After a few years spent simmering and cooking, bleeding-edge rapper Alaska1867 burst onto the 101 scene with force in 2025. The 222 EP was a statement of intent; hit single “SOS” is one of the sounds of the summer. With an Airwaves performance locked in, we sat down with Alaska to talk about partying, production, and embodying the moment.
My first thought on seeing your stage name was Alaska the drag queen, and then Alaska the state — but “1867” says you’re named after something else. What’s the story?
I was overthinking what my stage name should be. My real name is Kolfreyja, and if I used that, it felt like I’d be boxed into making folk music. I wanted something fresh and cool that would give me freedom. I was watching a video about the Alaska Purchase of 1867, and the name just clicked. From then on, it’s been Alaska1867 — and I haven’t looked back.
You first started self-publishing your stuff on SoundCloud — could you tell us about those early days, and how things went from there?
Back in 2019 I started making music with my ex, in his room — he loved producing, and I’d always wanted to be a musician, so it just clicked. We made tonnes of songs and threw them up on SoundCloud with zero pressure: no rollout, no perfect mix — just casual. Even now, I’ll sometimes drop a track on SoundCloud straight from my room when I just feel like sharing.
You have tracks that are lowkey (“Hata Hann”), dreamy electronic (“SMS”), harder 4×4 house (“ChatGPT”), and clean rap (“SOS”). What was your path in developing your style, and how would you describe it today?
I started figuring out my style on SoundCloud, inspired by hyperpop and drain — artists like Charli XCX, Yung Lean, Bladee, Namasenda, and A.G. Cook’s production. I love experimenting with different sounds, and I don’t want to be boxed into one genre — a good song is a good song. That hyperpop energy definitely makes me stand out, but I don’t try to define it too much. I just know I make really good music, and I want to keep evolving for the rest of my career.
You have a lot of interesting collaborators on your tracks. Could you tell us about working with all the people in your orbit, and what kind of scene and community it is?
The Icelandic music scene is small but powerful — if you make good music, people (especially other artists) will hear about it fast. One of the best things in my career so far has been getting to work with and befriend some of my favourite artists. The scene here really feels like one big family, and that community energy is what makes it so special.
What are some key influences, music or otherwise, that have informed what you do?
Reykjavík culture is a huge influence — from street art to the chaos of 101 nights. 2010s Tumblr shaped my aesthetic, and artists like Alvia Islandia, Sturla Atlas, and 101 Boys were a big part of my teenage years. Musically I look up to Lauryn Hill and Charli XCX, but fashion and labels like Nikita inspire me just as much. I don’t just want to reflect the culture in Iceland — I want to be the culture, and build a world Reykjavík youth want to live in.
The video for “SOS” is popping off online. It shows a grimy 101 underground, happening just out of view. Is the 101 underground an inspiration for you?
Yes — because I’m part of it. The underground is what really carries culture here, and we wanted the video to show that. Bryngeir Vattnes shot and directed it, and he captured it perfectly — me and Birnir couldn’t be happier. And it’s not just inspiration, it’s genuine. Everything about 101 Reykjavík — the fashion, the art, the youth, the parties — it’s in my DNA.
Your work has a lot of references to contemporary culture, and a strong party vibe. Do you see it as a snapshot of where things are at, and where you’re at?
Yeah, in a way. I think my music naturally reflects the moment I’m in and the culture around me — the parties, the chaos. But I don’t try to take a snapshot — I just make music that feels real to me, and if it captures the vibe of now that’s because I’m living it.
The outside world has clichéd images of Iceland — fire and ice, feminist paradise, “safest country in the world”, and all that. Is there a “real Iceland” you’d want the world to know about?
I don’t really feel like I’m the one to define “the real Iceland.” Reykjavík is just the place I live and create in — it’s fun, exciting, and full of good people and really talented artists. It’s a small community where most people know each other, and like anywhere else, it has its good and bad sides. I’m just focused on making music and having fun.
Reykjavík had a couple of big party summers back when homegrown rap first hit the mainstream. What’s the temperature of the scene right now?
It’s definitely heating up right now. Things felt kind of stale for a few years after COVID, but the energy has shifted — everything’s moving again. The scene feels alive — people were hungry for something new, and now you’re hearing fresh sounds and new voices breaking through.
We lost a lot of music venues to tourism in recent years. What’s your take on where the live music scene is, or where it’s going?
Right now the live scene lives mostly in places like Prikið and Auto. I honestly hate how puffin stores and tourism have been eating up downtown — it’s killing venues. But art always finds a way. Prikið is up, Auto is up, and people are creating cool new spaces and festivals like RVK X.
What’s “the dream” for Alaska1867?
In many ways I already feel like I’m living the dream I wanted — making good music with good people. My dream is just to keep building on that, to sell out shows, and to make this my life forever. I don’t need anything more complicated than that.
Follow Alaska1867 via @alaska_1867 on all platforms, and see her perform live at Iceland Airwaves 2025.
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