Laufey’s ‘Bewitched’ Tour: From the Heart and for the Heart

Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir, an up-and-coming Icelandic singer-songwriter, gave a magical and inspiring performance on Oct. 29 at the Wilbur Theatre. Her powerful, velvety voice paired with jazz musicians and a string quartet created an intimate and enchanting atmosphere.

The shared theme of love across her songs only intensified her brilliant performance. Laufey’s songs are not simply about love in its vague sense. She treats every type of love — ecstasy, heartache, anger, and even confusion — with the same delicacy and attention. As a result, her performance becomes an encapsulation of what it means to love — making it quite hard not to love her.

Laufey’s talents do not end with her vocal and songwriting abilities. Throughout the show, she played the piano, the cello, and three different types of guitar. In particular, her song “Beautiful Stranger,” in which she played the cello, wonderfully balanced the sweet, playful lyrics with the deep, mellow melodies of the strings.

When introducing the song, Laufey explained that she did not have the courage to go up to a handsome man on the Tube in London, so decided to write this song instead. While the stranger may have been beautiful, the song is most likely more so.

Halfway through the concert, Laufey performed “Nocturne (Interlude)” from her 2023 album “Bewitched.” The piece begins with an inquisitive, even meditative tone. As it continues, the chorus and the bridge of the interlude interact, giving an impression of relishing the richness of the present, the sorrows of the past, and an acceptance of the future. By placing this heart wrenching, classical piece in the middle of her jazz and pop inspired songs, Laufey truly displayed her musical genius.

On the few songs where Laufey’s hands and feet were not occupied, she danced playfully around the stage, perfectly in tune with her bossa nova or jazz inspired songs. The crowd joined in, singing her lyrics and giving the impression of melodic whispers supporting her evocative voice.

The scenery of the Wilbur Theatre only added to this thrilling environment. The air surrounding the musicians appeared smoky, taking on the hue of the blue and purple lights. Circles of orange and yellow light burst forth from lamps like moons at the back of the stage with starry lights shifting behind them.

Not only was the concert special for the crowd, but special for Laufey as well: as a Berklee College graduate, she returned to her college town on a major international tour. Laufey was not only thankful for her fans, but also continued to support other artists. Adam Melchor, who opened for Laufey, performed as back-up singer and shook a minor percussive instrument. Moreover, during one of her most popular songs, “From the Start,” she brought on saxophonist and Harvard College student Prazul Wokhlu ’24 after seeing him perform her song on TikTok. Laufey even granted her audience some musical license, teaching the two different choruses of “Lovesick” to the two halves of the Theatre. The experience was both heartwarming and euphoric.

As Laufey’s final tribute to Boston, she sang “the song that started it all”: “Street by Street.” The song describes the view of Massachusetts Avenue from her dorm room, and how she reclaims Boston after a lost love.

Between Laufey’s rich, jazz-inspired songs, such as “Valentine,” the Bossa Nova beats like “Falling Behind,” and the classical melodies in “Let You Break My Heart Again,” she created an astounding performance with contemporary sound. Laufey came to the Wilbur on her 'Bewitched' Tour, and her show was bewitching indeed.

—Staff writer Claire S. Elliott can be reached at claire.elliott@thecrimson.com.