The Icelandic solo musician and master collaborator Gyða Valtýsdóttir, whose album of reworked classical compositions ‘Epicycle’ met with great acclaim upon its formal release in 2017, has unveiled a video for “Moonchild,” directed by Rebekka Rafnsdottir. It’s her first original solo work to be released under the new project name G Y D A, and the first taste of a solo album ‘Evolution’ that will come out this September on figureight.
She says, of the track and video:
“Moonchild was written on the one moon birthday of Anika Loa, my partner’s baby, which he created and co-parents with his amazing friend Jenni. She was born on a full moon and we had a little moon celebration on the next full moon. She’s also a cancer—so a true Moonchild.
My idea for the video was to show the Moonchild in everyone—the bravery it takes to come in embodiment on the planet today, and the celebration of being alive & being in a body. Me & Rebekka Rafnsdóttir brought our iphones to the Mermaid Parade in Coney Island & filmed the colorful merman & maids. I guess mer-folks are the missing link in our history of evolution.
We finished filming in my mom´s garden in iceland. On the very last day of editing we decided to call few ladies to jump into the pool with me. I´m so grateful for their spontaneity. We edited for two sleepless nights before i went on tour. Something happened with the psychedelic state you reach with no sleep – which concluded the video.
It was wonderful to work with Rebekka—though we were both an absolute beginners at editing. We both knew the video already existed, we just had to find it. So we were very synchronize in the irrational floaty process it takes to create a thing already existing.”
Gyða rose to prominence as a member of múm, but has since then been gradually weaving an intriguing world in her solo performances, whether through intimate, desert-atmosphere love songs or works for cello. The new song is a haunting, gossamer-delicate composition that promises great things for the LP.
She’s currently on tour with Damien Rice: you can see her in perform in Mallorca on August 2nd and Menorca on August 7th, if you happen to be nearby.
Read our last interview with Gyða here, and pre-order the album on Bandcamp with an immediate “Moonchild” download here.
Buy subscriptions, t-shirts and more from our shop right here!
