Grammy-Award winning artist Laufey held a special two-night sold-out concert titled A Night at the Symphony at the PICC Plenary Hall on May 28 and 29. Backed by the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra, the show was a dreamy, almost fairytale-esque mix of Laufey’s well-loved tracks. Just a year ago, Laufey held her debut concert at the Filinvest Tent to a sold-out crowd.

Young love was in the air as many of the spectators came with their dates. The halls of PICC were filled with young ladies garbed in their chic, frilly cocktail dresses and gents wore their dress shirts and pants. It was truly a night to be remembered.

Presented by Karpos, the show also had a lot of bonuses for the fans. An ice cream stand was giving out free ice cream with Laufey-coded flavors: Laufberry, Bewitched, Falling Behind Matcha and Valentine’s Chocolate. Guests can also get their photos taken at the vintage-looking photo booth at the Plenary Hall lobby. As a souvenir, the staff also handed out a quaint postcard with the words “Keep on going with your silly dream. Life is prettier than it may seem” – a reference to the lyrics of “Letter to My 13 Year Old Self”.

The 25-year old singer-songwriter has become a global star by her own right. Laufey’s lyrics are woven out of dreamy fragments of romance, longing and heartbreak – bare and straightforward yet resonant. Her music is pop, embellished in layers of jazz, bossanova and orchestra – a symphony of sounds and words that appeals to young hopeful romantics.

When the lights dimmed, Laufey took centerstage with the Manila Philharmonic Orchestra with “Dreamer” and “While You Were Sleeping”. The crowd, ecstatic as they might have been, held in their loud hoots and sing-alongs to bask in the music.

“I was an orchestra kid, but I rarely got to do shows with an actual orchestra,” Laufey told the crowd. She used to be a cello soloist (a “cello nerd” as she called it) with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra.

Laufey showed her prowess in playing different instruments, an impressive feat. In “I Wish You Love”, she took command of the cello. She played the piano for “Like the Movies” and “Promise” and “Goddess”. She rocked an electric guitar for “I Will Stop Falling in Love”, “Bewitched” and “From the Start” among others. All the while, she held her grace in singing, her voice whirling beautifully across the venue.

“I feel so much love radiating from here. It’s truly amazing. I feel like it’s a second home country,” Laufey said near the end of her show. The entire show had been appropriately solemn, prim and proper as could be so she didn’t get too many chances to talk to the crowd. It was only during the encore stage that she got to speak freely.

“First of all, everyone thinks I’m from here,” she quipped as the crowd laughed. (A quick Google-search of her name will have the top result: “Is Laufey a Filipino?” She isn’t. She’s half-Icelandic, half-Chinese.) “(It’s) the highest compliment because you are the most beautiful people in the world. This was a very polite and cordial evening. I’m gonna sing a song that’s not very polite,” she said before playing “Bored” with just her guitar.

Laufey also shared that she had a fever before her flight to the Philippines. She blacked out during her flight, and hoped, against all odds, that she would recover. Fortunately, she did. “I’m so thankful for all of you. It’s such an incredible thing to have so many friends in a country so far away from where I grew up. Thank you for being here, for supporting me. Thank you for making my dreams come true.”

The final song for the evening was the stirring “Letter to My 13 Year Old Self”, a song she wrote not only for her younger self, but also for her fans to continue chasing their dreams.

Missed the show? Fret not for Laufey will be coming back to Manila for Bewitched: The Goddess Tour at the MOA Arena on September 2.

Special thanks to KARPOS!

by Sandra Mae Laureano

Laufey – A Night at the Symphony – Live in Manila – May 28 (Night 1)

Dreamer
While You Were Sleeping
Falling Behind
Fragile
Let You Break My Heart Again
Beautiful Stranger
Valentine
I Wish You Love
Like the Movies
Promise
California and Me
Goddess
It Could Happen to You
Lovesick
Bewitched
From the Start
Bored
Letter for My 13 Year Old Self