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 School 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: In the course of the pandemic, Laufey began writing songs — swoony, old style love songs with difficult 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 gained 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 — identified 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 along with her twin sister (and inventive 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. Carrying 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 in case you 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 totally current is onstage. I’m at all times excited about the longer term — 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, nevertheless it 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 might have made it go away. However that night time would by no means go away.
As a child, did you think about dwelling in L.A.?Completely. I grew up listening to Miley Cyrus sing about hopping off the airplane at LAX and making her desires come true. I nonetheless romanticize the concept of dwelling right here — wanting up every single day 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 instantly 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 feel 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 previous. Nevertheless, the Emma Stone character — a lady dwelling with roommates in West Hollywood, having this not possible dream — I’m her too.
I really like that scene the place she and her roommates are on the point of exit.I’ve lived that so many instances. I didn’t transfer to L.A. as soon as issues began shifting. I moved into somewhat sublease on Fairfax, and my dad and mom had been super-worried about me. So I really feel like I’m the kid of the 2 characters — their baby 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 amazing reflection of a number of guys I’ve dated.
In L.A.? In Iceland?In all places. I went to Berklee School 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 take a look at different musicians, and you may see who has that star high quality.
Who has it?I feel Chappell Roan has it. I feel 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 complete workforce as a result of I assumed possibly it was spam. That’s one method 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 combined id. And something that I’ve gone by means of this yr, she’s gone by means of on a really exaggerated degree. It’s been actually beautiful 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 one of the best 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 vitality 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 totally different from Olivia’s or Chappell’s or Taylor’s, however all of us have brutal honesty and self-deprecating humor. I feel theater youngsters 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 change into 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 Instances)
Do you assume your id as a twin enriches your songwriting?Undoubtedly. I have already got a soulmate — I’ve had a soulmate because the 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 put in writing nice songs.
By way of relationship, are guys ever threatened by your relationship along with your sister?If they’re, they haven’t made it very far [laughs]. I feel it’s clear from the beginning that in case you’re shut with me, you’re shut along with her.
Does the great thing about your singing voice ever really feel like a limitation? Can you utilize 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 joyful or sarcastic, it’s nonetheless woven on this very mellow type 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 totally different feelings that I can evoke with my voice on this subsequent album.
I went to see Sabrina Carpenter play at Crypto.com Area just lately —I used to be there — it was unimaginable.
The present was so bawdy — nearly vulgar in a extremely enjoyable approach. Is there room for that in your music?It’s positively one thing I take into consideration. I’ve songs about these themes and matters — they’re simply hidden in code. I’ve a tune referred to as “Haunted,” which is about having a one-night stand. I’m changing into an increasing number of sincere with myself as I get older, and I feel it’s being mirrored in my songwriting for positive.
Might you drop an F-bomb in a tune?The final tune on the “Bewitched” [deluxe edition], one of many final phrases is “f—.” I feel the query I’ve been asking myself is: How do I exploit this stuff that draw consideration in a approach that doesn’t really feel like they’re simply there to attract consideration? I might so simply write probably the most vulgar tune 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 really 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. But it surely was at all times tough for me, as a result of coming from classical music, you’re very certain 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 harm your emotions?I’m a people-pleaser, so in fact. However my music didn’t change into standard as a result of I’m a jazz musician or a classical musician. I really 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 bins. 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 nice bits of it and making it standard. And that simply couldn’t be farther from the reality.
Is {that a} gender factor?Every little thing’s a little bit of a gender factor. Individuals who care deeply about their style and need it preserved, they see me coming and so they go to the live performance and so they see all these younger girls with ribbons of their hair — possibly it appears like an assault.
Are you aware Rufus Wainwright’s music?Kind of. He handed me my Grammy.
He was doing one thing considerably just like you 25 years in the past: utilizing stunning previous kinds to create new songs about trendy lives. However I’m unsure 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 lady — I’ll simply go away it at that.
Last item: You’ve had a fruitful inventive partnership along with your producer Spencer Stewart. However for the following file 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 probably 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 might try this too. However I feel any govt or any supervisor that may recommend I flip my profession on its head wouldn’t be an excellent govt. There are such a lot of unimaginable pop musicians proper now — girls 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 aspect of their mind that listens to my type of music.