Taking in the music and business of Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir

On my first trip to Reykjavik, I met Sigtryggur Baldursson at the Iceland Music office in March 2024. He touted Laufey’s success. I was already familiar with the breakout single “… From the Start” from her 2023 second album, played in heavy rotation on my favourite local public radio station WFUV-FM. Since then, Laufey’s audience has exponentially expanded. I noticed Laufey being touted in the U.S. media as the next big thing in pop music. 

In May 2024, Laufey sold out two nights at Manhattan’s storied Radio City Music Hall. This past November, she topped that earlier feat by filling up Madison Square Garden for two concerts. 

The timeless social media star 

Laufey’s overall success builds on the generational influences of Judy Garland, the businesswoman savvy of Madonna, and the pop ambition and work ethic of Taylor Swift. But the 26-year-old’s very old-fashioned music is the opposite of what a stereotyped Gen-Z might find appealing. Her original lyrics are romantic and wholesome, more Julie London singing in the 1950s from the Cole Porter songbook than today’s Cardi B, more Debbie Gibson, the G-rated early 1980s pop singer than the 1990s saucy feminist girl-power group the Spice Girls. 

This success didn’t come out of nowhere. Even though she couldn’t tour because of Covid, social media launched her career. What is really intriguing about the two-time Grammy winner is that Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir writes and performs original, often big band, music, music my parents — who were teenagers at the outbreak of World War II — would have loved. 

Laufey’s natural affinity for social media became evident at the beginning of the pandemic. Coinciding with the lockdown, her TikTok videos went viral, demonstrating musical talent and personality. She found on TikTok adoring teens not bent on being contemporary cool in a mean-girl environment. The nerds became rebels for liking old-time jazz. 

Social media played the key role. Her social media follower numbers tell the story: 9.8 million (TikTok); 8 million (Spotify); 7 million (Instagram); and 2.6 million (YouTube). 

Largest homecoming in history 

On back-to-back nights, March 13 and 14, 2026, I immersed myself in the Laufey phenomenon. A Business Iceland/ American-Icelandic Chamber of Commerce-sponsored event explored whether Laufey’s success in creating an international brand could be replicated in other industries. 

I then grabbed a ticket for the first of two homecoming concerts at Kórinn, an indoor multipurpose sports arena in Kópavogur within Reykjavík’s Capital City area, which attracted 36,000 attendees, almost 10 percent of Iceland’s population, according to local media reports. By the numbers, this is the largest homecoming concert in history, surpassing the 2008 Náttúra concert from Björk and Sigur Rós, a free concert which drew 30,000 attendees. 

Although nearly all of her songs are sung in English, about 20 minutes into the concert I attended, Laufey asked if any of the audience were from places other than Iceland. Surprising to me, I wasn’t alone, as a smattering of hands went up and cheers came from the actions around me. She urged us to “enjoy our beautiful country,” but apologised that she planned to speak between songs only in Icelandic. 

Throughout the concert, Laufey strummed an acoustic guitar, sat at the piano for a few numbers, and ran a bow across the cello on another, an instrument she played at 15 for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. 

This was no ordinary concert. A string section and her band, background singers, and choreographed dancers flawlessly executed a meticulously planned stage production. You forgot you were sitting in a nondescript steel sports arena that had surprisingly great acoustics. Fashionista Laufey made three costume changes to reflect the music mood, such as donning a sequined flapper dress for the jazz club set. 

The business of Laufey 

At a business event the week of the concert titled “Laufey: Rise of a Global Brand in the U.S. Market,” Laufey’s twin sister Júnia Lín Jónsdottir, who serves as her artistic director, explained that their elaborate stage shows were no different from when their imaginations ran wild at four years old with their Barbie playhouse. 

Moderated by Icelandic venture capitalist Helga Valfells and Icelandic musician/Iceland Music senior advisor Sigtryggur Baldursson, the discussion explored “how Laufey has achieved a strong position in the world’s largest and most competitive consumer market, how the competitive landscape and visible opportunities have evolved, and what lessons can be drawn from her remarkable journey,” to quote Business Iceland’s press release. 

Key to Laufey’s success was her team’s decision to retain all of her intellectual property and publishing, clearly learning from Taylor Swift’s early career mistakes, which were corrected after protracted litigation, as well as going through the trouble of re-recording her most popular earlier albums. 

Max Gredinger, Laufey’s Brooklyn, NY-based manager since 2021, explained their decision to avoid the major label route that most A-list artists seek, allowing them to control all aspects of their careers. The music business calls such contracts “360 deals.” 

“From the beginning, it wasn’t like, ‘we are going to stick it to the man,’” Max said, adding that for some stars, the three majors’ machines work very well. Laufey has been supported by a bootstrapped operation. As they began getting booked in larger venues, the productions’ budgets organically grew, attracting tour support from other brands. 

Max is a partner in Foundations Artist Management, which oversees the careers of 30 artists. Although his company employs social media specialists, the manager said Laufey is more talented than all of them. 

While Laufey is not signed to a major label, her three full-length albums are distributed in all formats by Sony, which in 2021 acquired the previously independent AWAL (an acronym for Artists Without a Label), just when Laufey’s career launched. Sony/AWAL was among the founders of The Laufey Foundation to help young musicians get the same chances she had. Inspired by her own experience with great mentors and education, the foundation gives grants and top-quality gear to youth music programs around the world. Other founders of the charity include the philanthropic arms of concert promoter AEG Presents, piano manufacturer Steinway & Sons. Since then, guitar manufacturer Gibson and Laufey’s music publisher Warner/Chappell signed on as benefactors of the foundation. 

Based on what I’ve seen, I will bet that Laufey’s international brand will continue to transcend preconceived notions of what works in the digital age, as well as modern music tastes.