Grammy-winning Icelandic-Chinese artist, composer, producer, and multi-instrumentalist Laufey has launched The Laufey Foundation, with the primary mission of supporting young musicians with the resources they need, especially through youth orchestras, to reach their full potential.
“The support and scholarships I received as a child have directly led to the career I have now. It’s been a lifelong dream of mine to provide the next generation with the same support and opportunities. I can’t wait to connect with the young musician community!” said Laufey.
The Laufey Foundation ensures that young musicians from all demographics have the opportunity to attend youth orchestra programs. Youth orchestras serve as a gateway and conduit for serious student musicians to achieve their full potential, providing them with the experience they need to succeed in their college and university ensembles and beyond.
The Laufey Foundation will award inaugural grants to the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestra, LA Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) program, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and two of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles with a goal of expanding the number and locations of orchestras globally in the months and years to come.
Laufey’s global success can be directly attributed to her experiences playing with esteemed youth orchestra programs and receiving a Presidential Scholarship to attend the Berklee College of Music. The work of The Laufey Foundation echoes the life-changing support Laufey received as a young musician, which led to her discovery of a love for classical and jazz music.
“A Matter of Time,” Laufey’s highly anticipated new album, was released on August 22 via Vingolf Recordings / AWAL. It includes the new single “Tough Luck.” Of the song, Laufey explained, “‘Tough Luck’ is a fiery song about love gone wrong. I wanted to reveal an angrier side of myself — a side that this unfortunate relationship brought out in me.”
As Laufey began to craft “A Matter of Time,” she felt freer than ever. “Every new album for me is a blank book of stories to write,” she said. An artist who pours her life experiences into her work, she infused 2022’s “Everything I Know About Love” with coming-of-age tales revolving around leaving home, and for 2023’s Grammy-winning “Bewitched,” she dove headlong into young love. Brought to life with sweeping orchestral arrangements, interwoven strains of bossa nova and jazz, and Laufey’s honeyed alto, those albums cemented Laufey as a star who can make sounds from bygone eras feel timeless.
Now on “A Matter of Time,” Laufey further crystallizes her singular sound — one still rooted in her beloved influences, but which forgoes any strict standards or rules. “I’m constantly thinking about classical and jazz, how to properly preserve them and pay homage. For this album,” said Laufey, “I just wanted to let my heart wander.”
She teamed with a pair of co-producers, Spencer Stewart and Aaron Dessner. Feeling sonically unrestrained gave Laufey the space to share new sides of herself while exploring sometimes heavier themes. “People expect a pretty façade of girly clothes, fantastical stories, and romantic music,” she said. “This time, I was interested in seeing how I could draw out the most flawed parts of myself and look at them directly in the mirror.”
“A Matter of Time” finds Laufey at her most daring — and also playful — as she captures the experience of “real love” in its many forms and what it means to observe as it strips you down to your most vulnerable and anxious.
Laufey will perform at Madison Square Garden in New York City on October 15 and 16.