Laufey

“I don't speak Cantonese. My grandparents always spoke Cantonese together and my mother speaks a bit of Cantonese, but unfortunately I don't.”

“Love is the one thing that everybody goes through, but nobody really has cracked the code, right?”

“The support and scholarships I received as a child have directly led to the career I have now. It's been a lifelong dream of mine to provide the next generation with the same support and opportunities.”

“A large portion of my audience is younger - audiences that would primarily listen to pop music otherwise - so the fact that they're coming to my concerts is really special.”

“I hope I'm doing my part in making jazz and classical music more accessible!”

“I always hope that my music is a gateway for people to get to know jazz.”

“I'm breaking so many rules every single day, and I think that's where you make good music.”

“I went to Berklee for college: a good musical training ground, but there's no direct line between that and the music industry.”

“I just love playing the piano, isn't it lovely?”

“I always say I became the musician that I wanted and needed.”

“I think the flea markets in L.A. are the best shopping; otherwise, I shop a lot when I'm in Europe.”

“When I started out, people were always asking me, 'Who do you want to be like?' I had no idea what to say.”

“I'm just gonna let my music live.”

“I think music was always written in the stars for me. I feel like I really had no choice. If I dared to walk down another path, the universe would push me back towards music.”

“I'm very confident in my music.”

“I never look back after finishing a song and think, 'Damn, why did I do that?'”

“With the kind of music I make, I make very individualistic choices.”

“AWAL's steadfast commitment to my creative autonomy has been essential in providing me the space and freedom to create music on my own terms.”

“All I hope is I can move forward with the same 'I have nothing to lose' mindset.”

“Bossa nova is about how you can express yourself without being too loud. It's a quiet way of singing, almost spoken. That was one of my greatest lessons as a singer.”