Laufey to bewitch fans anew in first arena headline in Manila
In her first show in Manila last year, Laufey played at a tent for about 2,000 people. Now, she’s set to hold court at one of the country’s biggest concert venues.
Perhaps it’s safe to say that Laufey has her Filipino fans bewitched.
Just weeks prior to her sold-out, back-to-back orchestra shows later this month, the jazz-pop sensation announced that she will be returning to the country not too long after—this time, for the Manila stop of her “Bewitched: The Goddess” world tour.
Presented by Live Nation Philippines (LNPH) and Karpos Live, the upcoming concert will be held on Sept. 2 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena. There will be a presale opportunity for LNPH website members from May 6 at 6 a.m. to May 7 at 9 a.m. General sale, meanwhile, starts on May 7 at 12 p.m. Visit www.livenation.ph or www.smtickets.com.
“My first arena headline in Manila! Mahal kita!” Laufey wrote on Twitter.
In a one-on-one interview with the Inquirer last year, the Icelandic-Chinese artist known for her dreamy and transportive jazz-inflected songs, said the connection she felt with her Filipino fans in her first Manila gig was “immediate.”
“It was incredible. It was so cool to come to a new country I have never been to … I was so shocked to see so many people,” the 25-year-old artist said. “I have been getting comments and messages from Filipino fans. Seeing the country, eating the food was so cool for me.”
She also described the experience as “informative” to her as an artist.
“You could tell there was true appreciation for music in the Philippines that I haven’t seen elsewhere. It made performing extra special,” said the singer-songwriter, whose catalog of hits includes the enchanting “From the Start,” “Valentine” and “Let You Break My Heart Again.”
‘Who am I?’
“Bewitched: The Goddess” tour was launched in support of Laufey’s sophomore album of the same title. The record, which won best traditional pop vocal album at the 2024 Grammy Awards, has been recently expanded to include new material.
The deluxe version features four new songs including the title track “Goddess”—her “most honest song” yet. As she rides the wave of her recent success, Laufey finds herself reflecting about the way people perceive her, and the contrast between her on- and off-stage persona.
“I wrote it alone at my piano, after feeling like someone had fallen in love with the version of me they had seen onstage, just to find out that I wasn’t what they had projected once I was off stage,” she said in a press statement courtesy of Secret Signals. “They deemed me to no longer be a shiny thing when the glamour wore off, reduced to skin and bone.”
The couple of months has been a whirlwind of live shows, of “excitement and joy,” and of achievements, both critical and commercial. They have been “super fun,” make no mistake about it. But amid everything, Laufey also couldn’t help but wonder: “Who am I? I’m facing that. As women, but especially as entertainers, we’re meant to present ourselves in a certain way.”
The single is accompanied by a cinematic music video directed by Celine Song, the award-winning filmmaker behind the critically acclaimed romantic drama film “Past Lives.” Other songs featured in the said album’s deluxe version includes “It Could Happen to You,” “Trouble” and “Bored.”
Infusion
Laufey’s mother was a classical violinist; her father, a jazz aficionado. Because she grew up in such a musical environment, her love and appreciation for those genres came naturally. This isn’t the case for many people her age.
And so, she set out to make jazz and classical music more attractive to the Gen Z audience by infusing them with the sensibilities of contemporary pop. “My goal is to bring them to my generation through a more accessible road,” she said.
Her hard work has been paying off. In 2023 alone, Laufey scored the biggest debut for a jazz album on Spotify with “Bewitched.” The album topped various charts, including Billboard’s Current Traditional Jazz Albums; her hit from the start was certified platinum; and she got to share the stage with industry legends like Billy Joel.
Laufey has also attracted a significant following on Instagram and TikTok, and has so far amassed more than 1.7 billion streams across various platforms. “It went beyond what I could have ever expected—especially for the kind of music I make. Leaning into what felt most like me proved to be the most effective. It’s always encouraging when you lean into what you really love,” she said. INQ
