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NEW YORK\u00a0\u2014\u00a0It was 2023 when Laufey, the Icelandic singer-songwriter known for her neoclassical jazz-pop, decided to create a global fan event. Her second album, \u201cBewitched,\u201d was soon to be released and she wanted to do something big to celebrate it. But more than that, she says, she \u201cwanted to find a way to get my fans out of their homes, and to really follow an itinerary of my perfect idea of a day and have the music from \u2018Bewitched\u2019 follow it.\u201d<\/p>\n
And thus, \u201cA Very Laufey Day\u201d was born. Each year, the Grammy-winning singer curates itineraries for different locations across the globe for her listeners to follow. It\u2019s \u201canywhere I have been and loved,\u201d she says. It allows them to live what she refers to as \u201ca perfect day,\u201d but also to connect with their community offline and in person. And as she approaches its fourth edition, it has only grown larger.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt became much bigger than I anticipated, really,\u201d she says. She sought to inspire her audience to find \u201cthird spaces,\u201d and explore some of her favorite locales: museums, bookstores, cafes, concerts and the like, and foster community in the process. And each year, it has only grown bigger, with fans dressing up in their favorite Laufey-themed vintage fashions to celebrate the unofficial holiday.<\/p>\n
And Aug. 23 will mark the fourth annual \u201cA Very Laufey Day.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cIt is a fun puzzle every year,\u201d she says.<\/p>\n
Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey\u2019s music has always felt somewhat beyond classification, even to her.<\/p>\n
This year, \u201cA Very Laufey Day\u201d will include experiences in 75 cities across 25 countries, centering on the theme of \u201cA Celebration of the Arts.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cWherever in the world you\u2019re spending your day, I hope you feel inspired and invigorated,\u201d Laufey wrote in a note on her \u201cA Very Laufey Day\u201d website.<\/p>\n
Fans can expect performances spanning symphony orchestras, ballet, jazz, opera and theater as well as events with libraries, bookstores, coffee shops, yogurt\/ice cream shops and more. Her concert film, \u201cA Night at the Symphony: Hollywood Bowl,\u201d will be screened at select theaters. And she\u2019s partnered with many museums around the world, including New York City\u2019s Guggenheim, the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago, London\u2019s Tate Modern and National Gallery, Chile\u2019s Museo Nacional de Bellas Artes, Seoul\u2019s Daelim Museum and more. At some participating businesses, fans will be able to acquire limited-edition merchandise and Laufey-themed specialty drinks.<\/p>\n
The singer-songwriter\u2019s perfect day involves picking up fresh Icelandic fish, relaxing with a good book and practicing Frederic Chopin\u2019s children\u2019s tunes as a form of meditation<\/p>\n
LACMA is offering a discount code, AVLD, for museum visitors on Aug. 23. As of Aug. 16, the code took $2 off tickets. \u201cCome spend the day enjoying something beautiful,\u201d LACMA wrote on Instagram.<\/p>\n
\u201cThis year it was really about focusing on the arts and culture and finding ways to bring this barrier of entry down between my audience \u2014 which is mostly Gen Z and Gen A \u2014 and these kind of so-called high cultural experiences,\u201d she says. \u201cWhether it\u2019s going to see an orchestra show \u2026 museums or galleries, we really want to find ways to connect with those institutions.\u201d<\/p>\n
Some of these spaces can be intimidating for younger fans, and Laufey says this year was all about making these rooms, some of her favorites, inviting to her audience.<\/p>\n