Laufey has announced her highly anticipated third album, ‘A Matter Of Time’ – see all the details below.
The Icelandic-Chinese artist, composer, producer, multi-instrumentalist and former NME The Cover star shared the news today (May 15), confirming that the record is due for release on August 22 via Vingolf Recordings/AWAL.
She’s also shared a new single, ‘Tough Luck’, along with an accompanying lyric video. She sings on the quickly ascending, fiery song about a relationship gone wrong: “Tough luck, my boy, your time is up / I’ll break it first, I’ve had enough / Of waiting ’til you lie and cheat / Just like you did to the actress before me / Oops, she doesn’t even know/ You won’t be missed, I’m glad to see you go“.
Laufey explained of the track in a press statement: “I wanted to reveal an angrier side of myself — a side that this unfortunate relationship brought out in me.”
Check out Laufey’s ‘Tough Luck’ below.
As for the rest of ‘A Matter of Time’, Laufey isn’t as concerned with preserving the legacy of jazz music as she was with her previous releases. This go-around, she’s showcasing the human side of her, flaws and all: “People expect a pretty façade of girly clothes, fantastical stories, and romantic music. This time, I was interested in seeing how I could draw out the most flawed parts of myself and look at them directly in the mirror.”
Besides longtime producer Spencer Stewart – who worked on her first two albums – Laufey is teaming up with The National‘s Aaron Dessner on ‘A Matter Of Time’ to draw out her personal stories and experiences.
‘A Matter Of Time’ was previously teased in early April with the dreamy single ‘Silver Lining’, which is also set to appear on her upcoming third album. Laufey explained of that song: “‘Silver Lining’ is a love song about being able to set your true personality free when you fall in love. Your inner child comes out and you are emboldened by lust. Even if it takes you to hell, at least you’re with your partner.”
Laufey. Credit: Eva Pentel for NME
Speaking to NME for The Cover last year, Laufey shared her dream of bringing jazz to the masses through her music. “I always said to my mom, I remember when I was 11 in the car, ‘I want to do for jazz music what Taylor Swift did for country music’,” she told us. “With every day, with every little achievement, I feel like I’m getting closer to that goal of bringing jazz back to my generation.”
Last year, the musician took home the Grammy for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album for her album, ‘Bewitched’. In a five-star review of the record, NME described it as “confident and musically ambitious, melding jazz, pop and modern classical composition”.
“The Icelandic-Chinese star’s second record ‘Bewitched’ enchants in its own beautiful, unique way,” it read. “Richly detailed orchestral arrangements and her masterful musicality – the multi-hyphenate is an acclaimed cellist, and studied at the prestigious Berklee College of Music in Boston – support her thoroughly Gen Z ripostes.”
Late last month, she launched The Laufey Foundation to “make music accessible to all”, in the hope of helping other young musicians break onto the scene. The scheme aims to make music education programmes, especially orchestral ones, more accessible and available to young people. Inaugural grants have been given to the Boston Youth Symphony Orchestras, LA Phil’s YOLA (Youth Orchestra Los Angeles) scheme, The Cleveland Orchestra Youth Orchestra, and two of Carnegie Hall’s national youth ensembles (NYO2 and NYO Jazz).
English (US) · 