Words by

Hannah Jane Cohen

Photo by

Art Bicnick

Saga Ýr Nazari burst onto the music scene just one month ago with her debut effort ‘Don’t Gotta Be Real’. Mixing modern R&B with a touch of Middle Eastern music and a dab of James Blake, she’s one to watch.

Here’s how the chanteuse would spend a perfect day in Reykjavík.

Morning

I love to start the day off by going to the pool and soaking in the hot tub. Right now I live in Grafarvogur, so I would pick Grafarvogslaug. I’d stay there for a while, I don’t like to rush things in the morning when I am still being reborn. I am not much for eating in the morning but I need a lot of caffeine, so I’d grab a chai latte from Kaffibrennslan. I could drink that all day and be full. I wouldn’t even need food, just the chai latte.

Lunch

Tokyo Sushi. I could live off Tokyo Sushi. It is such good quality even though the price isn’t so high. I am a family member there, so I’d stop by, get some sushi and ramen, and then run back home and paint.

Afternoon

In the afternoon, I’d meet up with my friends and take a walk. I like to drive to Elliðaárdalur. It’s really nice to walk around there or meditate. Afterwards, I’d go to an art museum or check out a flea market or thrift shop like Kolaportið or other places I don’t know the names of. But for real, I like to spend the whole day making music. For the past two weeks, I have been going to school and then going to the studio until I gotta go home and sleep. It sounds stressful but that’d be my perfect day. I feel most at home in the studio.

Dinner

I love home cooked meals so I’d definitely make my own dinner. It’d be Mexican and spicy—maybe a hot chilli jalapeño bernaise sauce on chicken that you dip in egg and then Doritos before cooking. With rice and salad, of course. 

Heat Of The Night

Any small gigs that are going on downtown, especially with new and up-and-coming-artists, I’m there. Húrra and Prikið are the best for this. For me, concerts aren’t even always about dancing. Sometimes I just take a seat in the back and observe. It’s like looking at a painter paint and finish the canvas that night. I don’t even need to take anyone, I love going alone and getting inspired.