On Movie Star Planet: Get to Know saturn 17
All photos courtesy of Sophia Luna // @photosbysophialuna
The mystical indie duo saturn 17 that exists today was born on the DePaul University campus in Chicago, Illinois circa 2019. Way back when, writer and producer Nika Fazeli never could’ve anticipated the new and undeniable sisterhood that would blossom, or the interstellar success her teenage dream would garner.
Fazeli had originally formed the band with a friend when they were just seventeen as a fun school project, but that initial pairing wasn’t meant to be. Then the college years arrived, sending Fazeli to a new state at a new school. She was on the lookout for a singer, and less than a week after the beginning of term, she ran into acting major Halsey Bousquet. As the stars would have it, the two became fast friends.
Their friendship has always been the core and foundation of their music as saturn 17. While in school together, Fazeli and Bousquet would bond over music and artists like George Harrison, clicking beyond the surface level. However, it wasn’t until the January they returned from spring break that the potential to start something serious was fully realized.
Fazeli taught Bousquet how to play “Fifteen” by Taylor Swift, Bousquet began to sing, and the rest was history. Blown away by Bousqet’s voice, Fazeli enthusiastically asked her friend if she would become the second half to saturn 17. “I had my own movie star moment [when Nika asked] ‘Do you want to be in my band?’” Bousquet grins, reflecting on the start of their journey as a band.
As a Virgo and a Taurus, their friendship and musical collaboration are a match made in heaven. Bousquet and Fazeli, who both love astrology, share a little bit about their zodiac signs and how their personalities interact when it comes to their work. Virgos, like Bousqet, are known to have one of the strongest work ethics of all the zodiac signs, and always want to be doing something.
“I feel like we help each other,” Fazeli begins, “I’m a Taurus; [we] can be lazy and homebodies sometimes. Opposites attract; Halsey really helps bring out [a different] side of me and I help Halsey relax sometimes. We can relax and hang out, and it doesn’t always have to be work, work, work. It would be hard if we were both Virgos and there was no rest, or if we were always like, ‘Let’s chill,’ then there’s no work. So, I feel like it’s the perfect combo.”
With such a perfect combination, it’s no wonder the duo creates amazing, heartfelt lyrics together. “[Our writing process] is different every time,” says Bousquet. “You can’t really repeat a formula, because the output is so different. [For] “not my fault,” we were sitting on Nika’s dorm bed and then she started playing the chords, and then we sang it and the lyrics came. Then, sometimes, we have to sit in the studio and really work it out.”
Bousquet expresses the anxiety that lack of formulaic comfortability can sometimes bring, and Fazeli adds on the sentiment that, in a special way, their writing process is kind of cool. “It feels very organic when it happens. When she came up with ‘tunnels,’ she FaceTimed and I was like, ‘Oh my God this is incredible!’ That inspired me to start producing ‘tunnels’ and [start adding] a few things. Right now, we’ve been in the studio for two days trying to write and we’ll be like: ‘Oh no, we’re awful!’ and then it’s like: ‘Wait no, we’re really good!’”
The duo asserts that writing and dealing with writer’s block can be especially difficult when the two are apart, such as when Bousquet is in San Francisco and Fazeli in Los Angeles. But, when they’re together, there is this sense of uplifting camaraderie and chemistry that motivates them and pushes them through.
saturn 17’s most successful single, “could this be love?” which has now reached over six million streams, was when Fazeli first realized she really had something. It all came as such a shock and surprise: “The numbers kept going up and up. I was like, ‘Where are they finding out about [us]?’ When we see that we’re on Sad Girl Starter Pack and other [Spotify] playlists that we actually listen to, surrounded by artists that inspire us, it’s definitely a surreal feeling.”
The duo’s EP from that same year, entitled could this be love? also grew very popular. After so much success, as Fazeli moved forward with Bousquet, she pondered what the future of saturn 17 would look like. The answer to that question? As bright as the Northern Star. saturn 17’s new single, released in August 2022, was beloved by fans. “After ‘not my fault’ was when I was like, ‘Wow, it wasn’t just could this be love? Like we actually have something here,’ and people actually like our music, even though they’re so different,” says Fazeli.
Most recently, saturn 17 released the single “tunnels,” an indie rock gem that tells the story of what saturn 17 described as a “happy, gay love song.” Bousquet chimes in: “tunnels was really crazy, because every time you do something different, you don’t know if it’s going to land. We didn’t know if it was gonna blow up.”
Looking forward, I asked saturn 17 what their future aspirations are: they would love to go on tour, whether it be as a supporting act or the headliner. Playing festivals is also a huge dream. “Especially Coachella; it has been a dream of mine for years,” Fazeli gushes. “I just got chills,” Bousquet adds, laughing.
“We want to one day do a full debut album, that’s a goal of ours. Our dream collabs would probably be boygenius or Lana Del Rey, but collaborating with anyone would be great. And, of course, creating merch, and making cool stuff that people can use and wear,” Fazeli says.
Finally, Bousquet discusses the evolution of saturn 17, and how she and Fazeli would both like to branch out on the maturity of certain themes. “We love queer love songs, but you know, things get a little complex. Neither of us are seventeen anymore. I think people are growing up with us too.” As saturn 17 experiences new triumphant highs and tearful lows, Fazeli and Bousquet hope to bring their listeners on the musical roller coaster along with them.
You can expect lots of new music from saturn 17, including a new single within the next couple of months, and an anticipated EP by the end of the year. Until the exalted day I get to see them perform live in Boston, I’ll be listening through my headphones and dancing around my room.