The rise of Laufey has been something quite exceptional and amazing to witness. After she first rose to fame as a young teenager on Iceland’s Got Talent and The Voice Iceland, she has branched out and started reaching audiences online with her wonderful throwback jazz stylings and has since gone from strength to strength, fashioning her own lane in the music industry. She first came to Australia in 2023 and played at the intimate Oxford Art Factory before moving on to the Sydney Opera House the following year, but now she returns with her star completely off the charts, selling out two nights at Sydney’s newly renamed Afterpay Arena (formerly of Qudos Bank fame).

Before the show, a frenzy was sparked in Martin Place when a kilometres-long line formed to acquire the singer’s limited edition hoodies and with a children’s book line and many other business ventures, as well as her charitable foundation, this young superstar is clearly an overachiever in every way, with a marketability that is reminiscent of stars as big as Taylor Swift and Olivia Rodrigo. 

One must note from the outset that it is decidedly rare for a singer of Laufey’s style to play arenas of this size (I can really only think of Michael Bublé, who does it regularly with Robbie Williams doing it on occasion and even performers like Norah Jones and Sarah Bareilles are not quite on that same arena level that Laufey now is). Indeed, on her final night in Sydney, the singer-songwriter told a story that during her first visit to the Harbour City in 2023 for her OAF show, she actually went and saw Michael Bublé playing at the arena that she was now headlining and one day dreamed of playing the same arena. The story may be clichéd but in this instance, I actually think it is quite a poignant reflection of just how special Laufey’s position in the industry is. 

Arriving at Afterpay Arena, as Laufey took to the stage, it almost felt more like a musical than a concert as she kicked off her two-hour-long set. She started off with “Clockwork” before moving into the powerful smash hit “Lover Girl”, which had the crowd singing along before she moved into “Dreamer” and “Falling Behind”. Even in spite of her songs being huge hits, there’s a whimsy to them which is quite unique and special and worked really well in this setting, with her crowd of adoring fans loving the Disney-like atmosphere at the start of the set. With an orchestral-style arrangement behind her and a number of dancers beside her, it felt like the perfect cross between a stadium gig and an intimate theatrical experience and this worked extremely well, feeling extremely polished and considered in the setting. 

“Oh my, you are such a big and loud crowd,” she said to the audience. 

The Icelandic singer then moved into a jazz set, reinventing some of her earlier songs as jazz standards, which was a beautiful contrast and something we don’t often see in an arena show. As she performed her ‘surprise’ ode to Sydney, there was very much an Eras Tour vibe but the crowd absolutely loved it, with the jazz part of the set ending with a beautiful rendition of “Let You Break My Heart Again”, which really showed off the beauty of Laufey’s songwriting and vocals.

While the songwriting and the music were the real high points, it was actually very interesting to notice that as the set moved on, the strength of Laufey’s voice became more apparent. As she moved out of the more jazz songs into some more powerful ballads and up-tempo numbers this really showed off her vocal skill and power which are things that may not traditionally be associated with the singer. Indeed, every choice was perfect and well considered and it was really clear that this was an artist who was completely assured in her self-concept and in her execution. She played everything from piano to guitar to cello, including a little interlude with her sister, who was playing violin, and this really showed off what an extraordinary musician the singer really is.

There is also a vulnerability to Laufey’s songwriting which helps explain why she has connected so strongly with such a young audience. Her songs explore love, heartbreak and growing up with a sense of whimsy that never feels overly sentimental, allowing the audience to sing along to songs about their own experiences while still feeling part of something much bigger.

After a short third act with “Carousel”, which had the whole audience holding up carousel-coloured lights, she moved into her fourth act, which had some of her biggest hits, including “Promise” and “From the Start”. This really showed off the versatility of her skill set, with everything feeling carefully considered. The crowd really loved this part of the show, with some of her biggest hits on display, and she performed impeccably well, as even though she seemed to be struggling a little bit from a cold, she did not let this show at all, with incredible vocals, skill and control. After an Evanescence-tinged rendition of her hit “Sabotage”, she moved into her encore with the very Taylor Swift-coded “Castle in Hollywood” before she closed out with “Letter to My 13 Year Old Self”, which was a great way to end the night.

Overall, this was a masterful performance, with an artist so assured in her self concept and her execution that this performance really felt unlike any other performance I’d ever seen on an arena stage. Laufey did an incredible job of managing the demands of an arena performance while still maintaining the requisite intimacy, transforming the stage into a theatrical extravaganza whilst not detracting from her integrity as a singer-songwriter in the slightest. Everything was executed superbly and it felt like there was complete perfection across the whole performance, from the band to the dancers to the lights. This is one of the most refreshing and awe-inducing concerts I have seen in a long time from one of the most exciting prospects in the business. Don’t miss Laufey the next time she comes out, this is a superstar in the making. 

Rating: ★★★★★

Laufey – Afterpay Arena – 8 August 2026

All photo credits: Nicole Mago