“This song was my way of processing that rage"
Saphron is shaking up the UK’s alternative pop scene with a sound and story that demand attention.
A British-Sri Lankan artist with over 50 million streams as a songwriter, she’s already written for global giants like Netflix, Disney, and Amazon Prime.
Now, after years behind the curtain, she’s stepping into the spotlight on her own terms.
Her latest single, ‘Bone Collector’, is a dark pop, R&B, and alt-hip-hop anthem that flips gossip, microaggression, and judgment into empowerment.
It’s a cinematic reclamation of identity – bold, unapologetic, and entirely her own.
With her debut album Identity Crisis set for release this November, Saphron continues to redefine what it means to be a South Asian woman in modern British music: unboxed, genre-fluid, and global.
In an exclusive interview with DESIblitz, Saphron opens up about her creative evolution, her fight against stereotypes, and the power of finding freedom in the in-between.
Finding Voice Through Chaos
Music was never just a career path for Saphron; it was a form of survival.
From school plays to writing musicals for her local church, she found early on that storytelling was her truest language.
She explains: “My first journey into songwriting was actually writing musicals, but my real journey began when I realised songwriting gave me an avenue to hold everything I couldn’t say out loud.”
What began as a creative outlet through “chaos, heartbreak, identity crises, and joy” evolved into a professional path that first took her behind the scenes.
“That turned into a career behind the scenes, writing for TV, film and other artists before I decided to finally step into my own spotlight.”
Now, with her latest single ‘Bone Collector’ and her upcoming album Identity Crisis, she’s doing exactly that – stepping forward with a boldness that’s both deeply personal and unapologetically defiant.
Turning Rage into Power
‘Bone Collector’ was born out of Saphron’s lived experience.
She reveals: “I wrote ‘Bone Collector’ after a few incidents of racist microaggressions that really stayed with me.
“As people of colour, we’re often held to a completely different standard; what would be a level 2 mistake for someone else becomes treated like a level 10 when it’s us.”
The track transforms that anger into something electric: a dark pop, R&B, and hip-hop fusion laced with attitude.
“This song was my way of processing that rage, a feeling that goes way beyond one incident.
“I wanted to turn that pain into power.”
The title itself carries a double meaning.
Saphron took inspiration from The Real Housewives of Atlanta and Shereé Whitfield’s “Bone Collector” persona.
She elaborates: “She wasn’t creating drama; she was holding people accountable.
“That feeling of being misunderstood really hit home for me, and I knew I wanted to build a song around that energy.”
Working with producer Hardcode, she set out to create a sound that struts into the room with confidence.
“My songwriting style is very conversational. I like using sharp, image-driven lines that sound almost like whispered secrets or shade thrown across a room.”
The result is a song that’s both biting and beautiful, a sonic mirror for the contradictions she embraces.
The Power of Representation
For Saphron, ‘Bone Collector’ is about who gets to be seen and heard alongside it.
Diversity and inclusion weren’t afterthoughts on the video shoot; they were the foundation.
Saphron says: “Diversity, inclusion and representation are something I am super passionate about, because I personally know what it’s like to feel ‘othered’ and be on the outside.”
Despite being a self-funded project, she made sure everyone who contributed felt valued.
Saphron continues: “We had people from different backgrounds, identities, and skill levels.
“It wasn’t just about making a video, it was about building a space where kindness and creativity were non-negotiable.
“In a world that’s loud with division, I wanted to create something that united.”
Her British-Sri Lankan identity has shaped that vision:
“I’ve always existed in this in-between space, ‘too Western for the East, too Eastern for the West’. That duality seeps into everything I create.”
It’s a theme that runs throughout her music, as she transforms feelings of displacement into creative power.
“I guess I wanted to be part of a system that wasn’t built for me, until I realised I can’t fit a mould, so I just have to forge my own path and build a new system!”
Redefining the Narrative
Saphron’s story is one that many South Asian artists in Western pop can relate to – being told they’re not “enough” of one thing or another.
She says: “People love boxes. I’ve often been told my sound is ‘too Western’ to be marketed as a South Asian artist and my face is ‘too Eastern’ to be fully embraced by Western pop.”
But rather than conform, she’s rewriting the rules.
“Navigating that is exhausting, but it’s also powerful; it’s taught me not to wait for permission to belong.
“I’m not here to fit in a box or a genre. I’m here to make my own lane.”
That spirit runs through her upcoming debut album, Identity Crisis, which she describes as both a personal exploration and a sonic rebellion.
She explains: “’Bone Collector’ is a chapter in the bigger story. Identity Crisis is about the push and pull of the in-between.
“It’s playful, it’s a little twisted, and it owns the shadows rather than hiding from them.”
Identity Crisis is designed to mirror her own multifaceted identity.
“Sonically, it’s intentionally fluid. I move through electro-pop, R&B, alternative, and South Asian influences to reflect the way identity can shift, collide, and expand.
“This project is about turning fragmentation into strength.”
For Saphron, Identity Crisis is more than an album; it’s a manifesto for anyone who has ever existed in the margins.
She adds: “I want fans to feel seen, especially those who exist in the in-between spaces.
“Identity Crisis is a world where contradiction is celebrated, not hidden. Expect vulnerability, boldness, and a sound that refuses to sit still.”
‘Bone Collector’ captures everything Saphron stands for: resilience, defiance, and self-acceptance.
It reclaims the narrative, turning the weight of prejudice into power and the sting of “otherness” into strength.
Her journey from behind-the-scenes songwriter to unapologetic frontwoman marks a new chapter, not just for her but for representation in British pop.
With ‘Bone Collector’ out now and her Identity Crisis arriving on November 7, 2025, Saphron’s era of self-definition has officially begun, and she’s inviting everyone to witness it.
Listen to ‘Bone Collector’
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