End of the World Saint Sappho

Glasgow duo Saint Sappho mark their second release on Optimo Music’s new Optimo Music Rocks imprint with the single “End of the World.” This expansive, symphonic track showcases their captivating take on the heyday sounds of shoegaze, grunge, and ‘90s Britpop.

They say – We were in Spain, having hired a car to film a music video. As we drove up the mountain, the view was stunning—you could clearly see the waves and the water below. The line “not the end of the world” stuck in my head. When we returned home, I wrote a song inspired by that moment.

It’s about how removing yourself from a situation can give you a different perspective, as it did for me when I realised how insignificant everything felt when viewed from elsewhere. Just to remind myself that if I wanted to re-experience this realisation, I could, just by distancing myself from it.

Musically, the song naturally evolved into a fast, upbeat track, matching the energy of the theme. The chords, melody, and rhythm all came together in the first take, along with the lyrics. Rather than revising it, I chose to keep it exactly as it was, because it perfectly captured the spontaneity of that moment, and I loved the way it turned out.