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Laufey (singer)

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This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Laufey.

Laufey
Laufey during an interview with iHeartRadio in 2023
Laufey during an interview with iHeartRadio in 2023
Background information
Birth nameLaufey Lín Bīng Jónsdóttir / 林冰[1][2]
Born (1999-04-23) 23 April 1999 (age 25)
Reykjavík, Iceland
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
  • cello
  • violin
Years active2020–present
LabelsAWAL
Websitelaufeymusic.com
Chinese name
Chinese林冰
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLín Bīng
IPA[lǐn píŋ]
Wu
Romanization2lin-pin1
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpinglam4 bing1
IPA[lɐm˩ pɪŋ˥]

Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir (Icelandic: [ˈlœyːvei ˈliːn ˈjounsˌtouhtɪr̥]; Chinese: 林冰; pinyin: Lín Bīng; born 23 April 1999), known as Laufey (/ˈleɪveɪ/ LAY-vay), is an Icelandic singer and musician. She achieved prominence in the early 2020s for her success as a jazz-inspired pop artist.

Having performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at age 15, Laufey was a finalist in the 2014 edition of Ísland Got Talent [is] (Iceland's Got Talent), and a semi-finalist on The Voice Iceland the following year. She released her debut EP, Typical of Me (2021), and graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. Her debut album, Everything I Know About Love (2022), charted in Iceland and the United States. Its follow-up, Bewitched (2023), won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards (2024) and its single "From the Start" found moderate chart success in Canada, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom.

Early life and education

[edit]

Laufey Lín Bīng Jónsdóttir was born on 23 April 1999 in Reykjavík, Iceland's capital. Her father is Icelandic and her mother is Chinese, hailing from Guangzhou.[3] Her mother is a classical violinist and her maternal grandfather, Lin Yaoji [zh], was a violin educator at the Central Conservatory of Music in China, which Laufey credits as partly inspiring her love of music.[4][5] She has an identical twin sister named Júnía Lín Jónsdóttir, who is a violinist and serves as her creative director.[6][7] She lived in Washington, D.C., for two years and then moved back to Reykjavík in 2008, where she studied at Háteigsskóli.[8] Laufey started learning the piano at the age of four and the cello at the age of eight. She graduated from the Reykjavík College of Music, where she also studied singing, in 2018.[9] She spent her childhood moving between Reykjavík and Washington, D.C., as well as visiting Beijing.[10]

At age 15, Laufey performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.[11] While in Iceland, Laufey participated in the 2014 edition of Ísland Got Talent—the Icelandic version of Got Talent—where she ended as a finalist. The following year she also appeared as a contestant on The Voice Iceland and reached the semi-finals. At the time, she was the youngest competitor in the series' history.[12]

Laufey graduated with a presidential scholarship from the Berklee College of Music in 2021. As of October 2023, she resides in Los Angeles.[3][13]

Career

[edit]
Laufey in 2021

On 6 April 2020, Laufey released her debut single, "Street by Street", which charted at number one on Icelandic Radio.[14] She then launched her first EP, Typical of Me, which she calls her little baby, on 30 April 2021. It includes "Street by Street" and six other songs, many of which were written in her college dorm room. Rolling Stone particularly praised her rendition of "I Wish You Love".[15] American Songwriter included the EP in its list of best albums of 2021.[16] Additionally, Typical of Me received attention from musicians such as Billie Eilish.[6]

The same year, Laufey hosted a weekly music show on BBC Radio 3 during spring and summer (and once again during December for a Christmas special) called Happy Harmonies, on which she highlighted uplifting music in a wide variety of genres.[17][18] In November, Laufey performed at the London Jazz Festival.[5] Around the same time, she collaborated with the London Philharmonic Orchestra to release her song "Let You Break My Heart Again".[6] In December, she collaborated with singer Dodie to release another single, "Love To Keep Me Warm", their cover of "Winter Weather" by Ted Shapiro.[19][20]

Laufey's United States network television debut was in 2022 when she appeared as the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on 21 January; she played her song "Like the Movies" from Typical of Me.[21] Her debut album, Everything I Know About Love, was released on 26 August 2022 via AWAL to critical acclaim.[22] On Billboard's Alternative New Artist Album chart, the album peaked at number one on its debut.[23]

In August 2023, it was announced that Laufey had signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM).[23] Her second album, Bewitched, was released on 8 September 2023.[24] A week before the release, she leaked the sheet music for fans to be able to pre-save the album.[25] It was met with critical acclaim and garnered Laufey's first Grammy Award, for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards,[26] where she performed with Billy Joel on his closing number, "Turn the Lights Back On".[27]

Public image

[edit]

Influences and music style

[edit]
A side-on portrait of Laufey at a concert in 2024. She is illuminated by a spotlight, playing acoustic guitar and singing into a standing mic with her eyes closed.
Laufey performing in 2024

Although Laufey was influenced by classical music, classical artists such as Frédéric Chopin,[28] and played it from an early age, she turned to her father's records of female jazz musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to develop her musical style.[3] She has cited Fitzgerald and Chet Baker as her biggest artistic influences, naming the former as her favorite musician. Laufey also cited Taylor Swift, Norah Jones, and Adele as inspirations for her musicianship; she said "[Taylor Swift] has done for pop and country what I hope to do for jazz. She has managed to unite people across the world which is one of my main goals as a musician."[29][30]

The genre of Laufey's music style has been subject for debate. She describes her genre as jazz or jazz pop, while organizations such as National Public Radio,[31] the New York Times, and The Sydney Morning Herald[32] have noted that her music includes elements of jazz, pop, bossa nova, and classical, describing the entirety as traditional pop or old-time pop due to the blend of styles in her songs into one.[33]

Critical acclaim

[edit]

Many critics such as Maura Judkis, an editor at the Washington Post,[34] and editor Murray Stassen from Music Business Worldwide[35] noted that Laufey is "bringing back" jazz to Gen Z, as the genre has largely declined commercially, and has received less recognition than other genres when compared to its heyday. In a 2023 article, Music journalist Michael Dwyer of The Sydney Morning Herald described her as a "TikTok jazz ambassador".[32] Organizations such as Billboard and National Public Radio opined that Laufey created a blueprint for the success of jazz in the music industry today, helping push the genre back into the mainstream scene.[30][36] Her second album, Bewitched, received praise from critics due to its composition and her take on jazz. The album received a score of 83 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews.[37] Morgan Enos, writer at Grammys.com, wrote that Bewitched's success shows Laufey has left "jazz neophytes spellbound".[38]

Fashion

[edit]

Laufey is characterized by her simple and casual fashion style,[39] mixing elements such as lace, pastel colors, and bright metallic elements into her clothing.[40] The South China Morning Post has described her fashion style as an "extension to her music", with her stage attire being described to fit the atmosphere of the venue.[10]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Laufey discography

Studio albums

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Work Category Result Ref.
Grammy Awards 2024 Bewitched Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Won [41]
Icelandic Music Awards 2024 Herself Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic Performer of the Year Won [42]
Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic Vocal Performance of the Year Won
Icelandic Optimism Award 2024 — Won [43]
President's Export Prize 2024 Honorary award Won [44]
MTV Video Music Awards 2024 "Goddess" Push Performance Of The Year Nominated [45]

Tours

[edit]
A photo of Laufey at her concert at Royal Albert Hall in 2024. Behind her bright stage lights illuminate the stage while she is illuminated by a spotlight, sitting down, playing cello and singing into a microphone.
Laufey performing at Royal Albert Hall in May of 2024, closing off the European leg of the tour

Headlining

[edit]
  • Everything I Know About Love Tour (2022)
  • Bewitched Tour (2023–2024, known as the Bewitched: The Goddess Tour starting 8 April 2024)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Judkis, Maura (14 September 2023). "Chinese-Icelandic jazz singer Laufey wants Gen Z to fall in love". Washington Post. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  2. ^ "24歲中國冰島混血女歌手林冰獲葛萊美獎" [24-year-old Chinese-Icelandic female singer Lin Bing [Laufey] wins Grammy Award] (in Chinese). World Journal. 5 February 2024. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  3. ^ a b c Ugalde, Jacob (April 2021). "Interview: Laufey and the beauty of making it up as you go". fromtheintercom.com. Archived from the original on 27 April 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  4. ^ "林耀基中國音樂基金 - Lin Yao Ji Music Foundation of China". linyaoji.com. Archived from the original on 30 November 2012. Retrieved 30 March 2022.
  5. ^ a b Kent, Matthew (3 December 2021). "On the Rise: Laufey". thelineofbestfit.com. Archived from the original on 3 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  6. ^ a b c Holbrook, Emma (13 August 2021). "TREMORS// Laufey is revitalising jazz for the 21st century". thefortyfive.com. Archived from the original on 13 August 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  7. ^ Halbert, Mosha Lündstrom (7 September 2023). "Laufey Is the Viral Icelandic Prodigy Bringing Jazz to Gen Z". Vogue. Archived from the original on 25 October 2023. Retrieved 8 November 2023. This gamine persona belies a business savvy aided by her partnership with her creative director: twin sister (and accomplished violinist) Junia Lin Jónsdóttir.
  8. ^ Ruskin, John (24 October 2023). "Nardwuar vs. Laufey". Nardwuar. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  9. ^ "Á forsetastyrk til Berklee". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 12 September 2023.
  10. ^ a b Mok, Laramie (19 September 2023). "Meet Laufey, the Icelandic-Chinese Gen Z musical talent: from her record-breaking debut album Bewitched to her love of Chanel and fashion, to her upcoming Hong Kong concerts at KITEC – interview". South China Morning Post. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  11. ^ Wu, Ali (13 October 2021). "Meet Laufey, the Gen Z Artist Making Us Fall in Love With Jazz All Over Again". onestowatch.com. Live Nation Worldwide, Inc. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  12. ^ Sue, David (6 July 2020). "Introducing – Laufey Lin". newsoundsmag.co.uk. Archived from the original on 23 January 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  13. ^ Geraghty, Hollie (28 August 2023). "Laufey is here to stay". NME. Archived from the original on 19 October 2023. Retrieved 20 October 2023.
  14. ^ Ugalde, Jacob (3 March 2021). "Laufey charms us all on the heartfelt "Best Friend"". fromtheintercom.com. Archived from the original on 13 January 2022. Retrieved 13 January 2022.
  15. ^ Leight, Elias (30 April 2021). "Hear Laufey's Reverent Version of 'I Wish You Love'". The Rolling Stone. Archived from the original on 30 April 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  16. ^ American Songwriter (17 December 2021). "The 41 Best Albums of 2021". americansongwriter.com. Savage Media Holdings. Archived from the original on 17 December 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  17. ^ "Happy Harmonies with Laufey". BBC Radio 3. Archived from the original on 24 April 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  18. ^ Sang, Ray. "Laufey". 1883 Magazine. 1883 Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
  19. ^ Johnson, Tommy (3 December 2021). "Laufey & dodie Share Stunning Cover Of "Love To Keep Me Warm"". Ghettoblaster Magazine. Archived from the original on 21 November 2023. Retrieved 21 November 2023.
  20. ^ Warren W. Vaché (2000). "Ted Shapiro". The Unsung Songwriters: America's Masters of Melody. Scarecrow Press. p. 448. ISBN 9780810835702.
  21. ^ "Laufey sló í gegn hjá Jimmy Kimmel" [Laufey Hit Jimmy Kimmel]. Iceland Monitor. 20 November 2023. Archived from the original on 29 December 2023. Retrieved 5 February 2024.
  22. ^ Cordelia Lam (24 August 2022). "Laufey – Everything I Know About Love review: an ode to the magic of life's little moments". NME. Archived from the original on 10 November 2022. Retrieved 10 November 2022.
  23. ^ a b "Warner Chappell Music Signs Global Publishing Deal with Rising Jazz Star Laufey". warnerchappell.com. 2 August 2023. Archived from the original on 22 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  24. ^ "Laufey | Official Website". Laufey. Archived from the original on 27 August 2023. Retrieved 22 August 2023.
  25. ^ Sparrow, Joe (2 September 2022). "Marketing round-up: sheet music "leak" and Asia-Pacific report". Music Ally. Archived from the original on 21 December 2023. Retrieved 21 December 2023.
  26. ^ "| Artist | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  27. ^ Daly, Rhian (5 February 2024). "Billy Joel gives first Grammys performance in over two decades". NME. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  28. ^ Wang, Steffanee (8 September 2023). "How Jazz, Rom-coms, & Chopin Shaped Laufey's Bewitched". Nylon. Archived from the original on 26 January 2024. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  29. ^ Pirovic, Jasmine (13 September 2023). "Laufey shares the song that always makes her cry". Russh. Archived from the original on 19 September 2023. Retrieved 14 September 2023.
  30. ^ a b Mims, Taylor (8 November 2023). "Chartbreaker: How Laufey Created a Blueprint For Modern Jazz Success". Billboard. Archived from the original on 15 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  31. ^ Powers, Ann (31 January 2024). "Laufey is a trad-pop superstar (and that's enough)". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  32. ^ a b Dwyer, Michael (1 June 2023). "Meet Laufey, TikTok's hottest jazz ambassador". The Sydney Morning Herald. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  33. ^ Russonello, Giovanni (2 November 2023). "Laufey's Old-Time Pop Is Smooth. Its Relationship to Jazz Is Spikier". New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  34. ^ Judkis, Maura (14 September 2023). "Chinese-Icelandic jazz singer Laufey wants Gen Z to fall in love". Washington Post. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  35. ^ Stassen, Murray (13 October 2023). "With The Biggest Jazz Album Debut In Spotify History, AWAL Says Laufey Is Bringing 'Jazz To Gen Z'". Music Business Worldwide. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  36. ^ Guevara, Milton; Martínez, A; Haney, Taylor (7 September 2023). "With 'Bewitched,' Laufey hopes listeners can escape". National Public Radio. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  37. ^ "Bewitched by Laufey Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  38. ^ "With 'Bewitched,' Icelandic Singer Laufey Is Leaving Jazz Neophytes Spellbound | GRAMMY.com". www.grammy.com. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  39. ^ Geraghty, Hollie (28 August 2023). "Laufey is here to stay". New Musical Express. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  40. ^ Forsberg, Josefin (8 January 2024). "Laufey took on the 'Coquette' trend in an angelic white dress at the Golden Globes". Vogue Scandinavia. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  41. ^ Minsker, Evan (10 November 2023). "Grammy Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here". Pitchfork. Archived from the original on 10 November 2023. Retrieved 10 November 2023.
  42. ^ Tómas, Ragnar (13 March 2024). "Two Wins for Laufey at 2024 Icelandic Music Awards". Iceland Review. Archived from the original on 17 March 2024. Retrieved 17 March 2024.
  43. ^ Edvardsen, Astri (5 January 2024). "Icelandic Optimism Award to Jazzy and Hopeful Artist Laufey". High North News. Archived from the original on 2 March 2024. Retrieved 2 March 2024.
  44. ^ "Kerecis and Laufey received awards". Iceland Monitor. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  45. ^ Rahman, Abid (6 August 2024). "MTV Video Music Awards: Taylor Swift, Post Malone, Ariana Grande, Sabrina Carpenter and Eminem Top Nominations". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
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