Nicole Mago
Laufey’s rise through 2025 has been unmistakable, and the excitement around Laufey continues to build as the year draws to a close. If you walked past a bookstore in late August and saw a line of Gen Z fans reading Little Women while waiting for a jazz-pop record, you likely witnessed “A Very Laufey Day.” The global event captured the distinct charm of Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir, the Icelandic-Chinese artist who has turned jazz standards into viral modern culture.
Fresh from the August release of her third album, A Matter of Time, Laufey has moved firmly from breakout sensation to a global touring presence. She closes out the year with a victory lap on the iHeartRadio Jingle Ball tour, sharing stages with names like Ed Sheeran and Olivia Rodrigo.
Released on August 22, 2025, A Matter of Time expands the sound Laufey introduced on her Grammy-winning 2023 album Bewitched, which earned Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. While Bewitched brought her “modern jazz” aesthetic global attention, this new record offers a fuller, more ambitious approach.
Critics have highlighted the orchestral depth of tracks like “Silver Lining” and “Tough Luck,” songs that examine friendship breakups and insecurity without losing the romanticism her audience connects to. The album’s release was celebrated worldwide through “A Very Laufey Day” on August 24 — a fan-driven event centered around local libraries and bookstores, reinforcing the “book club” culture that has become part of her identity.
A cross-cultural upbringing shapes Laufey’s creative world. Raised between Reykjavík and Washington, D.C., she began playing piano at four and cello at eight. With a violinist mother and frequent time spent in Beijing, her early life blended classical training with diverse musical influences.
By her teens, she had already performed as a cello soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. She later attended Berklee College of Music on a Presidential Scholarship, graduating in 2021. This foundation allowed her to transition seamlessly between classical and contemporary settings — including her sold-out performances with major symphonies.
Earlier this year, she released A Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl, a concert film and album capturing her collaboration with a full orchestra.
Laufey finishes 2025 on one of the biggest pop holiday tours in the country. Her iHeartRadio Jingle Ball dates include:
Following the holiday circuit, she begins the European leg of her A Matter of Time Tour in February 2026 — a major milestone marking her expansion into even larger international venues.
Physical formats remain central to Laufey’s connection with fans. Collectors should watch for her new “Santa Claus Is Comin’ To Town Edition” 7-inch vinyl, shipping December 5, 2025. It’s a fitting seasonal release for an artist who blends vintage charm with contemporary vulnerability.
By fusing jazz harmonies, bossa nova rhythms, and modern pop lyricism, Laufey continues to shape a space where tradition not only survives — it evolves.
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