Pressing play for the very first time on Bewitched felt like stepping outside into crisp autumn air, watching the leaves change color, bundling up in scarves, and taking a sip of pumpkin chai. Laufey’s new album is the epitome of fall with its magical melodies and thoughtful lyrics. It walks listeners through a beautiful narrative with love, loss, and acceptance. These relatable themes helped me emotionally connect to the album, as I’m sure many others did. I can’t help but put it on repeat, getting lost in Laufey’s angelic vocals and humming songs on my way to class.
For those who don’t know Laufey, she’s an Icelandic singer-songwriter who rose to popularity in the early 2020s. Her musical style is a mix of jazz-pop and bedroom pop. This unique combination seems to be her way of bringing back “modern jazz.” Given her fame, especially among the younger generation, it’s working. I’ve never been super into jazz, but I absolutely adore Laufey’s music. Her work inspires me to give other jazz artists a chance, including old famous ones like Ella Fitzgerald and Chet Baker.
I never realized how perfectly jazz as a music genre captures fall. The instrumentals and smooth, melting vocals really fit the fall vibe. It reminds me of hot chocolate, long study sessions, comfy oversized sweaters, etc. The connection may be attributed to jazz often playing in coffee and bookshops. I go to these shops all year round, but I go the most during the fall season. The feeling of studying in a warm, cozy bookshop in fall is unmatched. Having Bewitched play in my earbuds while there makes it even better.
Laufey’s Bewitched is not only sonically stunning but also emotionally impactful. The harmonies in her opening song, “Dreamer,” make me feel like I’m floating, and her soft tone in “Misty” lulls me into daydreaming on the bus. I struggle to name a single song I dislike from the album. Each song is distinct and meaningful; even “Nocturne (Interlude),” which has no lyrics, tells a story. Bewitched describes what it’s like to fall in love, get heartbroken, accept yourself for who you are, and open your heart again. These are very real and raw emotions, which makes the album so good. She holds nothing back and pours her soul into every song. “Lovesick” paints the fantasy of falling in love, while “Promise” pours out the devastation of heartbreak and not being able to reach out to someone who once meant the world to you. The contrast between songs creates a deeply special album.
My personal favorite off of Bewitched is the 13th track, “Letter to My 13 Year Old Self.” Laufey is incredibly honest in this song, talking about how her younger self used to get bullied for her curly hair and foreign name. She also felt like she was constantly behind her peers in terms of romance and friendship. She reassures her 13-year-old self by saying that she’ll “grow so tough and charm them” and “little girls will scream [her] name.” This song makes me tear up because it’s so sweet and relatable. It expresses the desire to tell your younger self that everything’s going to be okay, and I wish for the same thing. As an Indian-American, I know what it’s like to be bullied for a foreign name and to feel like I don’t quite fit in. Like Laufey, “I wish I could go back and give her a squeeze, myself at 13,” and let her “know that she’s beautiful.” Laufey communicates exactly how I feel with her bewitching words.
Laufey’s passion and life experiences shape her music, which is very admirable. She wears her heart on her sleeve, and I’m glad that I exist at the same time as such an influential artist. Bewitched is an amazing album that is absolutely worth the listen, especially now during the peak of fall. Of all the new up-and-coming singers, Laufey is doing what no one else is by reviving modern jazz, and I truly appreciate her for it. Go open Spotify and give her a listen!