How Laufey Revived the Worst-Selling Music Genre

[@edwardchen9619]

laufey is mitski without trauma is the FUNNIEST shxt but the best simile I've seen in a while.

[@theviggy]

imagine if they made a song together??? what would it be called

[@laynesjournal]

why do people say that tho..like their music styles isnt similar i dont get it🤨🤨

[@theviggy]

I kind of have no idea...I mean no one really puts on a Mitski album in the best mood, but Laufey is more upbeat. The biggest similarity I see between them is the kind of meme-style worship that their fanbases do and in general just being iconic. But that's pretty much it! There are lots of people who also agree that Mitski and Laufey are not really similar at all

[@First_love_late_spring]

@@theviggyI feel like it’s because they are both deemed as “TikTok sad girl artists” but Laufey is a lot more upbeat. So dislike their music not sounding similar at all they both are enjoyed by similar people

[@serenegenerally]

@@First_love_late_springcan confirm, I listen to Mitski and Laufey. I am a living statistic

[@Not-A-Tree]

I found her music- "Break my Heart Again"- right before she really started growing in popularity and fell in love and I'm really happy that she's getting more popular and that more people are discovering her music

[@Dutchcici]

That my favorite song of her

[@zenthiat2292]

Same here!! It’s so lovely seeing more people get into hearing her music :>

[@KristenTang_]

Me too! Love her

[@toyushi]

i found her cuz of valentine last september. i’m so happy for her

[@littlelad8025]

Omg sameeee

[@untitled1464]

I think the fact that she’s a classically trained musician makes her stand out even more.

[@alecmartin8543]

Jazz musicians are very often classically trained

[@ElsaChan597]

Considering the fact jazz plays a lot with the intricacies of harmony and sound, it seems even moreso important that the artist be trained in some way

[@kawabewa_8w8]

Most of the musicians I’ve met that enjoy playing jazz (live) are classically trained.

[@mariafatimaerikanerida8756]

she posted a tiktok teaching her listeners how to read sheet music

[@chikinonfrydai]

in jazz that really isn’t unique at all lol, she just makes good music, and is really great at marketing herself

[@dredgenfaith]

Seeing her grow from her cello covers of jazz songs to her current level of popularity is so gratifying. She deserves it all and more

[@jenznailau]

I agree ❤

[@bolillo5013]

Absolutely

[@istitoro4255]

fr

[@FlyPurpleHipp.o]

I mean she's a nepo baby but yeah

[@diogoaassis]

I was there

[@asambatyon]

Saying the Jazz is dead is like saying that Metal or Punk are dead. It just ignores how big and alive it is outside the public eye. Living in Germany, every city has had a nice bar with concerts every night, the blue note in Dresden, the Cotton Bar in Hamburg, the Unterfahrt and Vogler in Munich. Even visiting the US you can be asure to get some nice live music in any city you go. Jazz lives, and it is big. It just is not on billboard anymore, and it is great and it is amazing. Saying that is dead is just pure ignorance.

[@miserablepunk]

Like!!!! Bro jazz is big!! It's so annoying erasing a whole ass group of SO MANY PEOPLE just bcs they don't go to jazz shows they think they don't exist pls 🫤

[@arianagonzalez6508]

As a jazz fan and as a musician jazz girlfriend I am agree.

[@gx1tar1er]

Isn't power metal huge in Germany? and you have band like Rammstein managed to break through worldwide popularity.

[@nanikasan_]

I totally agree, this guy knows shit about what he's talking about

[@justaname999]

Yes!! Thank you. And thanks for the German jazz club recommendations :) I'll check them out next time I'm there.

[@valentinawam4115]

side note; ive been obsessed with laufey's music for years and I ran into her and her sister this year. usually when you meet your idol's you can be disappointed in the interactions but she was so nice, she complimented me and listened to what I had to say and made jokes with me and then sent me free tickets to go and see her live the following week. And I know I'm not the only person she's done this for. It's just such a kind way to treat her fans because she doesn't advertise herself as like if you meet her she'll just hand you tickets, she just does it on a whim cus she genuinely loves meeting and talking to people in her fandom. same way she still does secret shows and giveaways and listening parties, she genuinely connects with fans with crazy shit like crosswords. for this reason, she is my fave.

[@theviggy]

Wow, it's so cool that you had that experience!

[@gul-eferdouschowdhury8460]

That's so sweet :D

[@miaruuu8375]

Damn she's just so willing to accommodate her fans. That's really cool

[@baldheadhobo]

Stop lying bro

[@Luis-xk5lr]

oh yeah, well when i met her she was a big fat meanie

[@elliot__agares]

A lot of her more popular songs are also bossa nova-y. Like "falling behind" and "from the start". "Falling behind" she even mentions bossa nova in her song

[@danifresa]

YESS

[@drendraleigh4722]

my favourite is Fragile

[@zazadestroyer333]

i lovee bossa nova so im rlly happy that laufey is making these genres a bit more popular in our generation

[@ioannis7436]

​@@drendraleigh4722YESS FRAGILE IS MAGESTIC

[@doodoo240]

bossa nova is my favorite type of jazz

[@Zero-9909]

I was there slightly before she became really popular, could tell she would explode by her talent. I discovered her on youtube when I was searching for Jacob Collier's version of moon river, and ended up finding her singing moon river. Sadly missed her first tour when she came to my state and now scalpers have her tickets up to $300+ now

[@theviggy]

$300 is crazy! A while ago I was seeing $100. Do you think it's because scalpers see her as a new trend?

[@Rainn804]

same dude :( i found her in early 2022, around when valentine released. Now that I am really a more dedicated fan, all the tickets are sold out for the newer tours in my city and no one is even reselling them

[@gumayusie]

i knew her since street by street omg, i knew she was gonna get sm famous cuz she's insanely good at her singing and vibeeee

[@fenncarr3774]

I missed her ticket sale for Melbourne because I was on holiday in karinjini National park with no reception

[@Anna-vb2pj]

Same, I found her thanks to Jacob Collier

[@stereotypicalblobby]

I honestly hate the narrative that jazz is dying or that it needs saving. jazz is still very much thriving, it's just not as popular as other genres nor has it been for decades

[@fresamouse]

jazz is not struggling. it is mostly performed live. treating jazz as if a "song" being on spotify is the pinnacle of what a jazz musician strives for is ignorant misunderstanding the music. jazz isn't trying to be successful on spotify, because it's spotify. that's like saying chinese is stuggling in the US because it's not the most popular. 2. laufey is not really singing jazz-jazz. you could label her as a pop artist and no actual jazz musician would see an issue with that. 3.she's a wonderful singer and from the start is a beautiful song.

[@56a-u8y]

Nope. Wrong again buddy. I don't see any jazz songs on billboard therefore it doesn't exist. There are literally no places anywhere on earth where jazz musicians gather to play music together and also since the genre doesnt have the same amount of fans and spotify plays as BTS or jazz musicians dont sell out arenas it is automatically dying. Sorry you had to hear it this way, if something is niche it automatically sucks

[@thepenguin2777]

⁠​⁠@@56a-u8yYou know the jazz genre focuses on live performances, right? And that jazz clubs and festivals exist all around the world? Jazz is niche however that doesn’t mean it’s dying. Jazz, along with reggae, synth wave and Punk are niche however millions still love it. Believing everything besides popular mainstream songs are “living genres” and good music is such an artificial way to view music itself.

[@56a-u8y]

@@thepenguin2777 I was 1000% being sarcastic

[@56a-u8y]

@@thepenguin2777 i fully agree with you. that was the entire point of my first comment, I was making fun of people who think like that. The fact that people are unwilling to believe that a music genre can be alive and thriving outside of spotify/billboard, then they discover someone who uses a 2-5-1 for a popular song and say "WOW HOLY SHIT SHE REVIVED JAZZ SHE DID IT ALL BY HERSELF" never ceases to baffle/annoy me

[@TigrisUr]

Jazz is not struggling. It's you who's looking in all the wrong places 😉

[@burbplayer960]

The old laufey fans/lauvers such as myself are happy that she had blew up. I know how it feels for you guys that she won’t be our little secret anymore, but I’m really glad we supported her career. So are the new lauvers for blowing up her music like “valentine.” you’re not falling behind and I’m really thankful you guys get to be here with us. Laufey truly got me bewitched from the start. Even the difference of gender, height, race, and intelligence, all can still enjoy laufey. But thats just the typical of me..🌹

[@Jay-zb4iq]

James & Valentine were the first songs I heard by her. Cried my little romantic heart out

[@kneerow3]

I KNOW WHAT U DID THERE LMFAOAO

[@Theiaaa]

Said it for all of us!!!

[@Max-bj5lw]

saw her open for ricky montgomery in December 2021 and i knew it was only a matter of time before she blew up

[@freddywop1738]

Yeah our fav low key artist blowing up helps them continue making music we love and pay their bills lol

[@haileylauren2423]

Her consistent posting on tiktok and sense of humor can only be given so much credit though. I think the fact that people hear snippets of her music (sped up or not) on tik tok and then go listen to the whole thing and become enamored is much more impressive. Her entire catalogue is incredible, not just a popular chorus here and there. How often is a catchy sound going viral and the original song isn't even a fully developed complete song. Laufey's music stands on its own, and tiktok is just helping people find it. If she wasn't so talented we wouldn't be seeing her gain so much momentum and sustain it.

[@Famonty]

@@tulikas9862 I agree with your last part, good marketing meet good art can give some pretty magical stuff XD. But i have to disagree with the "all the best marketing in the world can't save a bad artist" cause if you have enough money, you can be the shittiest artist ever, and still buy your way to the top. Having talent is definitly overrated nowaday, and being able to advertise the right way, to the right space/people (whatever you're advertising) i believe is the real game changer.

[@ratman7212]

@@tulikas9862there’s something special tho when a good artist has bad marketing and everyone discovers them randomly

[@joatanpereira4272]

When I found out about her, she had just released Everything I Know About Love and I thought she wasn't going to get that famous because of her genre. But as soon as she started promoting her music on TikTok and KZbin shorts, it blew up! That's when I realized gen z was eager for organic romantic music in this hyperpop music industry of nowadays. It's no wonder she was able to skyrocket, she is one of the very few artists with this kind of sound that appeals to the young audience instead of searching for success in the very isolated jazz community.

[@theviggy]

Exactly! Jazz is a well known genre but it doesn't sell like pop does and it's not the best way to make money nowadays as there's very little potential to blow up. But with TikTok, people like Laufey CAN blow up which just inspires more people to make this genre of music

[@fritzjackson4336]

I would not refer to a single instance of a jazz-trained musician playing pop music that has some jazz influence as evidence that gen Z is hungry for "organic" musics like jazz... I think it's more of a algorithmic fluke and unfortunately she will most likely fall off and be forgotten UNLESS she starts appealing more and more to a pop audience. You can see this pattern in jazz-pop fusion musicians like Thundercat and Louis Cole. All their songs that blow up are strictly pop and their more personal and experimental music is barely played.

[@Kidynamo123]

@@fritzjackson4336That’s disappointing. I actually like the experimental Thundercat and Louis Cole stuff. KNOWER is a really fun side project too

[@MRosezhahira]

@@fritzjackson4336I don’t think you’re necessarily wrong. She’s not going to be like Olivia Rodrigo levels of famous and she might not have many radio hits in the future, but her name will definitely be relevant in the music world. I think there will definitely be a time where people start associating the genre with her. I don’t think she’ll really try to break into the pop audiences since it’s kind of a hard battle; there’s many amazing young pop artists right now and it’s not worth losing your “brand” to. she doesn’t really appeal to a specific genre audience, she appeals to gen-z, who generally don’t listen to jazz. however, it’s also true that gen-z is starting to see the appeal of “older” sounds. laufey is like a gateway drug to that lol.

[@DirigiblePlum]

​@@fritzjackson4336 100% agree with you. Remember Norah Jones? She became super successful and even had a starring role in a movie. She's still doing her thing, but her popularity in the mainstream industry petered out after a while because her type of music no longer appealed to the masses.

[@nsnz]

This whole controversy makes me think that we need to talk about how influenced our generation is becoming by videos like these from people who don't have enough knowledge, and about how we idealize the past, and how we think the world is dead because simply we are terrified to leave our bubble. I mean I have loved Laufey since 2021 but I had never stopped to think that even she contributes to pushing this narrative that jazz is dead, when we are simply a generation that does not leave our algorithm comfort zone to experiment new sounds and subcultures sorry for my bad english

[@nekoy2010]

tfw your whole wealth of knowledge is based on video essayists w/ dubious qualifications

[@musicfriendly12]

Yeah, there's literally a growing wave of people studying Jazz in music school, there is a lot of pretty popular content on youtube that is Jazz oriented for example, you could spend your days just watching videos with more than 100k meant for people that are actually musicians...

[@nicolasjesus3907]

you're completely right, she's a great musician but she contributes to the whole "bring jazz back" and those things giving the jazz is dead idea. She's labeling herself as jazz for the attractive etiquette of being apart from the rest and being "complex music not for everyone" She clearly knows that this works, she's a trained classical musician and she knows gen z likes this fake gatekeeping so much

[@bronzewand]

Samara Joy won the Grammy for best new artist and is actually a disciple of the only man who lived through every era of jazz and dedicated his entire life to educating fellow musicians, Barry Harris. Jazz lives ❤

[@soniaarumdati5881]

yes! my girl Samara is also awesome! but yes can't deny the fact how Laufey is very very easy to listen and enjoy...which may appeal more to gen Z audience :)

[@zdogg8]

Not to mention the true star of this latest crop of jazz singers, Veronica Swift, and Jazzmeia is also good. I don't even consider Laufey jazz. She is more an easily listening, American songbook song stylist. You've got to have some blues in the mix to really be jazz.

[@justaname999]

@@soniaarumdati5881 But that is because she doesn't *really* engage with the more typical elements of jazz. I'm not here to gate-keep jazz but I'd have classified her as a retro-midcentury-pop sort of person. I liked her stuff immediately precisely *because* it reminded me of the sweet midcentury popsongs of the movies I have loved since childhood. To pretend that *this* is "saving" jazz when there are so many jazz musicians engaging with the complexity of jazz all over the world is a tad disrespectful almost.

[@archerslogic]

she can't scat, reason is that she was introduced to vocal jazz when enrolling in school, so she needs to challenge herself

[@yinjinggoblock2635]

Laufey is like this little, cool hideout place within the city that people suddenly discovered. It was MY hideout (along with a good few others) for the bunch of years before she was discovered by these millions of new ones who just discovered her and vibed with the feelings her music made. As much as I want to keep this little secret for myself, I'm happy for her massive success, and I think anyone and everyone deserves a piece of what Laufey and this little, peaceful hideout offer in the middle of the pop-ridden city we constantly consume.

[@richardparadox163]

Facts, I saw Laufey in Washington DC on tour for her first album, just 1 year ago, September 2022 in a really small venue. There were maybe 200 people there (maybe less), mostly jazz/classical/musical theater nerds. I showed up like a half hour before the show and was in the 5th “row” (it was GA). I haven’t been following her much on socials since then (deleted TikTok), but got tickets for her shows. Last Friday she did a record signing in DC announced on her Inststory the night before. I showed up when it was supposed to start not expecting many people since it was a weekday in the middle of the day and there were at least 600 people in line and people kept lining up behind me. I found out people had been lining up since at least 3 hours before. That evening I went her performance at a Concert Hall in DC and she sold out the place ~2500 people. Her show in November when tickets went on sale a few months ago was $75 for orchestra, now they’re reselling for hundreds of dollars. But I always knew she would blow up, that’s why I made sure to see her in a small venue while I had the chance and collect her vinyls and buy her merch.

[@vangledosh]

I will never understand this weird obsession with wanting to “keep this little secret to myself”

[@Oli.Turner]

THANK YOU for not being a gatekeeper!!!!!!!

[@lancewilliamcatal6870]

This is me to Keshi. lol

[@bolillo5013]

That’s absolutely, exactly, how I feel. Well said.

[@nl7837]

Laufey has a lot of factors going for her rise to fame. You forgot to mention that she's also absurdly good-looking, which can't hurt.

[@theviggy]

I forgot to mention that she went to Berklee College of Music which definitely helps in standing out as a multi-instrumentalist

[@BingDwenDwen]

It's not just looks. She looks like your girl next door kind of type, not KPOP good looking. It has very much to do with her broad skill set in composing and the ability to play live instruments. Just to say she is good because of her visuals is insulting her talent.

[@edgelord6926]

It's definitely not looks,rather she properly marketed her amazing skills and talent

[@leyalaatasto9096]

She didn't get where she was bc of her looks, it was her talent. Would you say the same thing about a male artist? Honestly...

[@O_yxv001]

Nobody even knew what she looked like be fr

[@randallrohr623]

I love her so much, I first found her when she posted a tiktok with Beabadoobee and I saw people commenting about her and had no idea who she was and then I fell in love with her music. I think if the music wasn’t so amazing she wouldn’t be nearly as popular.

[@theviggy]

of course - a lot of the hype around her is "I can't believe there are actually people who can sing and write songs like this"

[@maxens_is_here]

I'm so confused. I'm French and I know many people who like jazz. There are frequent jazz concerts in my city and an entire jazz festival every summer. I expected it to be MORE popular in English-speaking countries, not less! EDIT: oh nevermind I understood. you set the popularity criteria as being something selling well on Spotify and I defined it more widely.

[@nanikasan_]

Miles has a massive following, as well as Coltrane and other top musicians of that era. The girl from Ipanema has over 170million streams as well as Corcovado, thats at about 110 million. "Fly me to the Moon" is still extremely famous, used in movies but also animes like Evangelion. "What a wonderful World" is one of the most famous jazz pieces by Armstrong racking up half a billion streams, close up is "Dream a little dream of me" with over a quarter of a billion streams. All from Spotify. So no, jazz is not dead. It's just this guy that knows shit about music talking.

[@bluep3rz]

the thing that i LOVE about loufey is her voice!! cause most of the time nowadays every new artist sounds liek olivia rodrigo or something and it’s such a refresher to hear such a unique voice like hers blowing up!!

[@theviggy]

Yeah, no shade to Olivia or the weeknd but her voice does sound unique and refreshing

[@samsamsamsam12345]

Fr, like a Disney princesa ❤️❤️

[@John-nk3ej]

@@theviggy bro I just wanted to let you know you don't have a clue what you're talking about and it hurts. Adam Neely made you look like a moron You should take your video down and read a book bro.

[@fcmhockeyvideos]

I was there early/mid 2021. An online friend of mine showed me Laufey's KZbin covers and songs. I subbed instantly and have been fanboying ever since, not sure she had 10K subs, wasn't done with school yet. And no, I don't listen to her secretely. I say it out loud. Thank you Laufey !

[@theviggy]

You're a real one. It's people like you and your friend that give small artists a chance to blow up 👍

[@floatingclouuds]

I was there early 2021 too, and been following her ever since aaa!! I randomly checked laufey's spotify monthly listeners a few days ago, only to figure out she has like 12 million-ish monthly listeners. The pride and joy I felt seeing her get the attention she deserves aw

[@PleasuremeetingYou]

I would say the same thing, all I remember my friend firstly introduced me to the song named "Magnolia" and I would thank my friend and to Laufey for making my day better😋

[@moogypoog9714]

My experience finding Laufey was that I was already quite a big fan of jazz music and I found her covers, like @kenpls did. I was blown away by her talent and songwriting ability which can often be something that holds back modern jazz musicians. Many of them make their own versions on standards but she writes a lot of brand new material! In that sense she's a fresh air to jazz, and I think with enough time her music could indeed be considered "standards" if the music industry wasn't quite so hardline about covers. What I hope is that Lauvey's music can inspire many listeners to explore more jazz, and for musicians to consider making jazz!

[@coltrv]

She’s not the only jazz artist who composed her own new music! But the rest of the jazz composers thought they had to be super revolutionary and experimental which does not appeal to the masses, while Laufey’s compositions are simple, relatable, and enjoyable for everyone.

[@moogypoog9714]

@@coltrv oh of course she isn’t the only to compose new jazz, nor do I think she’ll be the only one making accessible, easy listening jazz either but I’m glad she blew up, and hope she leads others to make enjoyable jazz records!

[@eury4959]

@@coltrv well those jazzists who are looking to be super revolutionary are probably not really looking to blow up or appeal to the masses. They're looking to progress jazz even more as an art form. I always like to say, "Jazz is a progressive movement, not a nostalgic moment."

[@coltrv]

@@eury4959 I just wish modern jazz composers didn’t feel restricted to dissonant chords and modal scales

[@fritzjackson4336]

I mean your music has to be jazz for it to be a standard. Unless a jazz musician adapts her music in the same vain as jazz musicians making showtunes and sountracks into jazz standards. I just don't really think jazz is what I'd call her. It's like calling thundercat jazz. Like yes thundercat play Chick Corea at his shows and that makes most of his fans scratch their head and talk during the whole performance. I think the same can be said of her. The jazz influence of her music is definitely NOT what's appealing to a mass audience.

[@Modestshot]

It’s truly insane. She came on a Spotify discover weekly playlist. And only had two songs at the time. And instantly fell in love. I’ve seen her perform twice now , a third this upcoming tour. And have never been apart of an artist rise to fame like this! I couldn’t be happier! Jazz is a wonderful genre. And years from now when I’m older I can say that, while other people had Chet baker, Billie holiday & other jazz icons I’ll be able to say I had Laufey ✨

[@theviggy]

Yes! Especially her older songs. It feels like something we've never heard before

[@itmedana]

i had the exact same experience!! street by street came on my discover weekly pretty soon after it came out and i’ve been completely in love ever since. watching her grow such a huge fanbase has been an absolute joy

[@katies6872]

@@itmedana​​⁠THIS IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED TO ME!!! street by street holds such a special place in my heart 😭😭😭

[@danielesimon-thompson4772]

She didn’t single-handedly revive jazz. Are we forgetting Samara Joy literally won the Grammy for best jazz vocal artist and best new artist this year?!

[@grey2086]

Sorry but Grammys = S̶u̶c̶e̶s̶s̶s̶, Samara Joy isn't even widely known 😭

[@layfe]

who’s Samara Joy

[@diegohdz8787]

who dat

[@Checkmate1138]

Who?

[@andypezlo]

she's not mainstream, Laufey sorta crossed that breach

[@andypianoman]

TikTok and the fact that she started with doing lives on Instagram and KZbin. It was very intimate and she would share personal information to make her fans feel like they knew her. Also the fact that she managed to mix and break the borders between pop, jazz and classical music so she is theoretically making brand new unique music in a sense. Also the fact that she comes off as relatable and down to earth in her post and music. She doesn't come off as some snobby money hungry musician but as a regular person living life like the rest of us

[@meganm8028]

i followed her back in november 2021 and im so happy shes finally getting so popular!! im only sad that its pretty impossible to get concert tickets now 😭😭

[@fluorescent5120]

Same here, she came to my city for Valentines but didn’t go. Now getting a chance to see her play live is going to get slimmer as time passes ;-;

[@theviggy]

Why are they so expensive 😭

[@xennnyu8664]

found laufey like 2 years ago while listening to classical music. Fell in love instantly and im so glad shes getting the recognition she deserves. i just wish her fans didnt sell out the tickets 5 minutes after it was released :((

[@airamasu]

I didn't know the genre was the least sold of its kind. I found her a lot before becoming popular because I loved bossa nova and jazz, (I wanted to make a game with this kind of music hehe) so impressive to see her blow up.

[@dropstick]

you wanna make a game with jazz? omg this might be super random but can i add you on discord? shjdgknbvg

[@crow1628]

Yeah! I wasn’t aware jazz is so unpopular rn either haha

[@XiaoIsMyHusbandBTW]

@@crow1628 that's shocking to me, ITS JAZZ???

[@crow1628]

RIGHTT ITS SO GOOD@@XiaoIsMyHusbandBTW WAIT idk if u were being sarcastic or not LOL

[@AsianAFK]

I discovered her because I like to listen to Steven Universe songs, and somehow she brought up the relatable lyrics but with the voice that matches the Steven Universe songs. It's like upgrading the songs to teenage level.

[@petarstefanov2895]

SAME I TOUGHT ITS A STEVEN SONG

[@MarimbaBurd]

OML SO TRUE SO TRUE

[@SaokoPTCG]

I really can’t explain how happy I am to see how popular she’s becoming. I discovered her from a KZbin video of her singing in her room so long ago and now she’s here. Not only is she incredibly talented, she is charming and very loveable. She has a friendly energy and isn’t afraid to be her witty self. It’s hard to hate her, and a small part of everybody loves that cheesy, old fashioned music, even with it being so easy to share with family members. Can’t explain to say how much I love Laufey, she deserves this so much.

[@theviggy]

I can't believe so many people in this comment section actually saw her performing years aho to small handfuls of people! Crazy how fast someone can blow up

[@iaminurwalls3619]

i’m genuinely so happy for her she deserves all of the fame and love she gets and i hope it lasts for a while. she’s got some reallll talent and there’s definitely more people out there who will discover her music and love it (just like me)

[@bubblykoi]

i love jazz and i fell in love with it when I was in elementary school. So when i too found out about spotify having made up artist that do jazz i was upset ofc. I thought I was supporting someone, but I wasn't but when I finally heard her and yes it was on tiktok but it's great that i learned about her on there! I was able to find an artist and support her work which is wonderful! For everyone who have heard of her before her rising fame im glad you are supporting her and now for those who were new to her like me, im glad we are supporting her!

[@theviggy]

It's always a great feeling to find someone early on through their rising fame:)

[@scrubbingbubbies]

hey ! look into rachael and vilray if you want vintage style jazzy stuff too !

[@infectiousfungi3188]

There are so many jazz artists, I don't understand what makes her the "only jazz artist" to revive a "dead genre"

[@bubblykoi]

@@infectiousfungi3188 I believe jazz was never dead, just something that a lot of ppl probably don't listen to it as much as other ppl do. she just brought more audience members of the genre of jazz and I think it's a good thing. if they love her music and now the genre of jazz im pretty sure it can encourage others to look more into it

[@auracrosh]

@@infectiousfungi3188 i will fucking lose my shit if someone says this again lmfaooooooooooooooooo

[@officialblimp]

she’s also been making lots of bossa nova type songs, and she’s got a great voice

[@javiercordova2108]

3 years ago, after going through a horrible break up, I was listening to Sam Cooke. As a classically trained musical who loves jazz, I saw Laufey doing a cover of Sam Cooke's "I wish you love." I was taken by her voice and the use of a cello. I found that so unique. You rarely ever see someone singing with a cello. I remember looking her up on Spotify only seeing 2 songs at the time. Street by street and Someone new. I remember showing my sisters and they were not interested. I was hooked to this girl. Not because of her voice, but because she did jazz. I remember her appearing on George Collier's channel and asked how this girl was not famous. In 2022, when she dropped her first album, I knew this girl was destined for greatness, but nothing happened. I never knew anyone who said Laufey was their favorite artist. Then out of no where, she blew up. Everyone started hearing her. I had no idea until this video, but I am glad she is getting her flowers. She works so hard and really cares about the theory behind music. I love how she is classically trained and makes youtube videos on how to read sheet music and how to play her music on the guitar. I personally have learned two of her pieces on the guitar and piano, and want one day to transpose them into violin. She is so real and relatable. She really cares for her fans, unlike many mainstream artists like Taylor Swift who is trying to collect rings to become Thanos and Olivia Rodrigo who fr asking $800 for concert tickets. I hope this starts a wave of modern jazz to establish itself and blossom. Thank you Laufey for making your music. Valentine has been the song that my girlfriend and I dance to all the time. I cannot wait for what the future holds for my favorite artist and musician.

[@jaredkhan8743]

I was in my university's jazz program in college, and ALL of us loove laufey. It makes me so happy to see someone my age paving the way in jazz today.

[@josephaugustinerhodenhiser1353]

I'd say she's more jazz inspired than jazz.

[@dylanhoward718]

Paving the way? Very ignorant

[@hughjazzprod]

She is not paving the way in jazz.

[@jaredkhan8743]

@@dylanhoward718 Typical jazz elitist 💀

[@saxophonerman1239]

Honestly she’s a great jazz musician, the way she transcribes is how a jazz musician does it. Now is the stuff she makes jazz? I wouldn’t say so

[@jaethin]

For a singer in her early career, the sky's the limit for Laufey. She has all the tools to become a premier jazz vocalist. I could even imagine her reviving the classic bossa sound for a whole new generation. Exciting times ahead for this talented young artist!

[@laura-j9p8p]

im actually so obsessed with these laufey analysis videos 😭 i love her sm

[@theviggy]

Would you want to see another one?

[@laura-j9p8p]

@@theviggy yesss!!

[@rahuull.llll24]

@@theviggy please please

[@nd_otd]

I found her here in YT a few years ago when she haven't released a single original song yet, just doing covers of jazz classics. I was amazed by her unique voice and how it fits classic jazz songs. I even liked her low-budget jazz covers slightly more than her originals. I'm glad that I'm drawn to her because her actual talent, not just due to TikTok marketing and memes, which I don't think is bad.

[@renzyy6179]

Dude it was peak Covid when I discovered her..shes doing covers in Berklee College of Music channel before her main channel.

[@ph03beuwu]

the thing about "oh, they dont have socials or records for sale", these people who are jazz musicians on spotify are probably from before spotify existed, like Ryo Fukui, John Coltrane, and Art Blakey. Plus, people do still listen to jazz. I'm probably biased since I like jazz a lot, but it isn't like jazz is dead. Ryo Fukui, as an example, has 296,862 monthly listeners, and I'd say that's pretty good coming from a jazz musician based in a country that still uses vinyls and cassettes as its main form of music listening. Oh, and John Coltrane has 2,433,331 monthly listeners too. I dunno, that's definitely a lot less than modern more popular artists but it still isn't dead. I think the argument of "has no records for sale, has no socials" is silly. Like, Mozart doesn't sell records or have any socials because he was from the 1700s and by now he's dead. Plus, if you're just gonna base this on one dude on the internet, then there's no hope for you. No hate to Laufey btw.

[@theviggy]

Good point, what people have said too is that even though there are a lot of fake jazz artists on Spotify, the reason Spotify does that is to keep 100% of the revenue and not necessarily because there aren't enough jazz musicians to supply music themselves. The musicians you listed seem quite popular and well loved actually so while jazz might not be all the rage on Spotify I think it's still got a large fanbase

[@nanikasan_]

@@theviggyits all the rage especially in Christmas time!!! Your title is misleading and doesn't reflect at all the scene. OP only commented on Fukui and Coltrane (which are pretty special choices for trying to push your point btw). Louis Armstrong has half a billion streams on What a Wonderful world. Lets not forget Sinatra who is worldwide famous even nowadays.

[@sawmesalami]

It's less about jazz and more about having 1. A good melody. 2. Catchy lyrics 3. Listenable jazz chords

[@GeneralGrievous7567]

yeah a very easy listening jazz maybe

[@ragtagsnipse1399]

It's crazy how popular Laufey's gotten, I've been listening to her songs on repeat since last year and practicing some of her songs with my vocal coach. I brought her up as this small, unknown artist, and now her music plays in the hotel lobby where I work LOL

[@rainsqws]

I was here around a year before she got popular when i heard valentine by her. Its amazing seeing her getting the recognition she deserves

[@theviggy]

That song will go down as a Laufey classic

[@rainsqws]

@@theviggy frrr

[@Yogggi]

Been listening to her songs for 2 years+ and never knew her tiktok side. I just stumbled on her album completely randomly. Glad to know more people are taking up this genre

[@rebeccafernandez1759]

I've been a laufey fan since 2021 and it's a struggle knowing that people are only gonna know her only for two songs, and concert tickets are gonna be more expensive and we can gatekeep her anymore but she deserves all the love and appreciation she getting, we can't deny that.

[@mialauver]

i cant find the right words to describe it but her music and jazz in general genuinely makes me feel like.. like the observatory scene from la la land 🌌

[@m_milos]

her song "let you break my heart again" appeared on one of my spotify daily mixes a while ago and i fell in love with her music immediately. i think i became a fan right before her burst in popularity and it was fun to watch it all happen

[@shemsii]

i realised the amount of followers you had only AFTER watching your video, you deserve so much more!! Your video was well written, realised and explained, i hope you get the recognition you deserve

[@loloq9196]

how many subscribers did he have? cause now he has 1.94k which is crazy right? i feel like it has increased??? didn't he have like 3 before???

[@loloq9196]

this video is like blowing up

[@shemsii]

yes omg@@loloq9196 he had like 200??

[@Okguy1_Music]

this is legit the craziest ad for tiktok

[@pandstar]

While I am not saying she isn't talented, she is. But it is a bit sad, that some retro, nostalgia version of bossa nova vocal jazz is what people are saying is 'saving jazz'. While 100's of serious musicians, with chops from hell, with a deep knowledge of musical language, making new, forward thinking, progressive jazz music in plenty of jazz subgenres. Jazz is a growing, breathing, evolving, genre, that sounds substantially different than most jazz from the past.

[@jisooturtlerabbitkim7683]

It is sad but isn't it also great that this jazz is appealing to the younger generation? While it is sad to move on from older music, it's happening because the world is bound to change. So it's great that a piece of jazz is able to live on.

[@somewherelongago]

​​@@jisooturtlerabbitkim7683but it is thou, modern and progressive jazz contain a decent amount of new followers and young listeners, mainstream appeal is ultimately different from "youth appeal" and its partially why many take issues & gripes with the idea this video is portraying about Jazz being both culturally and sonically archaic based on assumptions of the genre from decades ago. It's also the case that the mainstream has a habit of misrepresenting certain genres or cultural scenes, either by espousing these stereotypical beliefs of them or promoting a sound that might be more commercially viable, but just doesn't represent it very well (as the case with Laufey and jazz)

[@John-nk3ej]

Jazz is dying because it's the same thing over and over and over. It's the most repetitive genre of music, even more than pop. People are bored of hearing a flow chart of 16 chords over and over. Jazz is repetitive AF and that's why people are bored of it

[@pandstar]

@@John-nk3ej Not true at all. Jazz has many subgenres, with pretty major differences between them. Chamber-jazz, M-Base, avant-garde, jazz-metal, fusion, Indo-jazz, spiritual-jazz, free-jazz, and others.

[@John-nk3ej]

​@@pandstaryet all of those "genres"are just the same thing. The same chords over and over with different people just clammering over it I don't mind when people like to listen to jazz, but they all wanna pretend it's some intellectual thing, it's not. In fact it's one of the least intellectual ways to make music.

[@mg4y46]

i remember all the og laufey listeners.. we had said we wanted to gatekeep her but at the same time we wanted her famous.. well now shes blowing up but we will still remember ourselves as the first set of listeners. this woman's music is truly incredible especially the song "valentine"

[@samsamsamsam12345]

FR 😭😭😭😭 Or from the start, falling behind, bewitched 😭

[@John-nk3ej]

I was an og fan, then I saw her personality when she got famous. Cringe

[@samsamsamsam12345]

@@John-nk3ej wdym?

[@faithharvey4070]

@@John-nk3ejelaborate I’m confused 😭

[@Edward_Cruz]

I can express how thankful I am that you pronounce Loofy’s name correctly!

[@theviggy]

It's laffy-taffy, right?

[@Edward_Cruz]

@@theviggy can also be Lumpy. Anyway, I’ve been listening in on Laufey’s covers and works since late 2020. The bond she formed with the early followers really helped create the foundation she has been able to build upon. I remember going to her concert last year and seeing children to couples in their 70s show up to attend. Not to mention Junia was confusing many people in the pre-show that couldn’t quite recognize her as she played it off as Laufey for a bit! Laufey’s music is truly timeless and she has a personality that just radiates positive energy.

[@noalune]

became a fan in 2021 and im so glad shes been getting more popular, shes one of the most talented artists out there imo :)

[@theviggy]

Yes! Try checking out the George Collier videos about her

[@kevinchristianwibisono9598]

Thanks for the video. I personally really love Laufey's music, but I don't think it's considered jazz (although it clearly has some jazz and bossa nova components). I discovered Laufey through George Collier's KZbin, and I was not aware of her Tiktok marketing strategies until this video (I am not a Tiktok user). Thus, I am curious to hear from people who decided to be Laufey's regular listeners through watching her Tiktok. What is your honest opinion about her music? Do you actually love her music? I sincerely hope that the answer is YES, and that more people will listen to other jazzy (or jazz) musicians. If it is true that Laufey has made you discover a new style of music you did not normally listen to, I am confident that jazz is going to be the NEW pop.

[@lemonbune]

i luv laufey so much, I'm happy that many people recognize her music!! as a violinist, classical music and jazz enthusiast, this is definitely well-deserved and great!

[@hotchipgirl99]

I was literally BOMBARDED with her TikTok’s nonstop for weeks and I was genuinely like why won’t she leave me alone??! Then I finally caved and listened to her music and I was OBSESSED, wished I started listening earlier… also makes sense now bc I am literally her target audience like you said 😭

[@nashhall368]

i’m so glad the jazz is coming back i’ve loved jazz for so long

[@theviggy]

Wonderful! Any recommendations?

[@elliotglaser1718]

@@theviggyblack saint and the sinner lady - Mingus, ballads - John Coltrane, where have I known you before - chick corea, out to lunch - Eric dolphy, workin’ - miles Davis

[@bobachan211]

I've been listening to her since she released "valentine" and it honestly makes me so glad to see her blow up like this, she really has extraordinary vocals and her voice is literally so calming yet so... moving at the same time? You can't possibly put into words.

[@theviggy]

Is this what heaven sounds like?

[@bobbymoss6160]

Good for Laufey, I've known her since forever. It only takes a break for an artist to blow up.

[@QastletheKing]

She’s been signed for maybe a year now, on the same record label as jvke. They’re probably responsible for a lot of the marketing. I’ve been following her since 2020 and the content has definitely shifted. Not that it’s a bad thing, record labels are hiding the fact that they sign people now to give them a genuine growth feel. She’s classically trained, insanely talented and gorgeous. I just don’t like the fact that record labels are trying to hide the fact that someone is signed. The label is called “artists without a label” which I feel like is so misleading in itself that they should get sued.

[@Dont-ip9ph]

she reminds me of christmas and home i love it so much and she’s opened a gateway for me into other jazz artists, she’s crazy talented

[@clem.3894]

you're definitely going to blow up dude, the pacing and editing of this video was perfect and super engaging + ofc I enjoyed your analysis :)

[@theviggy]

Super glad you liked it, let me know if you like the next ones too! And thanks a lot

[@eec8128]

I love love love all of the older fans being so supportive of new fans who have just found her music!! I just found her this summer because from the start was on one of my friends playlists and i loved it instantly. I hope she continues to do what she loves :)

[@theviggy]

Hopefully! Glad we can all appreciate this music

[@sarc8386]

I remember when she first made her Instagram account, man did I love the covers she sang. Glad she made music and got the recognition she deserves

[@jasond6053]

Im glad that Laufey is getting so much attention. Ive been a big fan of her music since she dropped her 2022 album

[@skiparsenal]

Found her at a random YT binge session during the lockdown in 2020. It was her cover of I Wish You Love. Back then I think she was a music student who posted covers with an occasional original song. While I thought she was really good and enjoyed her music now and again since then, I just considered her a nice little indie find since she has a niche genre of music. I'm never really in TikTok, so it's a pleasant surprise and quite happy that she blew up.

[@fireram360]

This is a great video analysis. I have been listening to her when she only had 200-300k listeners so it is super cool to see her blow up recently. Her popularity definitely stems from connecting with her audience a lot. I remember she used to do consistent live streams of singing on Instagram and performing for her audience so they could interact with her and connect. She also has the talent and skill to back up her blow up so I wasn't surprised to see her get recognition after all of these years. Still a little sad I couldn't get tickets to her first concert bc it sold out immediately but I'll go one day.

[@ASAPFranklin]

Tiktok. Thats literally the entire reason of her blowing up. Her most popular songs (let you break my heart again, from the start) are all viral on tiktok rn while all her better songs arent as known for some reason

[@thewrens_]

This video has something I usually don't see in video-essay types. Usually either the topic sort of shifts around or the conclusion opens up at the end. This video doesn't do that. I expected a bigger, vaguer statement about like the nature of music or even music marketing, but the actual, straightforward conclusion of 'tiktok is your best friend' gave me something solid to think about that I don't often get from video essays. It feels more humble, i don't know. Like it though, keep up the good work! :)

[@soulubilityofficial6635]

And someone who listens to and plays jazz on the regular, (as well as it being my favorite genre, also hoping for it to make a comeback) it makes me really happy to see someone who’s actually blowing up like this! I kinda dig that song “From the Start”. This makes me happy.

[@Burgerss]

she blew up cuz she just makes good music🤷 (Great video!!)

[@theviggy]

Thanks! Honestly it's so true. I feel like she's just so musically gifted that people will stop and listen to her singing on TikTok or when she goes live. What's the first song you discovered?

[@gReyyy.]

I have been loving her songs since last December when I stumbled upon a single she made called "A very Laufey Holiday" I found it genuinely interesting at how great of a voice she had plus her lyrically relatable songs since I've also come from a jazz-classical background. I'm so happy that she is being loved by many people out there now. Live Laugh Laufey everyone!

[@theviggy]

New album just came out!

[@justjulss8365]

i accidentally found her while listening to dodie. Stumbled into a collab with laufey and immediately fell in love, then i listened to the rest of her discography and the bossa nova influence just made me love her even more.

[@gaocaviedes]

Adam sends his regards

[@theviggy]

Got cooked

[@guystudios]

@@theviggyYeah you took the L big time 😂

[@peterfabell154]

I started listening to her about a week after she graduated from school, and kept listening just because she is technically amazing and just a really good musician. Her music is incredible. I saw the concert she did at LA last week and the response from the crowd was surreal. Now it makes more sense after your explanation.

[@justhreli1538]

The thing that set aparts laufey from the other artists (in my opinion) is how she was able to integrate jazz and bossa nova into a modern style and I just love her musicality, and overall her song composition from harmony, melody, chords, etc.

[@SparkOfCuriosity]

No way this only has 600 views? This was so well presented and easy to follow along with. Hoping the KZbin algorithm picks you up bc this is fantastic!

[@theviggy]

Thank you, I wasn't sure if it would be easy to follow! Do you have any suggestions/ways it could've been better?

[@SparkOfCuriosity]

Honestly I think it hit the Goldilocks zone, everything works together so well I don’t know what you could immediately improve on.

[@lylalala]

@@theviggyit was great honestly, keep doing what you do man

[@Rudenbehr]

It’s a very rare feeling I can listen to someone’s music for less than 5 seconds and immediately start searching for them on Spotify.

[@theviggy]

OMG I'm so glad I didn't pick a bad snippet

[@trongnguyenhuu3404]

I knew laufey after listening to her cover of "On The Sunny Side Of The Street". The melancholic vibe the song brings is why I adore her so much.

[@theviggy]

Get your coat, and get your hat....

[@thewrens_]

Same here! :D

[@zf8744]

Idk what the state of jazz is in the US but here in the UK it has been thriving for some time, London alone has a huge abundance of great jazz/neo-soul artists who are thriving

[@Ughstopped]

The worst selling genre? Have you ever heard of noise music? Polka? Classical, even? Why do KZbin wannabe journalists just talk to talk? 😭

[@jordanbagels9698]

its crazy how being a real person and showing people that you are in fact a real person builds a connection and by proxy a fanbase

[@vyvidcolourpencil]

I found her and became fan when she still had her cello demo of I Wish You Love on Sound Cloud. It's such a joy to see her talent being recognised cuz she deserves it.

[@JustinJ]

A record label is pushing her, that is how she blew up. She is signed to Sony.

[@NoahFarber]

Really great video dude! Laufey rocks

[@kimmshuuchan]

The first time I've heard about Laufey's songs, her voice is absolutely beautiful and calming. It has a feeling of nostalgia and has a charm to it

[@skybirdprojects5489]

Dang, I found her music a year ago and was absolutely enthralled with her voice and delivery as well as her song choices. I Wish You Love and Valentine are amazing. I'm glad she's getting the recognition she deserves! I'm sure she would have been recognized at some point because her talent is so strong.

[@wizdumbisdumb]

this video is awesome! i am soo soo glad she blew up because i found her music before she did and thought it was a crime that not many people listened to her. she deserves all the love and attention she gets and more :))

[@razzenvythebest9248]

Saying Jazz is unpopular is wild cause these Jazz clubs up north be selling out 👀

[@theviggy]

Haha maybe it's just a spotify thing then - maybe it's cause people like to listen to jazz in person or in the background more? Either way I think Laufey mixes it with pop in a nice way to make more people discover it

[@GeneralGrievous7567]

@@theviggyyeah mostly people listen to jazz at a jazz club etc instead listening it on spotify

[@Milktea4Lifee]

The first Laufey song I've discovered was Valentine. I found it on Spotify popping up in my suggested songs during June 2022. That time, I was unaware with who Laufey was and I also didn't really check to see who were artists of songs so that meant I didn't know Laufey made Valentine that time. I added it to my favorite song playlist and just vibed to it. I didn't really relate to it but I admired it's jazz-like genre. Let's fast forward during July 23-31 (This year), I went to a National Youth Summer Camp and that time, Laufey's From the Start was really popular. At first, I just stayed out of the trend because I didn't really know what was going on, but as I started bonding with the Lauvers in camp, I guess I just got influenced and got addicted to From the Start especially when I developed a crush on my seatmate during my first day of high school. Yes, I'm a junior freshman😭😭 Anyways since I developed a crush on my seatmate on the first day of high school, I suddenly related to From the Start more (you get the point). That was when I decided to explore the world of Laufey. It was amazing but one specific song caught my ear. I Wish You Love. It gave me some sort of nostalgia and it turns out I was right because my grandmother used to play it when I was a little baby. Apparently it was originally made by Rachael Yamagata so I'm not sure if Laufey just restored the song or made a cover but all I know is I love it. Ever since then, I continued exploring Laufey's discography and now, I am a proud Lauver who has a playlist filled with Laufey songs

[@snakezmaestro]

One thing I'm really missing here is the notion that Laufey isn't actually Jazz, per se. She revealed that she has never participated or been involved in the Jazz community, and so saying she revived a genre is also just misleading. Not to mention, Jazz was never dead nor dying, it's just not mainstream. She definitely serves as a gateway for Gen Z to *discover* jazz, and has a massive impact on the Scene, but I personally believe calling Laufey jazz or the saviour of is a misleading statement. Like Adam Neely said, what she does is what would generally be called mid-century pop music. It's very beautiful, well-orchestrated and soulful music, and I really enjoy playing her pieces, it just feels awesome. But it's missing what makes jazz.. well jazz. You'll really feel the spirit once you try it out there.

[@crem44]

Well then her popularity would be boosting Jazz as a whole even if she doesn't make Jazz music

[@abiss2951]

I found Laufey during the pandemic when I was playing in the backyard with my older sister and dog! First song I heard of her was Best Friend 🤍 IN LOVE ever since, I’m literally so happy so many people get to enjoy her GORGEOUS SOUL CRUSHING TEAR JERKING voice! Live laugh Laufey 😭

[@ri2587]

I found laufey a while back and had maybe one of her songs in my playlist. I started to get a lot more into her music a little bit before she blew up and I’m so SO happy she’s getting the recognition she deserves. Her music makes me feel so deeply and it’s truly so special

[@bonbinxoxo5922]

I found her like 3 months before she ABSOLUTELY BLEW UP it was insane like I was so confused BUT SHE DESERVES IT❤️❤️❤️

[@oh-noe]

honestly this sounds more like it is temporarily revived not because people find that type of music good, but rather people just get attached to her and then they like the music because they like her. Kind of like the pop/rap artists. People listen to them because they idolise them, obsessing over them as a person and liking their music because it's made by their idol, rather than liking their music because their music is something they would like.

[@theviggy]

A lot of people do say Laufey isn't jazz anymore, and that she's changed her style to more pop. But what's cool is that musicians all around the world now will see her popularity and be inspired to not give up jazz themselves. They'll truly believe they have a shot at making it big. And that's the sort of revival I'm looking forward to

[@oh-noe]

@@theviggy I understand that though process, and I agree, it would be cool if jazz was revived, and I look forward to a revival like that as well. But your title talks about how she already has revived the jazz genre hence my comment It is a pretty eye-catching title though so I get why you chose it

[@thesidsss]

The title says it all, if sales is the only metric you gauge music by, you are gonna miss a lot of great music!

[@soupy_soup2]

I found her when she released Valentine for the first time and its crazy to see her grow so much in popularity in such a sort time.

[@ridofchris]

I’m glad she’s bringing back Jazz into the mainstream so happy for her success

[@friadis2704]

Laufey is also currently the biggest Icelandic artist! She's above Björk & KALEO!! she makes me so proud to be Icelandic

[@friadis2704]

@brachioriizes yep!! Björk has 2.2M monthly listeners on Spotify whereas Laufey has almost 13M 💖

[@-beee-]

It’s also hard that being a performer/artist in our society kinda requires that you commodify/publicize every part of your life. It is a lot of work and mental cost to manage all that attention and scrutiny

[@pusheentoys5484]

Damn bro I didn't even realise you only have 6.2k subs! Well spoken and you definitely deserve more subs.