Flonique Guimary

Why does Manila hold a special place in Laufey’s heart?

Article (news)

Push Team

Laufey made one thing clear on the first night of her three sold-out shows in the Philippines – this country means something to her.The Icelandic singer-songwriter opened her set at the SM Mall of Asia Arena by addressing the crowd with an enthusiasm that set the tone for the rest of the evening.&quot;What&#x27;s up, Manila? Welcome to the &#x27;A Matter of Time&#x27; tour. This is crazy. There are so many of you here,&quot; she said. &quot;I have been so excited to come here and sing for all of you. I feel like every tour I do, I&#x27;ve been counting down the days to come here,” she added.The sentiment runs deeper than tour logistics. The Mall of Asia Arena holds a specific place in Laufey&#x27;s career. It was the venue where she played her very first arena show two years ago. Performing three sold-out shows in a row on the same stage was a big deal to her, and she knew it.&quot;It&#x27;s so special to be back here in this room. Because the very first arena show I played was here, two years ago,&quot; she told the crowd, before asking who had been there that first night and who was seeing her for the very first time. &quot;This makes me so happy. Welcome, new friends. You guys sold out this room three times. This is the first of three sold-out nights. That&#x27;s crazy. Thank you so much,” she added.Laufey also spoke about what she sees as something distinct about Filipino fans and their culture. &quot;I know there&#x27;s something about you guys in the Philippines, like just this culture – so warm and kind,&quot; she said. She credited her Filipino audience for supporting her from the very start of her career. &quot;From the very, very beginning of my career, I always noticed so much love coming from here – the fact that I get to come here and play with you and sing with you,” she remarked.She also arrived fully aware of who she was performing for. &quot;First of all, I had to bring my A-game because you guys are really good singers,&quot; she said, before putting that reputation to the test later in the show. &quot;I heard you guys are really good at karaoke … prove it,&quot; she told the crowd before letting them take over, and they delivered.Even the heat got a mention. &quot;So if I&#x27;m taking extra sips of water tonight, it&#x27;s because it&#x27;s really hot tonight. I&#x27;m from Iceland. So this heat and me, we are new friends. But I am so happy with it because it means I get to see all of you,&quot; she said.On expressing her gratitude to Filipino fans, Laufey admitted that words fall short. &quot;I&#x27;m just really thankful. But I wish I had the words to express how much I care about you. I don&#x27;t know if words can cover it. I just have to give my very best performance possible,&quot; she said.The show itself delivered on that promise, with several standout moments throughout the night – including Laufey stepping off the stage to perform up close with fans, and singing a fan-favorite track live for the first time since the tour began, a surprise she reserved specifically for her Manila audience.Laufey, whose full name is Laufey Lin Jónsdóttir, is a 25-year-old Icelandic-Chinese singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who first gained widespread attention during the pandemic by sharing jazz-inspired recordings on social media. She released her debut album, Everything I Know About Love, in 2022, followed by Bewitched in 2023. The latter earned the Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 2025 Grammy Awards, making her one of the youngest artists ever to win in that category. The Philippines has consistently been one of her top streaming markets globally, as reflected in her three consecutive sold-out shows there.<div> —By Paolo Lim</div><div> </div><div> </div>

Laufey says she was eagerly counting down the days until she could visit Manila.

Laufey says she was eagerly counting down the days until she could visit Manila.