5 years in the past, Laufey knew who she was.
“Or at least I knew the many different people I was,” she says. “What I didn’t know was who I was as one person.”
The daughter of an Icelandic father and a Chinese language mom, Laufey grew up learning classical cello in Reykjavik. Then she went to Boston’s Berklee Faculty of Music and realized to sing jazz requirements. All of the whereas, she says, “I loved musicals and I loved Taylor Swift. I always wanted to find a way to blend these worlds together, but I just didn’t have any example of an artist that had done it.”
So she did it herself: Through the pandemic, Laufey began writing songs — swoony, old style love songs with tough melodies and jazzy chord adjustments — and performing them on TikTok, the place she rapidly constructed an viewers of retro-curious zoomers. Her debut album, 2022’s “Everything I Know About Love,” hit No. 3 on Billboard’s jazz albums tally; final yr’s follow-up, “Bewitched,” topped that chart and received a Grammy for conventional pop vocal album.
“I think I’m the youngest winner ever in that category,” says the 25-year-old, “which is funny because I’m not that young.”
Now she’s the star of a splashy live performance film opening in theaters this weekend: “Laufey’s A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl.” Directed by Sam Wrench — recognized to Swifties for his job helming the blockbuster “Taylor Swift: The Eras Tour” — Laufey’s movie paperwork a sold-out gig she performed with the Los Angeles Philharmonic this previous August on the iconic hillside amphitheater. Between renditions of her personal tunes and a handful of requirements together with “I Wish You Love” and “It Could Happen to You,” we see Laufey hang around together with her twin sister (and artistic director), Junia, and motor a classic automobile round L.A., the place she’s lived since 2021.
“It was really important to me that fans get a little bit of a look into my brain,” she says of the film. Sporting a pin-striped shirt with an embroidered Peter Pan collar — “I dress like a kindergartener,” she says with fun — Laufey sat down on the Bowl on a current afternoon for a wide-ranging chat in the identical dressing room she used the night time of her live performance.
I puzzled if you happen to discovered it laborious to remain within the second throughout your present right here since you knew it was being filmed for posterity.The one time I’m ever absolutely current is onstage. I’m at all times serious about the long run — like, I do know my schedule two years forward of time. However as soon as I’m onstage, cameras or no cameras, I simply lock in. I knew the film being filmed was vital, but it surely wasn’t the precedence for me that night time. The precedence was to carry out for the 17,000 folks within the viewers.
That surprises me given what number of of your followers got here to you thru a display screen.The efficiency is at all times the precedence. If I actually hated how I used to be [in the movie], I may have made it go away. However that night time would by no means go away.
As a child, did you think about residing in L.A.?Completely. I grew up listening to Miley Cyrus sing about hopping off the aircraft at LAX and making her goals come true. I nonetheless romanticize the concept of residing right here — wanting up daily and seeing the Hollywood signal. It appears like I’m in a film.
The cinematography within the live performance movie jogged my memory of “La La Land.” Was “La La Land” a giant inspiration for you?I don’t assume it’s essentially that I’m immediately influenced by “La La Land” however that “La La Land” and I’ve the very same sources of affect.
Do you determine extra with the Ryan Gosling character or the Emma Stone character?I believe I’ve been each. There was a time in my life as a musician the place I used to be extra protecting of my artwork — snobby, for lack of higher phrase. And I’m very a lot Gosling in the way in which that I take inspiration from the outdated. Nevertheless, the Emma Stone character — a woman residing with roommates in West Hollywood, having this unimaginable dream — I’m her too.
I like that scene the place she and her roommates are on the point of exit.I’ve lived that so many occasions. I didn’t transfer to L.A. as soon as issues began transferring. I moved into a little bit sublease on Fairfax, and my mother and father had been super-worried about me. So I really feel like I’m the kid of the 2 characters — their youngster that truly wasn’t alive on the finish of the movie as a result of it was all a dream.
Do you assume the film is ever making enjoyable of Gosling’s character?A hundred percent. He’s an ideal reflection of loads of guys I’ve dated.
In L.A.? In Iceland?All over the place. I went to Berklee Faculty of Music — I’ve seen that individual. And I’ve been that individual. I’m now not the puritan, however I perceive the place it comes from. It comes from a pure love of the artwork.
You’ve spoken concerning the interaction between approach and musicality. How does charisma or star energy determine into your ability set? It sounds so self-complimentary to even indulge within the considered my having that. However yeah — I have a look at different musicians, and you’ll see who has that star high quality.
Who has it?I believe Chappell Roan has it. I believe Olivia Rodrigo has it.
You accompanied Olivia to the premiere of her live performance film in October. How’d you two meet?She simply texted me out of nowhere from an unknown quantity: “Hey, it’s Olivia Rodrigo. I’m such a fan of your music. Can we hang out sometime?” I used to be like, “What?!” I actually texted my entire group as a result of I assumed possibly it was spam. That’s one strategy to get me: “Yeah, here’s my address.” Then we simply frolicked. We’re each half-Asian, half-white — we’ve at all times had this type of blended id. And something that I’ve gone by way of this yr, she’s gone by way of on a really exaggerated degree. It’s been actually pretty to have the ability to examine in and hang around and never really feel loopy.
Do you’re feeling like part of the theater-kid second taking place in pop proper now?Are you kidding? My favourite composers are Irving Berlin, Gershwin, Cole Porter. My inspiration sources are all from musicals.
Have you ever seen “Wicked”?I went to the premiere — it’s the perfect film I’ve ever seen. I’ve felt like that twice watching a film, possibly thrice: “Wicked,” “La La Land” and “An American in Paris.”
One factor that defines theater-kid power in my thoughts is utilizing artifice to get to an emotional honesty. The frequent denominator between music proper now that’s standard, whether or not it’s indie music or pop music or rock music, is honesty and humor. My music is extraordinarily completely different from Olivia’s or Chappell’s or Taylor’s, however all of us have brutal honesty and self-deprecating humor. I believe theater children have at all times had self-deprecating humor as a result of they’ve been compelled to as a coping mechanism from being bullied.
There’s a model of your profession the place you don’t grow to be a songwriter — the place you simply sing requirements. Would which were satisfying?I imply, there’s a motive I didn’t do it.
Laufey backstage on the Hollywood Bowl.
(Christina Home/Los Angeles Occasions)
Do you assume your id as a twin enriches your songwriting?Positively. I have already got a soulmate — I’ve had a soulmate for the reason that day I used to be born. So the pursuit of discovering pals, love, folks, companions in life, the bar is a lot greater, which presents so many extra challenges, which presents so many extra alternatives to jot down nice songs.
By way of relationship, are guys ever threatened by your relationship together with your sister?If they’re, they haven’t made it very far [laughs]. I believe it’s clear from the beginning that if you happen to’re shut with me, you’re shut together with her.
Does the great thing about your singing voice ever really feel like a limitation? Can you employ it to specific one thing ugly?It’s humorous that you simply point out that proper now, as a result of I’m within the means of engaged on my subsequent album, and I’m grappling with precisely this. All of my music, whether or not it’s unhappy or blissful or sarcastic, it’s nonetheless woven on this very mellow sort of stunning singing fashion, which is the way in which that my voice most naturally comes out. However I’ve been toying round with the completely different feelings that I can evoke with my voice on this subsequent album.
I went to see Sabrina Carpenter play at Crypto.com Area not too long ago —I used to be there — it was unimaginable.
The present was so bawdy — virtually vulgar in a very enjoyable approach. Is there room for that in your music?It’s undoubtedly one thing I take into consideration. I’ve songs about these themes and subjects — they’re simply hidden in code. I’ve a track known as “Haunted,” which is about having a one-night stand. I’m changing into an increasing number of trustworthy with myself as I get older, and I believe it’s being mirrored in my songwriting for certain.
Might you drop an F-bomb in a track?The final track on the “Bewitched” [deluxe edition], one of many final phrases is “f—.” I believe the query I’ve been asking myself is: How do I take advantage of this stuff that draw consideration in a approach that doesn’t really feel like they’re simply there to attract consideration? I may so simply write essentially the most vulgar track proper now, and it could trigger a lot discourse as a result of I’ve this very clear picture in folks’s eyes. The humorous factor is, I’m the largest pottymouth that anyone is aware of.
I watched a really lengthy YouTube video about you the place a jazz man —I do know which video you’re speaking about.
He breaks down why you’re not a jazz musician, and one in all his factors is that you simply don’t improvise.I truly do improvise greater than folks assume — I improvise on cello, I improvise on piano. It’s simply the vocal bits that I don’t improvise in live performance as a lot. Nevertheless it was at all times tough for me, as a result of coming from classical music, you’re very sure to what’s on the web page. There’s no improvisation in classical music — it’s about studying the repertoire, not creating the repertoire.
What do you make of criticism like in that video?If you wish to hear conversations from these communities — jazz communities and classical communities — the place they’re analyzing my music and ripping it aside, I’m like, “That sounds fun — enjoy it.” I respect these communities a lot. I don’t know in the event that they respect me as a lot in return.
Does that damage your emotions?I’m a people-pleaser, so in fact. However my music didn’t grow to be standard as a result of I’m a jazz musician or a classical musician. I like that music, and I do know to my core that I perceive it. However the entire motive I’ve a profession is as a result of I didn’t put myself in a type of containers. Persons are like, “But it’s not jazz!” And I’m like, “Yeah, it’s not.” I by no means claimed that it was.
Some folks appear to need you to assert it.As a result of they wish to shout at me. They wish to see me stand there and look dumb like I do know nothing concerning the music and that I’m simply taking the great bits of it and making it standard. And that simply couldn’t be farther from the reality.
Is {that a} gender factor?All the things’s a little bit of a gender factor. Individuals who care deeply about their style and wish it preserved, they see me coming they usually go to the live performance they usually see all these younger ladies with ribbons of their hair — possibly it appears like an assault.
Have you learnt Rufus Wainwright’s music?Form of. He handed me my Grammy.
He was doing one thing considerably just like you 25 years in the past: utilizing stunning outdated types to create new songs about trendy lives. However I’m undecided he confronted the identical diploma of skepticism.I don’t assume the classical and jazz communities have at all times been the most secure place for a girl — I’ll simply depart it at that.
Very last thing: You’ve had a fruitful artistic partnership together with your producer Spencer Stewart. However for the following report I can envision somebody urging you to work with, say, Jack Antonoff or Dan Nigro.I’m working with Spencer on this album.
Was that vital to you?He simply actually will get me, and he’s essentially the most versatile producer I do know. If I got here to him and I used to be like, “I want to do a pop record,” he may do this too. However I believe any government or any supervisor that may recommend I flip my profession on its head wouldn’t be an excellent government. There are such a lot of unimaginable pop musicians proper now — ladies who’re all my age and write about mature, attention-grabbing, good, intelligent, stunning themes — that there’s no motive for me to try this. I really feel a accountability to talk to listeners on the facet of their mind that listens to my sort of music.
