MAY 29th 2024
SEVI EXCLUSIVE

MetalTitans had their own, Metal Mom Rita take the opportunity to sit and talk via email with Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi, vocalist of Bulgaria's Alternative Rock/Metal band SEVI. Forming in 2010, and releasing their debut record in 2012, "What Lies Beyond", quickly playing tours and major festivals around Bulgaria, as well as outside the country. To check out more about Sevi, please check our exclusive below.

MT - Tell us how you came up with the name SEVI ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi - At first it was only an artistic nickname that the bass player Rally suggested for me. He is really good with words. Later on, when we established the band, it naturally became the band’s name. Years later we have checked the meaning in Google and it looks like this name keeps lots of symbolism. For example translated from Latvian language means “To be Yourself" and this meaning totally fits in our concept for life and in our lyrics.


MT - Your genre is Alernative Rock, Hard Rock, Heavy Rock, Melodic Rock, Cinematic Rock and alternative Metal, that is a mouthful, what makes you pull all this into your style ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi - It's not that much we should put a little bit more ha, ha. Nowadays it somehow became fashion to put a lot of subgenres to define your style better. Maybe it was much easier in the past to define your music just as Rock or Metal.  The same is with people's sexuality I guess

MT - Tell us who each of your members are, and how they came to be in the band ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi – In the beginning of 2024 we had made some changes in the crew and now the lineup is:
Svetlana Bliznakova – Vocals; Rally Velinov – Bass ; Stone Angel – Guitars; Peter Petrov - Drums

MT - Who writes the lyrics, and where does the inspiration come from ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi - That would be me! As for the inspiration – it’s everywhere – in our life, the emotions, the experiences on a daily basis. Recently I am also inspired by this “new strange world” that we are all living in and how all these changes affect us.

MT - When did you know that music was your life?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi – I sing since I can remember, before I could event talk. So, when the time came for me to decide what I wanted to do in life I had no doubts. Music has always been there for me.

MT - Did you have support from your parents in this endeavour?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi – Always! My first teachers were my grandmother and my mother so they are excited and happy with my choice. I feel I have their love and support in every step I make. Recently also my brother started to write lyrics and you can find his words in songs like “Am I Alive”? “Don’t Hesitate”, “One Time Thin” and more.

MT - What is your biggest challenge with being in a band ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi : To keep on going no matter how hard and discouraging
it can be sometimes. I am grateful that we are still here and we didn’t lose our faith in music.

MT - Have you ever regretted being in a band ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi – No. It’s my musical family. So every time we are together with the boys I feel home.

MT - What has been the best part so far about being in Sevi ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: Maybe the opportunity to travel all over the world through our music, to reach people from the other side of the globe and be connected through emotions and stories that only music can tell.

MT - Looks like you have some Festival time this year, Winter Storm, Planet Rockstock, have you played these before ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi – We are pretty excited about it. It’s our first time in UK. We can’t wait to meet the fans. There are people who write us from years hoping that we will come to UK, so here we are. Finally!

MT - Do you prefer the Festival style or local venues, I personally like both, great atmosphere in the Festival scene, but you can get up close at the venues. Which do you prefer ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: Well, both have their color and unique sensation. It depends on my mood, I guess. Sometimes I like the intimate atmosphere of the club, being face to face with people. Sometimes I just want to see a sea of heads in front of me. There on the big stage you can feel the greatness of the music in all it’s colors and there is no limit to the emotions.

MT - You have also played with some great bands along the way, like Epica, Nightwish, Evanescence, Hollywood Vampires, which show brought you the best memories, and which one did you enjoy ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: Every time we get the chance to play before giants like these artists is an incredible opportunity and a valuable lesson. I love all these shows but maybe the two that stand higher for me are the show we did before Evanescence in 2019. Jen Majura went out on stage with us to present our featuring track “To Hell and Back” wearing our t-shirt and 6.000 people were singing with us.
The second one is supporting “Hollywood Vampires” last year. OMG, this was more than a dream come true. Being closer to these legends, as I never was before, seeing all my heroes live on stage and knowing that me and the band are there to support them because we were chosen to be there and because of our music. Moments like this give meaning to every sacrifice, every struggle, every battle….

MT - I have to be honest, I had not heard of you until I was asked to do the interview, and they sent me your song "World That Doesn't Fit", not sure if it was the music, lyrics, but just struck me hard, and I was so amazed and how this was such a beautiful song, how did you come up with the music for it, did you have the lyrics already or ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: This song is really emotional to me, too and to the rest of the band as well. I remember it was after midnight – somewhere around 2 am and I was playing something on the piano quietly, thinking about life and what we did with the world….what happened? Why is everything so strange, why do I feel like I don’t fit anymore anywhere and why everything that I recognize as my reality is now just an exposition on a shop window, like a glance from another world…And so the words started to appear and then the piano theme came…

I am very grateful to the team that made the video also, because these guys managed to show the story and the message perfectly. Thumbs up for Nikola Koparov, Georgi Spirov, Martin Kiriakov, Alice Shopova, Bubeto Klisuranova, Peter Dimov, Dimitar Kichukov.

MT - You released an album "Genesis" November 9, 2023, how was the response to that ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: People love it and that’s awesome. I never got so many mails and reactions on an album before. I am happy.

MT - Your last album was 2019, so was your new one a long process in putting together, and did you have any issues while trying to make it ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: 3 years of work for “Genesis” and it fulfilled its name totally. I think we went through a real genesis in our style, sound and also eventually in our lineup. So it was strange, emotional, hard period for us and I believe that makes the album so cool.

MT - Do you have a favourite song, and why ? I know when I listen to an album, I may like the whole thing, but still have one song that sticks out.
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: “Unreality”, ”World That Doesn’t Fit”, “The Spell” are my personal favorites.

MT - Is there anything you would like to add to this interview I might have missed asking, but you would like your fans to know ?
Svetlana Bliznakova Sevi: I would invite the fans to go to our website www.seviband.com and check for more upcoming dates because besides of UK, we will tour also in Italy, Belgium, Switzerland and more. See you on the road. Also, don’t forget to buy physical copies of the albums of your favorite artists. That way you help them produce more music for you.
Thanks for the support!

Thank you so much for taking the time to do this interview, it is much appreciated.  

Words, views and opinions expressed in answers are those of the authors and do not reflect necessarily the official position, attitude or position of 𝗠𝗘𝗧𝗔𝗟𝗠𝗘𝗦𝗦𝗔𝗚𝗘 ᴳᴸᴼᴮᴬᴸ