5 things to know about Grammy winner Laufey

Whether or not you are a jazz fan, Laufey is a name you are sure to hear more of. From the Grammy awards to blowing up on social media, the young singer-songwriter is making a name for herself with her jazz-inspired pop music and loving personality. Abby Li gives you five things to know about this Icelandic-Chinese star “From The Start”

Her name is pronounced as “lay-vay”

Pronouncing Laufey’s Icelandic name can be challenging since the two vowels in her name doesn’t exist in English. If you struggle to mention her name in your conversation, don’t worry, you are not alone. The correct way to say it is “lay-vay”, a pronunciation very similar to the luxury house, Loewe. So next time when you bring up this rising jazz pop talent, you can confidently skip the guessing of “Lau-fey? Lau-fi? Lau…”

She is a Grammy award winner

If the headline didn’t already give it away, the 25-year-old singer-songwriter has already secured her first Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album with Bewitched. With 5.7 million streams on release, the album was the biggest jazz debut in Spotify’s history. Laufey’s success challenges the stereotype that only sophisticated grown-ups fancy jazz music and inspires younger generations to appreciate the genre.

Also see: 5 things to know about Siobhán Haughey

She is half-Chinese 

Laufey grew up with a multicultural background: born in Iceland to an Icelandic dad and a Chinese mom. Besides her Icelandic name Laufey, she also has a Chinese name 林冰 (pronounced lín bīng in Mandarin). Her passion for music was sparked by her violinist mother and grandfather. Laufey spent her summers in Beijing studying music, while living in Iceland and Washington during the rest of the year. This diverse upbringing has gifted her fluency in Icelandic, English, and Mandarin.

Her creative director looks identical to her

Don’t get confused if you see two Laufeys on the stage! Junia (pronounced as “yoo-nia”), Laufey’s creative director and also her identical twin, has often been misidentified in public. Raised under the same influence of their violinist mom, Junia kept playing the violin but continued her career as a creative director, while Laufey pursued music professionally. If you are a big fan of the dreamy design of her album covers and music videos, credit goes to Junia, the woman behind the scenes.

Catch her in Hong Kong this August

After performing in Jakarta, Seoul, and Manila, the beloved singer is finally taking her Bewitched: The Goddess Tour to Hong Kong on August 29. Have you heard of the unspoken concert dress code Laufey-core? Don’t worry if you haven’t. Our recommendation is to go for a preppy look with a pleated skirt and a pair of loafers, or just simply tie a bow in your hair to capture the vibe. At the end of the day, it’s really all about the music.

Also see: 5 things to know about Edgar Cheung