She’s a Madwoman! How Laufey Bridges the Gap Between Jazz and Young Listeners
Laufey's 'Madwoman' music video stars Hudson Williams, Lola Tung, Alysa Liu and Megan Skiendiel. Photo by Nicole Kreib '28
On April 10, Laufey released her album “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour,” the deluxe project of her Grammy-winning album “A Matter of Time.”
This album includes four new tracks that feature her heavenly vocals and deep storytelling that listeners can emotionally connect to.
Laufey is a Chinese-Icelandic artist who was born into a musical family. She was trained in Classical and Jazz, playing both the piano and cello.
As a young woman in the music industry, Laufey is passionate about opening doors for women of color.
Attending Berklee College of Music in Boston allowed her to connect with her Asian heritage, which she had not been exposed to in Iceland.
“I've been able to embrace my identity as an Asian and be more proud of that side of me,” Laufey said in an interview.
This has allowed her to connect with her fans of Asian descent and continues to push towards working with Asian musicians and producers.
Due to her background, Laufey has flawlessly introduced jazz-pop media, bringing the world of jazz sound and storytelling into the pop-dominated music industry.
Lyrically inspired by jazz standards and musicals, Laufey borrows from artists like Cole Porter and George Gershwin by incorporating dialogue-like lyrics to illustrate the world she is portraying. But instead of using lingo from the 30s and 40s, she modernizes these standards by using terms that young listeners can grab onto.
These lyrics are often humorous and literal, allowing Laufey to convey big, relatable feelings with upbeat melodies. This sets her apart from other pop artists by portraying the modern themes of unrequited love and heartbreak while still having an old-fashioned feeling.
Her hit songs, including “From the Start” and “Valentine,” have created a new avenue of music for young listeners.
“I think there’s definitely kids that will listen… and think ‘I’m listening to Jazz’,” Laufey told Variety in an interview.
But despite these songs being created by jazz musicians, there is not a big disconnect between her music and other pop stars like Olivia Rodrigo. “I’m just music for a different vibe, definitely, but I don’t think it’s like a completely different thing,” Laufey continued.
One of the tracks on the new album “Madwoman” has received a lot of attention following the release of the accompanying music video on April 13.
With inspiration taken from photographer Slim Aarons, Asian American filmmaker Warren Fu helped create this throwback, picture-perfect world.
Starring in this video are new generation sensations: young stars who are shaping these powerful industries and the future of our society.
Actress Lola Tung, Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu and Katseye’s Megan Skiendiel are featured as Laufey’s best friends.
Her fellow madman is portrayed by none other than Hudson Williams, the current it-boy of Hollywood following the success of the show “Heated Rivalry.”
Laufey built her cast perfectly, purposefully showcasing Asian and Asian American stars to spark greater representation in the music industry.
“Growing up, I felt a lack of representation for people who looked like me in music and media. With the ‘Madwoman’ video, I wanted to be that representation,” Laufey said in a press statement.
Not only do these stars create a bigger Asian American representation, but they also grab the attention of young listeners, pulling more and more people into the world of jazz-pop.
Her experimentation with mixing genres, incorporating jazz chords and instrumentals to layer with her emotionally driven vocals, continues to push her to the top of the charts.
As more listeners of “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour” connect to the vibe and energy she creates, fans will discover that this work can only be pulled off by a madwoman.