Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey (that’s pronounced lay-vay, by the way), has witnessed considerable success as a breakthrough music act in the early 2020s for a distinctive body of work influenced by jazz rhythms. If you consider yourself a fan, we’ve got news that you’ll want to keep your eyes peeled for: she’ll be hosting her very first Malaysian concert this year.
Beloved for her commercially successful hit single, From The Start, which saw her second studio output snagging the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in February, Laufey had only recently concluded a whirlwind series of performances across Asia and Australia just last year. While making stops in neighboring Singapore and Indonesia, Malaysia was sadly ommited from the itinerary.
Laufey brings her Bewitched: The Goddess Tour to Kuala Lumpur
That is set to change with Bewitched: The Goddess Tour, which is expected to begin in the latter half of 2024 from August onwards. Kicking off in Tokyo and Osaka immediately after, the 24-year-old will make her way down Southeast Asia with Bangkok, before subsequently crossing off Kuala Lumpur for the very first time as part of her second album‘s release.
Following in the steps of similarly decorated artists such as Ireland’s Damien Rice and England’s Callum Scott, Laufey’s inaugural debut on local shores will take place at the Plenary Hall in the Kuala Lumpur Convention Centre on August 27th, 2024. However, ticket details remain unavailable as of writing.
The tour will also be hosted in Hong Kong, Taipei, and Manila, with Singapore being the very last stop in Asia. Three dates have been allocated for Australia, starting in Melbourne, followed by Brisbane and Sydney closing things out in grand style at the city’s historic Opera House Concert Hall.
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A modern jazz revival
Born to an Icelandic father and Chinese mother, Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir was raised in a musically inclined household, as indicated by her mother’s milieu as a classical violinist and her maternal grandfather’s reputation as one of the most esteemed violin educators at the Central Conservatory of Music in China. Her education in music started at the tender age of four with the piano, followed by the cello at eight.
Proving herself adept in the art, a 15-year-old Laufey would be invited to perform as a cello soloist under the guidance of the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. This was followed by formal academic training at the Reykjavík College of Music, from which she graduated in 2018. In 2021, she was awarded a scholarship from the vaunted Berkelee College of Music.
Beyond the realm of orchestral music, Laufey’s recording career as an artist witnessed even greater success with her participation in the 2014 edition of Ísland Got Talent, an Icelandic offshoot of the popular Got Talent syndicated talent show franchise, as well as the 2015 edition of The Voice Iceland.
In 2020, her debut EP, Typical of Me, was warmly received by critics and the public alike, with the single Street by Street successfully charting a number one spot on Icelandic Radio. It even resonated with a number of her peers, with singers Billie Eilish and Willow Smith professing their fondness for Laufey’s work.
2023’s follow-up album, Bewitched, would go on to further cement her reputation as one of the genre’s most notable young talents to watch out for. Widely regarded for its inimitable ability to revive interest in a genre that had previously been on the downtrend, this most recent release received an official Grammy nod, in addition to a spot on major year-end album round-ups by Billboard, NME, and Vogue magazine last year.
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Feature and hero image credit: Laufey/Instagram
This story first appeared on Lifestyle Asia Kuala Lumpur
