From The Start

From the award-winning artist Laufey, “From The Start” is an excellent

example of how she is re-popularizing jazz.

Taking the music scene by storm in 2020 with her Jazz-inspired pop
themes, the Icelandic singer-songwriter has created songs that
entrance even the most hardened listener. Jazz as a genre has been
around for about a century, with many popular variations originating
from African and European roots, becoming a combination of the two
being something all its own. New Orleans is heralded as the
birthplace of North American jazz, particularly in the United States. In
the 1920s and 30s, Jazz was arguably the most popular genre of
music with its upbeats and individuality; there's no questioning the
reason behind its fame.

Despite the popularity of the 20s and 30s, other equally pleasing
genres came afterward, but thanks to Laufey, its comeback could be
on the horizon. Funnily enough, Laufey was inspired by the classics of
Chopin and other classical musicians from a young age. Later on in
life, she found the standards of legends like Ella Fitzgerald and Billie
Holiday, expanding her inspiration. On Laufey’s website, she describes
herself as a musician whose “goal is to bring jazz and classical music
to my generation through a more accessible road.”

In this way, her music is more appealing to a wider and younger

audience, mixing her swinging style with the classic 4/4 time signature
of the classical genre. The end product of this becomes something
 new that isn’t exactly jazz but also isn’t anything else. Something
completely its own. However, not everyone appreciates the changes
that the new queen of jazz has made. NPR says she “stands up for the
greats — Ella, Billie, Miles — but shows little awareness of the vibrant
young international scene that's set jazz on fire in the past decade.
She can come off like an interloper, despite her obvious good
intentions.” While their argument is valid, and they make a good point
in her not shining any light on the classic example of jazz, Laufey has
created something that has gotten farther than the ‘undergrounders.’
Laufey’s ’Jazz Pop’ suits the palate of modern American listeners, who,
as of 2023, were the largest music market in the world, according to
an IFPI report.

The majority of people's quarrels with Laufey have been based on

how well she encapsulates jazz, though maybe a better teller of her
success is how well she's marketed her music. As of May 30th, 2024,
Laufey’s album: “Bewitched'' has been at the top for the past 5 weeks
on billboard's Jazz chart.

Through Laufey’s dedication to herself and the art that she creates,
there is no question that Laufey is making the most waves in the jazz
industry today. While her sound may be different from the jazz of old,
it is still arguably good and even an improvement.