MANILA, Philippines—GRAMMY-winning Icelandic-Chinese artist, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Laufey announces her latest music venture with ‘Bewitched: The Goddess Edition’, set to release on April 26 via AWAL. This expanded edition introduces four new original songs, penned by Laufey following the success of her critically acclaimed 2023 album, ‘Bewitched’.
Regarding the new single, Laufey shares, “’Goddess’ is my most candid piece yet. It was written in solitude at my piano, reflecting on a disillusioning experience where someone admired the persona they saw onstage, only to realize I didn’t match their projection offstage. They deemed me no longer captivating once the allure faded, reducing me to mere flesh and bone.”
Image Courtesy of Gemma Warren.
Currently amidst the European leg of her sold-out “Bewitched: The Goddess Tour”, Laufey will embark on sold-out North American dates in April, followed by appearances in Asia in May, including performances at Jakarta’s Java Jazz Festival and two sold-out ‘A Night At The Symphony’ concerts in Manila with Manila Philharmonic Orchestra.
In 2023, Laufey experienced a breakthrough year, marked by the historic success of ‘Bewitched’ as the largest debut for a jazz album on Spotify. It debuted at #2 on Spotify’s Global and U.S. Album Charts, and at #23 on the Billboard 200. Additionally, the album topped Billboard’s Independent Albums Chart and Current Traditional Jazz Albums Chart, while its hit single “From The Start” attained RIAA-certified Gold status.
Laufey clinched the 2024 GRAMMY for “Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album”, and her performance of “From The Start” at the award show’s Premiere Ceremony, as well as her cello collaboration with Billy Joel during the telecast, captivated audiences.
Raised between Reykjavík and Washington, D.C., with frequent visits to Beijing, Laufey emerged on the scene in 2020 with her debut single “Street by Street”, topping the Icelandic radio charts. In 2022, her debut full-length album, ‘Everything I Know About Love’, reached #1 on Billboard’s Alternative New Artist Album chart. The album featured the hit track “Valentine”, which soared to #1 on the Spotify Jazz Chart. Laufey currently boasts over 1.7 billion streams across all platforms, cementing her status as Iceland’s most streamed artist worldwide.