Icelandic artist Laufey brought her lovesick, smooth jazz-pop back to the music scene with her deluxe album Bewitched: The Goddess Edition.
The singer-songwriter and producer originally released her album Bewitched in September 2023. The deluxe edition came out Friday, featuring “Goddess,” which was originally released as a single in March, and three other songs — “Bored,” “Trouble” and “It Could Happen to You.”
Laufey has skyrocketed to fame for her unique music style in an age of upbeat, electric pop melodies. She stands out from the crowd with her classical and jazz-inspired tracks, with raw vocal talent that emulates Ella Fitzgerald and Etta Jones.
She is best known for her singles “Falling Behind” and “From the Start,” two melancholy tracks that have spread rapidly through social media and solidified her as a rising star. “Goddess,” the first new single on the deluxe album, is perhaps one of Laufey’s most personal tracks thus far. The crestfallen melody describes the feeling of not living up to high expectations.
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She describes herself as “a goddess on stage / Human when we’re alone,” portraying the idea that performance and fame’s glitz and glamor is simply a facade and that she is only human underneath it all.
Laufey’s haunting, enchanting vocals own this track and overshadow the simple piano chords in the background. They set the song’s longing and desolate tone, which rapidly picks up throughout the track with the accompaniment of violins and Laufey bringing the intensity to the forefront with her smooth yet passionate vocals.
The track “Bored,” depicts the feeling of drifting away from a relationship and growing tired of the other’s antics. A soft drum beat and delicate strum of an electric guitar make up the song’s rhythm, and Laufey’s vibrato and deep vocals create a somber atmosphere.
“Trouble” touches on “the trouble with having something to lose” in romantic relationships and the confusion that can come with them. This track stands out on the deluxe album with its gentle trumpet solo that drives home Laufey’s classical jazz inspirations.
This track in particular has the nostalgic and vintage feel of an old jazz bar. Laufey’s music transports listeners back to a time when music was not flashy and performative, but stripped down to simply a singer, their microphone and their band under the dim lights of the stage.
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“It Could Happen To You” is a cover of the 1943 jazz standard written by Jimmy Van Heusen and Johnny Burke. With an upbeat jazz tune and jumpy piano that takes an occasional solo, the song is a sweet ode to the old jazz techniques and styles in Laufey’s discography.
She took her own twist on the song, making it a more lively tune compared to other renditions, such as Chet Baker’s. Laufey’s soulful voice blends smoothly with the vintage style of classic jazz.
It’s interesting to see a Gen Z artist take such a classic and beloved genre and introduce it to a new generation of listeners. Laufey manages to set herself apart from new artists today while honoring great artists of the past. This album shows her cultivating her image from a smaller artist to a jazz-pop star.
