This Works,” featuring musical duo Dan & Shay. Both the song and video premiered on March 31, 2023, and we’re living for the lyrics, visuals and everything in between. Keep reading for a lyric and video breakdown.
Charlie Puth ‘That’s Not How This Works’ Lyric Breakdown
“That’s Not How This Works” is about someone who tries to come back into their ex-lover’s life, after leaving the relationship.
“Thought the day you disappeared that it was over,” Charlie sings in the first verse. “Saw you with someone and thought that it was closure. But you still tell me that you need me.”
The track then lists ways in which an ex-partner attempts to get back into the groove of their former relationship, but as the title says ~that’s not how this works.~
“Stop remindin’ me of when we said “forever,'” Dan sings at one point in the song. “I know exactly what you’re doin’ when you say, ‘You need to drop off all my sweaters.’ It’s just one of your еxcuses.”
The chorus sums it up: “You can’t say you hate me, then call me when you’re hurt. Baby, you know that’s not how this works, no.”
Charlie explained the backstory of the song via Instagram after the song’s release.
“I wrote ‘That’s Not How This Works’ on zoom with @danandshay in April of 2020,” Charlie wrote. “I went through many changes musically in my life, but always kept this song in my back pocket because I knew how special it was.”
The New Jersey native explained that the song helped “propel” him into the next phase of his life, and in a way “healed” him.
“With all of these feelings that I hadn’t come face to face with before, I finally mustered up the courage to put a melody against them. When you listen to this song, I hope you feel what I felt when I wrote it- a sense of relief. Thank you @sabrinacarpenter for your brilliant portrayal of this character. You are so unbelievably multitalented. That’s Not How This Works is out everywhere! Thank you.”
Sabrina Carpenter ‘That’s Not How This Works’ Video Breakdown
Sabrina and Charlie play two people in a tumultuous relationship, loving and hating one another at the same time.
Throughout the video, there are throwback scenes of Sabrina and Charlie in a happy relationship: kissing, dancing, painting, romantic dates, you name it. However, those clips quickly pivot to scenes of the two fighting, crying and overall being very unhappy — all while showing Charlie in the present, writing and recording “That’s Not How This Works” about his past lover.
Love J-14? Be sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for fun, exclusive videos with your favorite stars.
