LOS ANGELES (AP) — Lengthy earlier than the Icelandic Chinese language artist Laufey turned acknowledged the world over for her neoclassical jazz-meets-pop music, she was a scholar, answering a well-known yearbook immediate: “Where do you see yourself in 10 years?”
Her reply: Transfer to the U.S., signal a report deal and win a Grammy. The 26-year-old has achieved all three.
“I must have been so confident to write that because I remember that being a very far-sought kind of thing,” the musician born Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir instructed The Related Press.
These aren’t her solely accomplishments: She’s collaborated with Barbra Streisand, shared the stage with Hozier, Noah Kahan and the Los Angeles Philharmonic. An surprising nonconformist to the principles of latest pop, Laufey’s third album, “A Matter of Time” out Friday, pulls inspiration from nation and Icelandic folks music in addition to classical and bossa nova sounds.
“My ultimate goal is to introduce young audiences to jazz music, to classical music, to encourage them to learn instruments and explore their own sound,” Laufey mentioned.
In a current interview, Laufey mentioned her new album, embracing anger on the report, working along with her twin sister and extra. Responses are edited for readability and brevity.
AP: What’s the story behind the title “A Matter of Time?”
LAUFEY: I knew I wished the album to have time as a central theme. I used to be simply so fascinated by the way it’s sort of like this one factor that people don’t have any management over, and typically we need to pace up and typically we need to decelerate, however in the end it’s out of our management. And there’s one thing romantic about that to me.
Now its taken on just a little little bit of a distinct that means in that it’s principally me baring my soul to the world and baring my soul to a lover. And it’s sort of like, “a matter of time until you find out everything about me.”
AP: The top of “Sabotage” felt very jarring, which is surprising. Are you embracing anger on this album?
LAUFEY: For certain. I believe I used to be by no means allowed to embrace anger. I used to be an excellent child rising up. I used to be very well mannered and really quiet. I used this as a solution to present that you would be able to be indignant, and relatively, to point out additionally that you would be able to be each a smooth, spoken individual whereas nonetheless harboring anger.
I believe the understanding of girls and characters has a lot been like one or the opposite. She’s like this, she’s a mad lady, she a smooth, candy lady. Like, we’re all the whole lot.
AP: How do you examine this album to your previous tasks?
That is simply essentially the most free I’ve been. I wasn’t following any kind of compass in that I wasn’t attempting to create one thing as training. I used to be extra so simply making music from the center. I simply approached with a complete lot extra confidence, despite the fact that the album’s all about nervousness and studying about oneself and insecurity and delusion. And it’s tapping into feelings that I possibly wouldn’t have dared to faucet into earlier than. It’s the most assured I’ve been, as a result of I don’t assume I’d have the boldness to place out the music on this album earlier than.
AP: Your twin sister Junia is credited on the album. What’s it like working along with her?
LAUFEY: It’s so particular. We do the whole lot collectively. Like, she does the whole lot, just about, — aside from the music, the literal music making — she has her arms in.
All of the merch, that’s all her. The album covers, all of the inventive, like, music movies, the whole lot — she’s such part of the undertaking. After which she actually performs violin on a number of the songs. I do know so many artists who discuss how it may be fairly lonely, however I’ve by no means actually been alone. Like, I’ve all the time achieved it in tandem with my sister.
AP: You’ve got spoken concerning the significance of Asian function fashions. I believe you’ve got turn out to be one
your self.
LAUFEY: I grew up in a really, very totally different, like, homogenous Icelandic group. I didn’t see individuals who appeared like me each single day. I noticed my mother, that was it. And I suppose I noticed my equivalent twin sister, who appeared precisely like me. Nevertheless it’s so highly effective, seeing somebody who seems to be such as you, that you would be able to look as much as.
I already see extra illustration, however there’s nonetheless such an extended solution to go. I’m nonetheless a half-white Asian lady, you realize? And I don’t need younger Asian ladies to search for and see the entire stars in entrance of them be half-White both, as a result of what sort of message is that sending? So, I do not know. Something I can do to carry up voices, create these communities, and empower younger Asian artists to do their factor, that is, like, on the middle of my philosophy.
AP: You’ve achieved all of the belongings you mentioned you wished to do in your yearbook. What’s subsequent?
LAUFEY: I’d love to attain a movie or do, like, a theme music to a movie, ideally a James Bond theme music, as a result of that’s, like, my dream. Nevertheless it’s so exhausting to say as a result of I’ve ticked off all these easy issues off — many are large, however the tick-able ones. I hope I’m nonetheless making music and I nonetheless hope that I find it irresistible.
