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Laufey (singer)

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Laufey
OTF
Laufey at The Queen Elizabeth Theatre in 2024
Laufey at The Queen Elizabeth Theatre in 2024
Background information
Born
Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir
林冰

(1999-04-23) 23 April 1999 (age 26)
Reykjavík, Iceland
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer-songwriter
  • record producer
Instruments
  • Vocals
  • piano
  • guitar
  • cello
Years active2014–present
LabelsAWAL
Websitelaufeymusic.com
Chinese name
Chinese林冰
Transcriptions
Standard Mandarin
Hanyu PinyinLín Bīng
Bopomofoㄌㄧㄣˊㄅㄧㄥ
IPA[lǐn píŋ]
Yue: Cantonese
Jyutpinglam4 bing1
IPA[lɐm˩ pɪŋ˥]
Signature

Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir OTF (Icelandic: [ˈlœyːvei ˈliːn ˈpiŋk ˈjounsˌtouhtɪr̥] ⓘ; Chinese: 林冰; pinyin: Lín Bīng; born 23 April 1999), known mononymously as Laufey (/ˈleɪveɪ/ LAY-vay), is an Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter and musician. Her musical style blends genres such as jazz pop, classical and bossa nova. Laufey began performing as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra at age 15. She then emerged as a finalist in the 2014 edition of Ísland Got Talent (Iceland's Got Talent) and a semifinalist on The Voice Iceland in 2015.

In 2021, Laufey released her debut EP, Typical of Me, and graduated from the Berklee College of Music in Boston. In 2022, she released her debut album, Everything I Know About Love, which appeared in multiple Icelandic and United States charts. Her second album, Bewitched (2023), won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards (2024) and produced the hit single "From the Start". Her third and latest album, A Matter of Time, was released on 22 August 2025.[2]

Early life and education

[edit]

Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir[3][4][5][6] was born on 23 April 1999[7] in Reykjavík, Iceland. Her father is Icelandic[8] and her mother is Chinese, from Guangzhou.[9][10] 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 inspiring her love of music.[11][12] Her father is a finance executive.[13] She has an identical twin sister, Júnía Lín Hua Jónsdóttir (Icelandic: [ˈjuːnia ˈliːn ˈxʷaː ˈjounsˌtouhtɪr̥]; Chinese: 林華; pinyin: Lín Huá), who is a violinist and serves as her creative director.[14][15]

She and her family lived in Washington, D.C., for two years and then moved back to Reykjavík in 2008, where she studied at Háteigsskóli.[16] Laufey started learning the piano at age four and the cello at age eight. She grew up doing ballet and figure skating.[17] In addition to English and her native Icelandic, Laufey speaks Mandarin, which was the first language she learned.[18] She also learned to read Danish after studying it for seven years.[17] She graduated from the Reykjavík College of Music, where she also studied singing, in 2018.[19] She spent her childhood moving between Reykjavík and Washington, D.C., as well as visiting Beijing.[20]

At age 15, Laufey performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.[21] While in Iceland, she participated in the 2014 edition of Ísland Got Talent—the Icelandic version of Got Talent—where she ended as a finalist. In 2015 she also appeared as a contestant on The Voice Iceland and reached the semifinals. At the time, she was the youngest competitor in the series' history.[22]

After high school, Laufey and her sister were both accepted by the University of St Andrews in Scotland, and she intended to study economics. Her sister graduated from St Andrews with a degree in international relations,[23][24] while Laufey attended Berklee College of Music instead after receiving a presidential scholarship. There, she studied cello with Mike Block and graduated in 2021.[25] As of October 2023, she resided in Los Angeles.[26]

Career

[edit]

2020–2022: Early 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.[27] She then launched her first EP, Typical of Me, which she called her "little baby", on 30 April 2021. It includes "Street by Street" and six other songs, many written in her college dorm room. Rolling Stone particularly praised her rendition of "I Wish You Love".[28] American Songwriter included the EP in its list of best albums of 2021.[29] Typical of Me received attention from musicians such as Billie Eilish.[14] Laufey also posted covers of jazz standards on TikTok, which The New York Times called "casually elegant."[13] She signed a record deal with AWAL, a label that typically allows artists to retain greater control of their intellectual property.[13]

The same year, Laufey hosted a weekly music show on BBC Radio 3 during spring and summer (and again in December for a Christmas special) called Happy Harmonies, on which she highlighted uplifting music in a wide variety of genres.[30][31] In November, she performed at the London Jazz Festival.[12] Around the same time, she collaborated with the Philharmonia Orchestra to release her song "Let You Break My Heart Again".[14] In December, she collaborated with singer Dodie to release another single, "Love To Keep Me Warm", their cover of "Winter Weather" by Ted Shapiro, with a bridge section by Laufey and Dodie.[32][33]

Laufey debuted on US network television debut in 2022, appearing as the musical guest on Jimmy Kimmel Live! on 21 January; she played her song "Like the Movies" from Typical of Me.[34] Her debut album, Everything I Know About Love, was released on 26 August 2022 via AWAL to critical acclaim.[35] On Billboard's Alternative New Artist Album chart, the album peaked at number one on its debut.[36]

2023–present: Bewitched and A Matter of Time

[edit]
Laufey performing at the Montreux Jazz Festival in July 2023

In August 2023, it was announced that Laufey had signed a global publishing deal with Warner Chappell Music (WCM).[36] Her second album, Bewitched, was released on 8 September 2023.[37] A week before the release, she leaked the sheet music for fans to be able to pre-save the album.[38] 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,[39] where she performed with Billy Joel on his closing number, "Turn the Lights Back On".[40] Laufey went on a year-long world tour to support the album. On 6 March 2024, she reissued the album as Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, which was preceded by the single "Goddess".

She announced her third album in 2025 with the release of its first single "Silver Lining" on April 3.[41] Laufey later revealed the album's name, A Matter of Time. She later released the second single, "Tough Luck", on May 15, 2025. On 25 June 2025, she teased and released her third and most popular single from the album, "Lover Girl," accompanied by a video.[42] The video for "Snow White" was released on August 7, with the song serving as a fourth single and buildup for the album's release.[43][44]

The album was then released on 22 August 2025.[45] After its release, Laufey later started her A Matter Of Time Tour, with her first concert at the Kia Center in Orlando, Florida on September 15, 2025. The tour is set to continue until March 2026 with concerts across Europe.[46]

Laufey was announced as a performer at Coachella 2026[47], her second performance at the annual festival.[48]

Public image

[edit]

Influences and music style

[edit]

Laufey was influenced by classical music, including Frédéric Chopin,[49] and played it from an early age, but turned to her father's records of jazz musicians such as Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday to develop her musical style.[9] She has cited Fitzgerald and Chet Baker as her biggest artistic influences, calling the former her favorite musician. Laufey has also cited Taylor Swift, Norah Jones, and Adele as inspirations; she said, "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."[50][51]

The genre of Laufey's music has been debated. She calls it jazz or jazz pop, while organizations such as National Public Radio,[52] the New York Times, and The Sydney Morning Herald[53] 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.[54]

Critical acclaim

[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

Many critics, such as Maura Judkis, an editor at the Washington Post,[55] and editor Murray Stassen from Music Business Worldwide[56] 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 compared to its heyday. In a 2023 article, music journalist Michael Dwyer of The Sydney Morning Herald called Laufey a "TikTok jazz ambassador".[53] 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.[51][57]

Her second album, Bewitched, received critical praise for 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.[58] For Grammys.com, Morgan Enos wrote that Bewitched's success shows Laufey has left "jazz neophytes spellbound".[59]

She was named one of Time's Women of the Year for 2025.[60] She also made it to the Madame Tussauds Hot 100 list for 2025.[61] In January 2026, she was awarded the Knight's Cross of the Order of the Falcon by the President of Iceland for her contribution to music.[62]

Fashion

[edit]

Laufey is characterized by her simple and casual fashion style,[63] mixing elements such as lace, pastel colors, and bright metallic elements.[64] The South China Morning Post has called her fashion style an "extension to her music", with her stage attire being said to fit the venue's atmosphere.[20] In September 2025, Laufey collaborated with the American clothing retailer Everlane for its "Laufey in Everland" campaign, marking the brand's first talent-led fashion campaign.[65]

Discography

[edit]
Main article: Laufey discography

Studio albums

[edit]

Awards and nominations

[edit]
Award Year Work Category Result Ref.
Grammy Awards 2024 Bewitched Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Won [66]
2026 A Matter of Time Pending [67]
Icelandic Music Awards 2024 Herself Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic Performer of the Year Won [68]
Pop, Rock, Hip Hop, and Electronic Vocal Performance of the Year Won
Icelandic Optimism Award 2024 N/a Won [69]
President's Export Prize 2024 Honorary award Won [70]
MTV Video Music Awards 2024 "Goddess" Push Performance of the Year Nominated [71]
Order of the Falcon 2026 Herself Knight's Cross Honoree [72]

Tours

[edit]

Headlining

[edit]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Powers, Ann (31 January 2024). "Laufey is a trad-pop superstar (and that's enough)". NPR. Retrieved 2 February 2025.
  2. ^ Rogers, Karlie (15 May 2025). "Laufey Announces Her Third Album 'A Matter of Time'". Exclaim!. Retrieved 28 May 2025.
  3. ^ "Laufey mætir á hvíta tjaldið". mbl.is. 23 October 2024. Retrieved 30 June 2025.
  4. ^ Elan, Priya (24 November 2024). "The return of the Patrick Bateman power suit — plus more trends to know". The Times. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  5. ^ Judkis, Maura (14 September 2023). "Chinese-Icelandic jazz singer Laufey wants Gen Z to fall in love". The Washington Post. Retrieved 26 January 2024.
  6. ^ "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]. World Journal (in Chinese). 5 February 2024. Archived from the original on 29 February 2024. Retrieved 12 February 2024.
  7. ^ @laufey (23 April 2023). "24 trips around the sun 🎂🎈" (Tweet). Retrieved 24 May 2025 – via Twitter.
  8. ^ Halbert, Mosha Lundström (7 September 2023). "Laufey Is the Viral Icelandic Prodigy Bringing Jazz to Gen Z". Vouge. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  9. ^ a b 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.
  10. ^ Cheung, Catharina (29 September 2023). "Interview with Laufey on her Bewitched album and world tour". Time Out Hong Kong. Archived from the original on 24 February 2024. Retrieved 24 May 2025.
  11. ^ "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.
  12. ^ 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.
  13. ^ a b c Sisario, Ben (22 July 2025). "Is She Jazz? Is She Pop? She's Laufey, and She's a Phenomenon". The New York Times. Retrieved 23 July 2025.
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  31. ^ Sang, Ray. "Laufey". 1883 Magazine. 1883 Magazine. Archived from the original on 1 July 2021. Retrieved 13 January 2021.
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  33. ^ Warren W. Vaché (2000). "Ted Shapiro". The Unsung Songwriters: America's Masters of Melody. Scarecrow Press. p. 448. ISBN 9780810835702.
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  39. ^ "Artist". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  40. ^ Daly, Rhian (5 February 2024). "Billy Joel gives first Grammys performance in over two decades". NME. Retrieved 28 April 2024.
  41. ^ Willman, Chris (3 April 2025). "Laufey Begins Her Next Album Era With 'Silver Lining' Single and Music Video". Variety.
  42. ^ "Laufey Shares Music Video for New Single "Lover Girl"". Flood. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
  43. ^ "Laufey Unveils 'Snow White' With Twin Sister-Directed Video". JamBase. Retrieved 10 September 2025.
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  45. ^ "Laufey Announces Her Third Album 'A Matter of Time' │ Exclaim!". Laufey Announces Her Third Album 'A Matter of Time' │ Exclaim!. Retrieved 14 May 2025.
  46. ^ "Laufey Tour 2026: A Matter Of Time Tour". laufeyamatteroftimetour.com. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  47. ^ Betancourt, Bianca (16 September 2025). "Coachella's 2026 Lineup Is as Starry as Ever". Harper's BAZAAR. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  48. ^ Chapman, Michael (14 April 2025). "Laufey Performs New Track at Coachella". Iceland Review. Retrieved 16 January 2026.
  49. ^ 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.
  50. ^ 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.
  51. ^ 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.
  52. ^ Powers, Ann (31 January 2024). "Laufey is a trad-pop superstar (and that's enough)". NPR. Archived from the original on 5 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  53. ^ 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.
  54. ^ Russonello, Giovanni (2 November 2023). "Laufey's Old-Time Pop Is Smooth. Its Relationship to Jazz Is Spikier". The New York Times. Archived from the original on 6 February 2024. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  55. ^ Judkis, Maura (14 September 2023). "Chinese-Icelandic jazz singer Laufey wants Gen Z to fall in love". The Washington Post. Retrieved 6 February 2024.
  56. ^ 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.
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  58. ^ "Bewitched by Laufey Reviews and Tracks". Metacritic. Archived from the original on 13 October 2023. Retrieved 3 October 2023.
  59. ^ "With 'Bewitched,' Icelandic Singer Laufey Is Leaving Jazz Neophytes Spellbound". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Archived from the original on 16 November 2023. Retrieved 16 November 2023.
  60. ^ Walsh, Molly (20 February 2025). "Time Magazine unveils 2025 Women of the Year. See who made the list". cleveland.
  61. ^ "Madame Tussauds Spills the Wax on Fame, Unveiling 'HOT 100' for 2025". Madame Tussauds. 4 February 2025. Retrieved 5 February 2025.
  62. ^ Atli Ísleifsson (1 January 2026). "Þessi fjórtán hlutu fálkaorðuna". visir.is. Archived from the original on 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
  63. ^ Geraghty, Hollie (28 August 2023). "Laufey is here to stay". NME. Archived from the original on 7 February 2024. Retrieved 7 February 2024.
  64. ^ 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.
  65. ^ Chong, Dale (8 September 2025). "Laufey Brings Her Whimsical World to Everlane's Fall 2025 Campaign". ELLE. Retrieved 5 November 2025.
  66. ^ 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.
  67. ^ Faulkner, Clara (7 November 2025). "2026 GRAMMYS: See The Full Nominations List". National Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences. Retrieved 7 November 2025.
  68. ^ 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.
  69. ^ 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.
  70. ^ "Kerecis and Laufey received awards". Iceland Monitor. 10 March 2024. Retrieved 24 April 2024.
  71. ^ 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.
  72. ^ "Laufey and Bragi Valdimar among recipients of the Order of the Falcon". Iceland Monitor. 1 January 2026. Retrieved 1 January 2026.
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