Q&A: Sarah Saint James Finds Healing Down to the Cell in “Seven Years”
INTERVIEW
INTERVIEW
☆ BY KIMBERLY KAPELA ☆
THE BODY REMEMBERS, BUT ALSO RENEWS — Rising singer-songwriter Sarah Saint James makes a striking return with her most emotionally resonant work yet — “Seven Years,” a raw and deeply personal single that explores trauma, healing and the radical possibility of starting over. At its core, the track is built on the concept that nearly every cell in the human body regenerates over the span of seven years. Sarah Saint James reimagines this idea as a metaphor for survival — a symbol of reclamation and renewal for anyone who’s ever needed to begin again.
Co-written with acclaimed artist and fellow survivor Mothica, alongside producer Dylan Rouda, “Seven Years” is more than just a song. It’s a declaration — of resilience, of voice and of hope. Through haunting melodies and gripping, evocative lyricism, Sarah Saint James transforms personal pain into a universal message of empowerment. It’s an anthem for survivors of sexual assault that dares to imagine healing not only as an emotional journey but as a physical one — right down to the cellular level.
“This song was healing for me,” Sarah Saint James says. “It was a concept I had the idea for literally years ago, but I waited for the right room to bring it to life. Working with Mckenzie [Mothica] and Dylan Rouda was amazing. It was my first session back in LA in 2022, and it just came together so perfectly.”
There’s an undeniable intimacy to “Seven Years.” It doesn’t shy away from pain, but it refuses to be defined by it. Instead, it offers a gentle but powerful promise — that there is a future version of you who exists beyond the hurt. Untouched. Untainted. Whole.
As Sarah Saint James steps into this new era of artistry, she’s not only reclaiming her voice — she’s giving voice to others.
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?
SARAH: I grew up on heavy emo and punk music. So for me, my biggest inspirations vary between ultra pop to classic emo. My favorite band of all time is My Chemical Romance. I’ve been obsessed with them since I was 13 years old, and then am also obsessed with Lady Gaga on the other end of the spectrum. Early Panic! At The Disco was a huge influence and a combo between pop and emo punk is what inspires me the most, because that's still what I listen to.
LUNA: What drives your music? Can you talk about the core emotions or themes that fuel your songwriting?
SARAH: In my songwriting, my biggest thing is helping people feel heard. I think growing up with such emotive role models in terms of music, like I would sit alone in my room and listen to My Chemical Romance and feel heard. My goal as an artist is to give that to other people—whether or not they are in the car, driving home, or they're in their room and feeling alone—if they hear one of my songs, they find it as a universally relatable experience. That's what I want as an artist and as a songwriter as well.
LUNA: If someone were to have just found Sarah Saint James and they wanted to listen to one song that really encapsulated your artistic maturity, what song would it be?
SARAH: Previously, I would have said “Mad At God,” because that song went viral in the US. That was my biggest moment. But from now on, I would definitely say “Seven Years.” I think that in terms of the songwriting has progressed from where “Mad At God” was also super vulnerable and in an ideal world, I would love for people to feel hope from that.
LUNA: You just released your newest single “Seven Years” and I love how vulnerable and raw it is. What influenced the song and what themes or emotions do you explore?
SARAH: I had the idea for "Seven Years" in my head for about three years, but I held onto it, waiting for the right room and the right people to help bring it to life. As a songwriter, you sometimes write alone and other times you collaborate—and this was a song I wanted to save for when it truly felt right. I first came across the concept back in 11th grade—the idea that every seven years, your body replaces all of its cells. I’m not even sure if that’s scientifically accurate, but the thought of it stuck with me. I loved the idea that, eventually, there would be a version of me he had never touched.
I’ve never said outright what the song is about, but I think most people can piece it together. What mattered to me was that it carried a sense of hope—rather than dwelling in sadness, it offered the promise of renewal. That idea really inspired me—not just in writing the song, but in how I started thinking about healing and moving forward in my own life.
LUNA: Thank you for sharing that story. Working in the right rooms where empathy and support are the backbone to the creative process is so important to the core of the song. Working with a fellow survivor like Mothica must have brought a special kind of understanding to the writing process—what was that collaboration like emotionally and creatively?
SARAH: It was such an awesome experience. McKenzie and I actually connected years ago. When my song “Mad At God” first went viral on TikTok—back when songs were just starting to take off on the platform—she came across it on her for you page. We ended up getting in touch and realized we were on the same wavelength. We had gone through such similar experiences, and that connection really stuck with me. So when I was thinking about writing something as vulnerable and raw as “Seven Years,” I knew I needed someone who would get it—not just creatively, but emotionally. I didn’t want to write that kind of song with someone who hadn’t lived it in some way.
When I went out to LA, I reached out to McKenzie and asked if she was around. She just happened to be free, and it all lined up. We got into the studio, and the song came together in like three hours—it was so fast. We clicked immediately. That’s always a bit of a gamble when you’ve only interacted online—you hope the real-life chemistry is just as strong. And with her, it was. She’s incredible—not just as a songwriter, but as an artist and human. She was so easy to work with, so thoughtful and kind. I honestly have nothing but good things to say about the whole experience.
LUNA: You describe the song as a “declaration”—what did you feel you were reclaiming or asserting through “Seven Years?”
SARAH: Especially now that I'm a completely brand new person, I think the biggest thing for me is for many, many years, I obviously sat in shame and guilt and all of the emotions that come with anything along those lines. There's a whole spectrum, obviously, of experiences you can have that leads you to feel that way. I think the biggest thing for me is being able to sit with myself now, and even look in the mirror and know that I'm a new person. The thing is, yes, maybe it's not scientifically correct. Who cares? At the end of the day, whatever's going to give somebody hope to realize that there is a new version of them coming. That's what you want to hold on to, and that's definitely what I've had, especially in the last few years as well, just being able to move on and be at peace with myself, knowing that I'm a brand new version of myself.
LUNA: How do you hope “Seven Years” will resonate with listeners who have experienced similar trauma?
SARAH: I know that when you're in those really dark moments, it can feel almost impossible to see any light at the end of it—especially when you’re carrying the weight of so many things all at once. In an ideal world, I hope someone who isn’t already a listener of mine hears this song—maybe it comes on the radio or pops up on shuffle—and they pause and go, ‘Wait, I think I know what this is about.’ And it hits them in a way that feels true. That realization of, ‘There will be a time when I’m someone new. Someone untouched by this.’
That idea is what kept me going, and I hope it can do the same for someone else. I’ve been pretty open about my past—about struggling with thoughts of not wanting to be here anymore. And when you’re in that headspace, sometimes the most powerful thing is having something to look forward to. Even if the whole “seven years” idea isn’t perfectly scientific, just believing there’s a point in time where you can leave behind who you are now—that can be incredibly hopeful. When you’re deep in it, you need something to hold onto, something that says ‘this isn’t forever.’ I just hope this song finds the people who need it, and gives them that tiny glimpse of the future where they feel renewed—where they know: there will be a new version of me.
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?
SARAH: This one’s funny, because it seems like every single comment I get on TikTok is someone saying, ‘I heard this in the car,’ or ‘I was screaming this in the car.’ And honestly, I get it. The car is such an underrated emotional space. It’s like this little bubble where you can be completely alone—even if you’re just driving down your street. Most of the time, no one’s really watching or listening, so you can turn the volume all the way up, scream the lyrics and just be in your own world.
That’s the dream for me—someone discovering the song on shuffle or radio, and having that moment where it hits them. The car gives you that privacy to really feel it. I’ve always tried to write music that you can scream along to, that gives you that emotional release. So if someone finds this song and it becomes that song they play on a late-night drive, or when they just need to let it all out—that would mean everything. I really do think the car is the perfect place for that.
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?
SARAH: I’m so excited right now—it feels like such a new chapter. I took a decent amount of time off recently. I actually had a baby. It’s been a wild ride. During that time, so much changed. I moved houses, I moved states… and before all that, I was stuck in lockdowns during COVID. Eventually, I came back to my hometown, to my home state, and now I finally feel like I’m ready to throw myself back into music fully.
Over the last couple of years, I’ve written so many songs. I spent about six months in LA just writing non-stop, and now I’ve started working with my label distributor again—who, thankfully, are just as excited as I am to start putting things out. So yeah, this whole phase feels like a rebirth. I’ve never felt more like me. And honestly, this might sound corny, but going through the process of becoming a mother really made me reflect on what matters most to me. It helped me realize, without a doubt, that music is where my heart is. I reassessed everything, and not being able to create during my break was so hard—it made it clear that I’m meant to do this. So now, I’m ready. I’m just excited to start releasing song after song after song.
