On Stage – Laufey’s ‘A Matter of Time’ tour
Laufey
United Center
Chicago, IL
10 October 2025
If the headline of this piece was ‘Classically-trained Icelandic cellist packs United Center with 25,000 screaming teenagers,’ you might’ve assumed you were reading The Onion. Such is the nature of reality in the 21st century. But this was no deep fake; Laufey is for real – and one of the most genuine performers you’re likely to find on the U.S. arena circuit.
Born in Iceland, Laufey Lín Bing Jónsdóttir is indeed a classically-trained cellist, and at age 15 performed as a soloist with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. She’s better known simply as Laufey, and it’s important to know that her name does not rhyme with ‘coffee’ – it’s pronounced ‘LAY-vay.’ She began her musical education on piano at age four, and gained popular notoriety as a teenager on Icelandic TV talent shows. Now 26, she’s added guitar to her skill set and is an estimable singer and songwriter.
Laufey’s eclectic style blends elements of jazz pop, bossa nova, and classical music. If I must categorize her sound, ‘chamber pop’ might be the most appropriate label. Her songs are mature and playful, with themes of unrequited love, loss, and anxiety turned on their ear with double entendre, cheeky allusions, and clever mid-phrase rhyming.
My daughter (then 13) texted me some months ago about Laufey’s October show in Chicago, near my daughter’s birthday. While I’d never heard of her, it seemed like a great daddy/daughter birthday I-94 road trip. When I looked for tickets I figured it would be at Metro or the Riviera, or some club/theater venue. When I saw that it was at United Center and it was almost sold out already, I knew some kind of phenomenon was afoot. This was indeed the case.
Laufey took the stage in an elegant gown, to the delighted squeals of the young crowd. Her adoring fans also wore gowns and cocktail dresses, predominantly in pale blue, and some created elaborate costumes that paid tribute to Laufey’s style and the themes from her songs. She set her ‘time’ theme with “Clockwork,” the lead track from her latest release, A Matter of Time, and seemingly the entire arena sang along (including me). When we all then clapped along with the bossa nova rhythm of “Lover Girl,” the singer seemed genuinely taken aback.
Laufey shared that the United Center show was the biggest venue to date on her tour. She was used to playing much smaller rooms and seemed genuinely moved and grateful for our enthusiastic response. It’s a rare experience to be in the audience when a performer experiences arena-level adoration for the first time. The elaborate set, the string quartet, and the dancers all suggested that the producers knew this was going to be big, but the artist herself was much more self-effacing. She could not believe that all these people loved her music so much and knew all the words to her songs. It was a beautiful moment.
Laufey’s elaborate and engaging production included two staircases, a bridge with a gazebo and swing, multiple costume changes, and extensive choreography with her four Las Vegas-inspired dancers. But my favorite bit of staging was the runway to a clock-face platform in the middle of the pit where she stationed her jazz combo to create some small-club intimacy. Here she dipped back into her debut album with the lovely “Fragile.”
She stayed out on the clock-face and flashed her signature cello skills. The frolicking “Cuckoo Ballet” combines many of the musical motifs from her new album. Laufey’s focus on her instrumental performance really endears her to my daughter, and to lots of other young people who are aspiring musicians or have studied music or taken lessons on an instrument.
One of my favorite tracks on A Matter of Time is the delicate and confessional “Snow White.” The song began with Laufey alone on stage, accompanied by a gently strummed acoustic guitar. She stood in the spotlight, solitary and vulnerable, and expressed her struggle with self-image and the belief that she was not good enough. It’s a moving track on the record, but brought me to tears played live. I could relate, and sensed a kinship with the thousands of young people in the audience.
Laufey’s career has been boosted and supercharged by her extensive use of TikTok to promote her music and build a close connection with her audience. But while many TikTok sensations inevitably wilt under the stage spotlight and the grind of touring, Laufey delivers an experience that eclipses her outstanding recordings, videos, and social media clips. She is a truly world-class artist who is only beginning to hit her stride. Her wise counsel, to stare down the mirror and move beyond the negative messaging our minds obsess upon, is genuine. She’s certainly pierced this seasoned cynic’s porcelain heart.
You can still catch Laufey on her ‘A Matter of Time’ tour. She has a few more dates on the east coast before she heads to Europe. She’ll finish up with appearances at Coachella next spring.
Keep up with Laufey on her official website, laufeymusic.com
