Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter, Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir is a musical gem on a mission to introduce classical jazz to a younger audience. In the Fall of 2023, Laufey released her 2nd full-length album Bewitched. Her sophomore album is a continuation of her debut album Everything I Know About Love, released in August 2022.
Compared to her debut album, Bewitched is more intentional with the lyrics and composition of the songs. The album is a musical journey through heartbreak, unrequited love, and hopeful beginnings of a new love. Though Laufey never reveals who she is writing about, the album suggests hints of her muse. The artist wears her heart on her sleeve as she describes her feelings for a loved one and the aftermath of their relationship.
The album is a shift away from her debut sound, as she incorporates more classical and jazz elements to accompany a new, more melancholic narrative. The album’s first song “Dreamer” is a perfect dreamy introduction to Bewitched with vocals reminiscent of lovestruck classic jazz. The chorus says it all, “And no boy’s gonna be so smart as to/ Try and pierce my porcelain heart/ No boy’s gonna kill the dreamer in me.” Bewitched shows growth as a songwriter as she narrates rich stories of hope and love while going back to her classical roots.
From a young age, Laufey learned piano and cello from her mother, violinist Lin Wei. Laufey started making a name for herself on TikTok by posting snippets of her original music and covers from Chet Baker. The artist credits classical music and jazz influences for her 2nd album. The artist’s music is inspired by the greats, such as Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, Norah Jones, and Peggy Lee.
Laufey heavily uses jazz as a vehicle to illustrate her fantasies, hopes, and dreams, giving her music a magical, vintage quality. The artist often sings about dreaming of a love that’s just like the movies or fairytales. In the song “From the Start,” Laufey sings “That when I talk to you oh,/ Cupid walks right through/ And shoots an arrow through my heart/ And I sound like a loon, but don’t you feel it too?/ Confess I loved you from the start.” The song narrates a story of meeting a loved one and falling for them from the start, a sentiment I’m sure every romantic can relate to.
Apart from the concept of romantic love, Laufey wrote a beautiful tribute to her younger self titled “Letter to my 13 year old self.” With relatable lyrics such as “I’m so sorry that they pick you last/ Try to say your foreign name and laugh/ I know that you feel loud, so different from the crowd,” the artist sings about the struggles of her childhood. The song invokes a sense of hope for a better future filled with joy and love: “You’ll grow up/ And grow so tough and charm them/ Write your story, fall in love a little too…And just let her know, know that she’s beautiful.” Her appeal is how she narrates her music to connect to the younger audience and relate to their struggles with a glimmer of hope.
As the last track of the album suggests, Bewitched is a love letter from an artist to all the dreamers out there who are or have ever been hopelessly in love. In the closing song, Laufey melodically sings “You bewitch me/ Every damn second you’re with me/ I try to think straight/ But I’m falling so badly, I’m coming apart/ You wrote me a note, cast a spell on my heart/ And bewitched me.” An enchanting and bewitching song that perfectly sums up the album, a song about the hopeful beginnings of a new love.
With the many possibilities of a new year, the album is perfect to add to your playlist. The song is now available on Apple Music and Spotify.
Instagram: @laufey
