Laufey, an Icelandic singer, (pronounced “lay-vay”) recently released a new album called Bewitched on the eighth of September. Bewitched is a pop-jazz album, which is Laufey’s main genre. The singles include “From The Start” and “Bewitched,” which have already gotten many views on YouTube and other streaming platforms. Laufey wrote this album about young love, friends, and life experiences in general. Bewitched covers subjects opposite to her first album, which was about adulthood. Laufey says she wanted to “write about the magic of being young.” She also wanted to open the bridge between her generation and jazz music, because jazz is not as popular as it once was. Bewitched has set a record on Spotify for the most streams as a jazz album. It had about 6 million streams on the first day it was released, and currently has around 156 million streams. Despite its recent release, Bewitched has gotten outstanding reviews from critics.
This album has a whimsical variety of thirteen songs, with one of the most popular being the title track, “Bewitched,” because of the various sound effects that make the song sound so majestic. Another song in this album is “Dreamer,” which starts with vocals that add a fantastical feel to the song before Laufey begins the chorus, making the song unique. “From The Start” is also a well-loved and interesting addition to the Bewitched album, for it is not Laufey’s typical slow jazz style. Many critics and Laufey fans believe she did a good job at making this jazz album something younger generations would also enjoy. Another aspect making Laufey’s new album more unique is the longer songs that are three to four minutes long, unlike many songs these days, which are commonly shorter.
This album is definitely a fan favorite, but there are some things that her listeners would like to change or add. Bewitched does not have as many music videos as other albums, so some fans want more music videos to go with her songs. Another addition that Laufey’s fans would like is more of her upbeat songs, similar to “From The Start.”
Bewitched is very popular and loved, especially by jazz fans. It includes some really interesting songs with good messages, such as “Letter to my 13 Year Old Self,” which talks about the message of not comparing yourself to others. Whether you listen to jazz regularly or not, Laufey is a talented artist that can be enjoyed by anyone.
