Biography
Ólöf Arnalds first gained recognition as a multi-instrumentalist deeply embedded in Iceland’s music scene, yet her transition to fronting her own projects came only with the 2007 release of Vid Og Vid. Born in 1980, she took up instruments early and commands violin, viola, cello, guitar, and an assortment of additional stringed tools. Early exposure to global folk traditions shaped her approach, leading to collaborations across numerous projects; she tours regularly with the Icelandic electronic group Múm and has contributed to recordings and performances by Slowblow, Mugison, Nix Noltes, and Kitchen Motors. Her initial move into wider visibility occurred through her prominent role on Skúli Sverrisson’s award-winning album Seria, issued in 2006, where she supplied lyrics, delivered lead vocals on three tracks, and performed on guitar, viola, koto, and charango. Following that album’s acclaim and the completion of her studies in composition and new media at the Icelandic Academy of the Arts, Arnalds completed her solo debut, Vid Og Vid, which 12 Tónar issued in 2007. Critics in Iceland and internationally responded warmly, prompting tours that reached Europe, Scandinavia, and Canada. Her second album, Innundir Skinni, appeared on One Little Indian in 2010; Sudden Elevation followed in 2013, and Palme arrived the next year.
Albums
Singles
