Jon Stojan
Image credit: Vespertine
Actress and Singer Harley Grey joins forces with rising artist Sevi for the title track of Vespertine, the latest feature film by Lauri Levenfeld. The film is a powerful exploration of sisterhood, female empowerment, and the quest for self-discovery. The original track is accompanied by a visually captivating music video, where a rich interplay of warm and cool tones creates an immersive atmosphere of mystery and serenity.
Image credit: Vespertine
The lyrics reflect a whirlwind of despair and chaos, but also offer a sense of graceful surrender to whatever path life presents, no matter how dark the journey may seem. Rich in metaphor and symbolism traditionally tied to death and rebirth, Vespertine is a haunting, emotional ballad—a deep, inner exploration of trauma, and the yearning for transformation.
In the music video, Harley and Sevi embark on a journey—both literally and figuratively. Riding in an old truck into the twilight, they arrive at a forest where they encounter the Vespertine flower—a toxic desert bloom offering a microdose to die or awaken, echoing the film’s central themes.
The song—a soft, captivating pop ballad—elegantly intertwines Harley and Sevi’s ethereal voices, creating the perfect soundscape for the film’s protagonist, Veronica “V” Lee (Brittany Ishibashi), a rising star in the LA legal world whose life unravels after a traumatic event. As she spirals into nightlife and self-destruction, three lifelong friends—Cassy (Kate French), Marlowe (Rena Sofer), and Frankie (Marquita Terry-Lanier)—step in to help her confront the past. Together, they revisit a life-altering moment from their youth and face the pressures of womanhood, trauma, and transformation.
Harley Grey, who stars in the film, first drew attention in 2021 for her standout role as the lead witch in the award-winning New York fashion short Goddess Rising Mystery School. This summer, she will star in Oscar-shortlisted director Lisa Cole’s “Filthy.” Her acting roots are in musical theater, with performances in Ragtime (5-Star Theatricals), Footloose (LACHSA), Into the Woods, Newsies, Oliver, and more. Harley, a trained dancer, has studied at the San Francisco Ballet, Joffrey Ballet in New York, and RED in Los Angeles. She is currently a sophomore at LACHSA, a performing arts high school in Los Angeles.
Image credit: Vespertine
Born Sevilla Merritt, Sevi is a 16-year-old singer-songwriter based in Los Angeles. She’s already written and produced tracks like Backup Friend, Oh Okay, and Nobody Else. Her journey into music began at an early age through musical theater, where she played roles like Dorothy in The Wizard of Oz and Ariel in The Little Mermaid. Sevi plays piano and guitar, and discovered her passion for singing during the pandemic when she became the lead vocalist for a rock cover band. Now a student at LACHSA, a performing arts high school, Sevi balances her love for music with interests in fashion, journaling, and performing live. Her emotional sensitivity shines through in both her writing and vocals, and in Vespertine, she and Harley Grey deliver an achingly beautiful performance that captures the emotional core of the story.
Directed by Lauri Levenfeld and Grace Wethor, Vespertine takes viewers through a powerful arc of pain and rebirth—of falling apart and finding oneself again. The song, with its haunting and immersive mood, serves as the sonic heart of that journey. The music video, symbolic and poetic, elevates the experience. Like the elusive desert flower it’s named after, Vespertine blooms in darkness—an evocative reminder that sometimes, in order to truly come alive, we must first move through the shadows.
Connect on Instagram with Harley Grey, Sevi, and Lauri Levenfeld, plus find out more about Vespertine