Discovering Laufey
I won’t pretend to know much about pop music, nor do I have the subject knowledge to write about contemporary artists. Most people of my generation aren’t into the latest hit songs. I’m beyond guilty of ignorance and indifference, as well.
Indeed, how many people over the age of 50 complain that — “today’s music sucks?” When it comes to music, we’ve become our parents — hell, make that our grandparents. I couldn’t name any of the music atop of the charts right now, even if there was a cash reward. If you share this naivete, then please READ ON. I think you’ll get something great out what I’m about to share. At least, that’s what I’m hoping for.
Laufey is name of an Icelandic singer. She just released her third studio album, A Matter of Time. It’s magnificent. Her pervious album, Bewitched won a Grammy last year for “Best Pop Vocal.” That’s when and how I first became aware of this wonderful songwriter-singer-performer. Moreover, last week, she appeared on NPR’s excellent one-hour interview series called “Fresh Air,” hosted by Terry Gross. I learned more about her, getting to know the person behind the catchy songs and romantic ballads. I was so impressed with her, and her story, and her talent, that I feel compelled to write more about it here.
Listening to Laufey speak, you’d think she was raised in Kansas. Like many young people from that part of the world, she speaks with no accent. Her real name is: Lín Bing Jónsdóttir. Try pronouncing that. She was born and raised in Reykjavík, Iceland, then later Washington, DC, and eventually spent time in Shanghai, China. Talk about the ultimate international pop star.
Laufey performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra, at age 15. She’s also a decent jazz guitarist. But she came into her own as a solo artist and singer five years ago (she’s now 26). She writes almost all of her own music and lyrics. So, she’s a true original. Stylistically, she can be compared to Billie Holiday, Patsy Cline, Ella Fitzgerald, Nora Jones, and Amy Winehouse. I love the “throwback” jazz elegance era of music, especially with sultry female alto soprano voices, and Laufey is currently the best torch-bearer of that style of music.
I’ve been on a Laufey kick for some time now, as you can probably tell. Fortunately, there’s quite a lot of excellent content on YouTube, including all of her original tracks on three albums, plus numerous live performances around the world. There’s also an outstanding video of her performing with a string quartet in a local library! See: “Laufey: Tiny Desk Concert”
Admittedly, I prefer stripped-away real music, where natural talent shines, and autotune and light shows can’t mask mediocrity. Singing alone in front of an audience playing your own instrument, and doing a song you wrote–well, that’s the real benchmark of a musical gift.
Anyway, if you have tuned out “modern music” and don’t think there’s much that’s appealing nowadays, then give Laufey a listen (if you don’t know her already). You might even get hooked. I believe many of my friends and people of my generation will find her a breath of fresh air and a special talent that brings back the era of when great music lifted us up and took us to the places we needed to be.
Laufrey truly is — a Silver Lining.
