Icelandic jazzpop phenom Laufey brought her signature charm and whimsy to the Crypto.com Arena over the weekend.
The 26-year-old Grammy winner’s A Matter of Time tour stopped in L.A. on Sept. 26 and Sept. 27. Her legions of adoring fans, who were quick to scream and shout their adoration throughout the show, packed two nights at the DTLA arena. The show was broken down into a five-act structure (four acts and an encore), each act featuring a different set piece.
A Matter of Time, the album the tour is promoting, is about the self-discovery that comes with falling in love, the musician, whose birth name is Laufey (pronounced “LAY-vay”) Lín Bing Jónsdóttir, told THR ahead of its release. She describes it as “the overthinker’s guide to love,” noting she didn’t even recognize herself at times throughout the process. “I never thought that it would bring out this much emotion in me,” she adds. “Even when it’s a love song, it’s like, ‘Who am I?’“
The song from the new album that perhaps best answers that question is “Sabotage,” which she described as the meeting of the chaotic and ethereal. It served as the final song of the show, ignoring the encore.
“The very beautiful melodic piano piece, part of ‘Sabotage’ — that’s how I appear on the outside. I’m always dressed up. I’m always wearing some fucking little dress and ballet flats,” she continues. “But on the inside, there might be an absolute mess. That noise in ‘Sabotage,’ those disturbances, that was my musical way of displaying anxiety.”
Below are some of the highlights of Laufey’s sold-out L.A. dates.
The Structure
The singer, known for her own blend of jazz and pop, was able to all sides of musical identity throughout the show. Act two of the show, Laufey explained, was born from the idea of bringing concertgoers into a jazz club (while still inside a large arena). The unique show setup made the experience feel one-of-a-kind – like must-see entertainment.
Special Guests
Built into the musician’s set is a special song, a rotating track that changes city to city. The special track alone would be exciting for fans but Laufey brought it to the next level by inviting different musicians to perform with her.
Night one, she brought up Hozier, which earned a huge reaction from the crowd, to perform her song Magnolia with her. The pair sounded incredible, and the duet stood out as a highlight of the night.
For her second L.A. show, Laufey invited rising girl group Katseye to join her onstage. She performed the six-member girl group’s song “Gabriela” with the young women.
“Goddess”
As the singer headed into the show’s fourth act, she warned the crowd that this is where things got a bit dramatic. She took to the piano for a few songs, including her 2023 single, “Goddess.” The song, set against dramatic lighting, was the standout moment of the show. It felt like all the theatrics of the night led to the explosive climax of the song, with the camera tracking the singer as she belted.
