Q&A: Saphir Levi Casts a Spell With Her Seductive Debut “Forget It”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
ALT-ROCK’S NEWEST SPELLCASTER—Saphir Levi is stepping into the spotlight with fierce confidence and a sound to match. The rising alt-rock singer-songwriter has officially announced her signing to NOWHERE Recordings, in partnership with Pale Chord Records / Rise Records BMG—a power move that signals the start of an exciting new chapter in her career. Alongside the announcement, Levi has unveiled her commanding debut single, “Forget It.”
“‘Forget It’ is about the magic of self-assurance and seduction,” Saphir says. “It is warm, witchy, romantic, and most importantly confident. It feels like such an appropriate first chapter in this brand new story of my musical journey.”
And what a chapter it is. “Forget It” blends sharp, earworm hooks with evocative, smoky vocals, delivering a sound that pays homage to the golden age of ’90s alternative rock—think the dreamy melancholy of Mazzy Star, the lyrical grit of Liz Phair, and the raw power of PJ Harvey—all filtered through Saphir’s modern, genre-bending vision.
The single was produced by NOWHERE2RUN, the boundary-pushing production duo of Jami Morgan and Eric Balderose, who bring a bold, industrial edge to Levi’s emotionally rich songwriting. Their collaboration results in a track that feels equally at home in a candle-lit bedroom as it does blasting from car speakers during a 3 a.m. drive.
Saphir Levi’s entrance into the scene is as enchanting as it is assertive—a powerful debut that announces her arrival loud and clear. With “Forget It,” she isn’t just dropping a song—she’s casting a spell, and this is only the beginning.
Photography Credit: Jaxon Whittington
LUNA: Thank you for talking to Luna. Our readers would love to get to know you and your music more. For any readers who aren’t familiar with you yet, what inspires your artistic style and sound?
SAPHIR: At least for this record, there were a lot of 90s female singers, so there's this band called Curve that was a big inspiration, as well as Fiona Apple, Bjork, Mazzy star, sort of just like a mix of all those, probably more.
LUNA: What kind of atmosphere or emotional space do you aim to create for your listeners?
SAPHIR: When I was writing this record, I was honestly stressed—it came from a place of needing to create a space where people could just be. It’s the music you put on after a long day, when you get home, light a cigarette, and just unwind. It’s 3am, you’re driving back from something, and this is the song playing in your car. It’s a space for release—whether that means crying it out or just feeling all the feelings. For this record in particular, the vibe is more about attitude. It’s got that girlboss energy—not in a ‘I don’t need no man’ kind of way, but more in the sense of owning yourself, your femininity, and everything that comes with that. It’s about stepping into your power unapologetically.
LUNA: What is the ideal environment to experience your music? Is there a particular setting, mood, or time of day that enhances the listening experience?
SAPHIR: Maybe a bar, or even being alone in your room and being in your own thoughts and just laying around. That's how I listen to music. I'll just play it off my computer and just lounge. “Forget It” was quite literally filmed in my bedroom.
LUNA: Congratulations on signing with NOWHERE Recordings, in partnership with Pale Chord! How does it feel to officially step into this new era of your career?
SAPHIR: It's everything I've been wanting to do for a long time. I've had a long career in music, and I think this is the most ideal situation and being with a label who really cares about every step, whether it's the music, the pictures and everything, it feels like such a safe environment, and them allowing me to be my true self has been such an awesome experience so far. I'm happy to be at this point, and I'm happy to be with the label.
LUNA: “Forget It” marks your debut release under this new label partnership. What made this the perfect first single to introduce this chapter of Saphir Levi to the world?
SAPHIR: I think it's the one that most identifies with myself. I'm pretty sure when we were writing this record, this was one of the first songs we were writing together where it felt like a good introduction. The story behind the song already felt like my personality just talking about it, it had this dark and seductive magic that exists in the Saphir realm. Like, if there was an opening to Saphir, this would be it, especially with the video, it felt so real and so true to me.
LUNA: You’ve described “Forget It” as warm, witchy, romantic and confident—can you dive into the writing and creative process behind the song and how those themes came through?
SAPHIR: Production had already started with Jami—he was sending me ideas, and from there, I started writing. At the time, I was really fascinated by the world of magic. I know it’s a trend now, but I genuinely dove deep into it. I did a lot of research, had conversations with people and explored it in my own way. The writing came from this place of being drawn to someone—not necessarily in a ‘deep love’ kind of way, but more of a magnetic, lustful connection. It was about pulling that person’s energy into my own and creating this fantasy world around it, this exchange of energies. That connection was powerful and mysterious, and magic really influenced how I processed and expressed it.
I truly believe in that kind of energy—how it can shift things, even make you do wild things sometimes, so that belief shaped a lot of the inspiration. Working with Jami was such a fun process. He kept helping me polish everything, and then he came in with that chorus—it was so strong and just clicked. It was like the perfect collision of both of our worlds, and the end result felt really special.
LUNA: “Forget It” is also accompanied by a music video. What is the inspiration behind the video and how was your experience filming it?
SAPHIR: The inspiration behind the video really came from my bedroom. It’s funny, but Sam Fine—she’s an amazing videographer, artistic director, and just an all-around talented person—she’s also a great friend. She works with VHS videos and already understood the vibe I was going for.
The storyline was a reflection of my past year. I was looking around my room and thinking, ‘why not just make a video that represents a scene from my life, literally?’ So I had the tapestry, crystals, a crystal ball, candles, and even a voodoo doll. I thought, why not just create a scene from all that? It didn’t need to be exactly word for word, but something within that realm, something people could connect to. I guess the full inspiration was a Tarantino-style film—it’s raw, real, and doesn’t shy away from the gritty details. And the best part? I didn’t have to fake any of it. It was all just real, genuine moments.
LUNA: The sound of “Forget It” blends 90s alt-rock influences with a fresh, modern edge. What artists or sounds were on your mood board while crafting the track?
SAPHIR: I didn’t have a specific person in mind when writing this track, but if I had to relate it to someone, I’d say it has a bit of a Joan Jett vibe. It’s got a lot of attitude—very bold and unapologetic. There’s this balance of feminine energy, but also a strong, masculine energy. It’s about having control, like the line ‘got a spell on your name / and you'll never know it's a game’—it’s all about owning your power and making them come to you, energetically. So yeah, if I had to choose someone, Joan Jett would probably be the closest match to the vibe I was going for.
LUNA: “Forget It” is a sneak peek into your upcoming EP. I would love to hear anything that you would like to share on its inspirations and themes and emotions you explore!
SAPHIR: When I look at this EP as a whole, I’d say the majority of it was written during a really stressful time in my life—working a crappy nine-to-five, feeling the pressure of a time crunch. A lot of it was made in an office, in my garage, on my phone, whatever downtime I could get. A lot of the actual recording happened in Pittsburgh with Jami and Shay, so it was a bit of a mad dash to get it done. But sometimes that pressure can create something beautiful, like a diamond, and I think that’s what happened here.
The themes of the record center around the sadness and longing for someone, the lust and seduction of craving someone, and the way I saw the world turning around me with all the chaos going on. Everyone processes the world differently, and I think you’ll hear that in the way these songs explore those emotions. There’s a lot of hope and strength in it too, like pushing through tough times. Each song plays with different emotions—the happy, the sad, the ecstatic, the hopeful, but also a little bit of dread. It’s like a snapshot of my life at that moment, and I think a lot of people will relate to it.
As for influences, I grew up in the 2000s, but a lot of 90s music also shaped me. I love a good ballad, like something from Oasis, and I’m also into shoegaze, maybe a bit of Slowdive or Deftones, though not exactly like that. We created our own version of it, blending all those influences with my own sound. I think you can hear that mix of nostalgia and my personal take on it. I’m really excited for people to hear it.
LUNA: How are you feeling in this current era of your career and what does the rest of the year look like that you would like to share with Luna?
SAPHIR: It’s definitely a work in progress. I’m in the process of getting my band together, and putting a group of people in a room isn’t always easy. But luckily, when you have chemistry—which is something I really value—everything just falls into place. Chemistry is huge for me, whether it’s with my band or even when signing to a label or working on production. It’s been a journey, and I’ve loved every step of it. This is a new chapter for me, something I’ve never experienced before, and it fills me with so much hope and excitement. I can’t wait to get on stage, do the work, and finally be able to play music full-time, do shows, and keep creating.
As for the rest of the year, the EP is going to drop, and I always shoot for the moon—wherever the stars land, I’m happy with that. Every step is a win, and I’m just grateful for the journey. This project means a lot to me, and I know that with the right support, everything will connect. You never know what’s going to happen—it’s one of those things where every day is different, every week is different. We’ll see where I’m at six months from now.
