{"id":7403,"date":"2024-07-03T12:33:22","date_gmt":"2024-07-03T16:33:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?p=7403"},"modified":"2024-07-03T12:33:23","modified_gmt":"2024-07-03T16:33:23","slug":"review-bewitched-a-bewitching-album","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?p=7403","title":{"rendered":"Review: Bewitched, a bewitching album"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

1st Place, Review
<\/strong>2023-24, Division 4, News Writing<\/p>\n\n\n\n

By Amelia Bai
<\/strong>The Cougar Star
Clague MS<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cBewitched,\u201d Chinese-Icelandic singer Laufey\u2019s sophomore album is far from being groundbreaking or revolutionary. And that\u2019s okay. Because to some, \u201cBewitched\u201d instead, offers something much better: An escape.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The 24-year-old artist Laufey (pronounced \u201clay-vay\u201d), has gone viral for her beautiful, deep voice, and mixing old classical music with modern lyrics. Known for her bossa nova hits \u201cFrom The Start,\u201d and \u201cValentine,\u201d Laufey is hailed as Gen-Z\u2019s musical prodigy revitalizing the genre of jazz.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up in Iceland, music was the backbone of her childhood. Her mother was a classical violinist, her maternal grandparents were professional musicians in China, and her father had a taste for jazz. Laufey started playing the violin as soon as she could walk. Then came piano lessons, when she turned four\u2013 and cello, later on at eight years old.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In September of 2023, she released her much anticipated second album, \u201cBewitched.\u201d Although the album contains the same themes as much of Laufey\u2019s music\u2013 love, heartache, unrequited feelings, etc., \u201cBewitched\u201d is bolder and more mature than her previous music. Still, the album is unmistakably about love.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album opens with the jazzy track \u201cDreamer.\u201d The track focuses on recognizing self-worth and self-love, something that is certainly more amplified and enunciated in \u201cBewitched.\u201d Laufey promises, \u201cYou can\u2019t pin me down \/ I fear all solid ground \/ I\u2019d rather be alone at tea,\u201d and in the chorus, \u201cNo boy\u2019s gonna kill the dreamer in me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second track, ironically named \u201cSecond Best,\u201d talks about regretting loving someone who never felt the same way. Laufey sings softly to the hum of strings and piano\u2013 \u201cI loved you so much that I settled for less \/ Oh, you were my everything \/ I was your second best.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Other than being classically trained in music, Laufey also holds talent in lyricism. Her songs burst with vivid imagery, something that amplifies the experience of listening. She sings of \u201cNightingale singing half-hearted lullabies,\u201d in \u201cSecond Best\u201d and mentions of \u201crose perfume\u201d in \u201cHaunted,\u201d a track about a former lover \u201chaunting\u201d her. Her poetic lyrics continue throughout the album\u2013 at the scream-worthy chorus of the track \u201cPromise,\u201d sung along to a subtle accompaniment, and the lyrics \u201cWhen the gold rays fell on your skin,\u201d in \u201cLovesick.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The only upbeat song on the album is \u201cFrom The Start,\u201d breaking the pattern of rainy days and melancholy scattered across the album. Coined as a song for the \u201cdelulu girlies\u201d (from both Laufey\u2019s fans and Laufey herself), the track speaks of unrequited love. \u201cFrom The Start\u201d is an instant favorite for many listeners, whether it is the relatable lyrics (\u201cListening to you harp on \u2018bout some new soulmate \/ \u2018She\u2019s so perfect,\u2019 blah, blah, blah\u201d) or the snazzy instrumental.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Laufey\u2019s arguably best track on the album, \u201cLetter To My 13 Year Old Self,\u201d is one also one of the least recognized. The track reflects on Laufey\u2019s childhood, and her worries. She sings, \u201cI\u2019m so sorry that they pick you last \/ Try to say your foreign name and laugh.\u201d Laufey encourages herself to pursue her \u201csilly\u201d dreams, because \u201cOne day, you\u2019ll be up on stage \/ Little girls will scream your name.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Growing up biracial wasn\u2019t always easy for Laufey\u2013 she often felt that she was living in multiple worlds. In her hometown in Iceland, she felt different and strange. Yet in China, she didn\u2019t quite belong either. It wasn\u2019t until she fully moved to the U.S. to study at the Berklee College of Music, where she graduated from in 2021, where she says she was really able to connect with herself.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019m so proud of being Asian and getting to connect with that side of myself is so special,\u201d she said in an interview with ELLE Magazine<\/a>. \u201cIt\u2019s clear that there was something missing in pop culture and in pop music for Asian kids, someone to look up to. I always say I became the musician that I wanted and needed.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The album closes perfectly with the namesake of the album, \u201cBewitched,\u201d a track straight out of a fairytale. Accompanied by stunning strings, Laufey sings of how a spell was cast on her heart, and paints a picture of a romantic London evening. \u201cThe world froze around us, you kissed me good night \/ you bewitch me.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Whether you\u2019re into jazz or not, \u201cBewitched\u201d stays true to its word, because it will certainly bewitch you. Laufey is certainly one to watch and I\u2019m only eager to see what she\u2019ll release next.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

NW-08. Review<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Review should present opinions, observations and evaluations of films, books, television, recordings, concerts, plays, restaurants and other things of interest to the publication\u2019s readers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Judging Criteria<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
    \n
  • Sharp, attention-getting lead that clarifies subject<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Gives a short summary or adequate information about subject<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Discusses strengths and weaknesses of subject<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Uses specific examples to support opinion<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Displays knowledge of subject<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Shows thought and research<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Colorful, lively presentation; effective form\/style<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Proper diction\/grammar<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    1st Place, Review2023-24, Division 4, News Writing By Amelia BaiThe Cougar StarClague MS \u201cBewitched,\u201d Chinese-Icelandic singer Laufey\u2019s sophomore album is far from being groundbreaking or revolutionary. And that\u2019s okay. Because to some, \u201cBewitched\u201d instead, offers something much better: An escape. The 24-year-old artist Laufey (pronounced \u201clay-vay\u201d), has gone viral for her beautiful, deep voice, and […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":15,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":true,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","enabled":false},"version":2}},"categories":[4,56],"tags":[207,23],"class_list":["post-7403","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","category-nw","category-review","tag-2023-24","tag-division4","entry"],"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"featured_image_src":null,"featured_image_src_square":null,"author_info":{"display_name":"PJ Pfeiffer","author_link":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/?author=15"},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p6K0n6-1Vp","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7403","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/15"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=7403"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/7403\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=7403"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=7403"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/acutabove.mipamsu.org\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=7403"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}