Laufey

Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir was born on 23 April 1999 in Reykjavík, Iceland, to an Icelandic father who works as a finance executive and a Chinese mother who is a classical violinist from Guangzhou. Her maternal grandfather, Lin Yaoji, was a prominent violin educator at the Central Conservatory of Music in China. Laufey grew up in a bilingual household alongside her identical twin sister, Júnía Lín Hua Jónsdóttir, who is a violinist and later became her creative director. She spent her childhood dividing time between Reykjavík, Washington, D.C., and Beijing.

She began studying piano at the age of four and cello at the age of eight. At 15, Laufey performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. She also competed on Icelandic television, reaching the finals of Ísland Got Talent in 2014 and the semifinals of The Voice Iceland in 2015 as the youngest contestant in the show's history. After graduating from the Reykjavík College of Music in 2018, she received a presidential scholarship to the Berklee College of Music in Boston, where she studied cello with Mike Block and graduated with a Bachelor of Music degree in 2021. She has been in a relationship with Charlie Christi since 2024.

Laufey released her debut single, "Street by Street", in April 2020 while studying at Berklee, and the track reached number one on Icelandic radio. In April 2021, she released her debut EP, Typical of Me, written largely from her college dorm room. The project gained viral traction on TikTok through her covers of jazz standards and earned early praise from artists such as Billie Eilish. In the same year, she hosted the BBC Radio 3 show Happy Harmonies, performed at the London Jazz Festival, and collaborated with the Philharmonia Orchestra.

Her debut studio album, Everything I Know About Love, arrived in August 2022 under the independent label AWAL. The album reached number one on Billboard's Alternative New Artist Album chart and earned widespread praise for blending vintage jazz stylings with modern lyricism. She supported the release with a headline tour and made her American network television debut on Jimmy Kimmel Live!.

In September 2023, Laufey released her second album, Bewitched, supported by the hit single "From the Start". The album achieved major commercial success and critical acclaim, winning Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards in 2024. During that award ceremony, she performed alongside Billy Joel during his closing performance. She later expanded the project as Bewitched: The Goddess Edition and mounted an extensive global concert tour that included performances at venues such as London's Royal Albert Hall and the Hollywood Bowl.

Her third studio album, A Matter of Time, was released in August 2025, preceded by singles including "Silver Lining", "Tough Luck", "Lover Girl", and "Snow White". Following the release, she launched the A Matter of Time Tour across North America and Europe, and released the expanded edition A Matter of Time: The Final Hour in 2026.

Laufey's sound is rooted in traditional pop, jazz, bossa nova, and classical music, carried by her rich contralto vocal register. She has frequently cited Ella Fitzgerald, Chet Baker, Billie Holiday, and classical composer Frédéric Chopin as primary influences on her phrasing and compositions, alongside contemporary artists such as Taylor Swift and Norah Jones. Music critics and industry publications have credited her with introducing jazz and orchestral arrangements to younger listeners.

Her visual presentation has also gained significant attention. Known for vintage-inspired stage wear, romantic tailoring, and hyperfeminine elements, her signature aesthetic has been widely referred to as "Laufeycore". In recognition of her artistic achievements, she was appointed a Knight of the Order of the Falcon by the President of Iceland in January 2026.