I had the great pleasure of seeing Laufey perform with the Cleveland Orchestra, conducted by Ross Jamie Collins. She performed at the Blossom Music Center as part of her A Night at the Symphony tour circuit. For those unfamiliar, Laufey is an Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter who is known for her jazz-inspired pop sound. She began as a classically trained pianist and cellist before moving into singing, leading her to become the youngest ever recipient of the Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album Grammy Award.
Going into this concert, I was slightly unsure of what the format would be like. Laufey straddles between the worlds of classical and pop music, and although this tour was marketed as a soloist with symphony orchestra, her audience is typically on the younger side. I didn’t know if people would be standing with their phones up to record, or sitting quietly and clapping politely in between songs. It ended up being a pleasant mix! The concert venue is huge, with a seated pavilion area as well as a lawn seating area. Everyone stayed seated, and although people recorded, their phones didn’t rise above their heads. No one sang along too loudly, and it seemed that everyone was very respectful towards the traditional format of the orchestra performance, which I quite enjoyed.
Laufey is a truly spectacular performer. She has an incredible voice, and the raw talent of it is only amplified when you realize she sounds exactly the same live as in recording. In addition to singing, she accompanied herself on guitar, piano, and cello. She played songs from across her repertoire, as well as some traditional jazz covers and singles off her upcoming album A Matter of Time. The symphony orchestra added a beautiful lushness to her songs, particularly to “Goddess” and “Promises” (my favorite song). It was so breathtaking I constantly got chills up my arms! She didn’t talk to the audience much except for a few spontaneous moments, like when she tearfully thanked the audience for showing appreciation to her new song “Snow White”, which is a vulnerable description of her insecurities in the music industry.
The walk back to the parking lot and the three-hour drive in the dark were brutal, but I’d do it all again to see Laufey perform live. She’s a once-in-a-generation talent, and I don’t think her sound could be replicated by anyone else. If you have the chance to see her I highly recommend it!