Bewitched (Laufey album)
Bewitched is the second studio album by Icelandic-Chinese singer-songwriter Laufey, released on 8 September 2023 through AWAL. Described by Laufey as "a love album, whether it be a love towards a friend or a lover or life", Bewitched deals with a variety of romantic themes in its songs.
Bewitched
8 September 2023
48:19 (Original Version) - 61:17 (The Goddess Edition)
- Laufey
- Philharmonia Orchestra
- Spencer Stewart
- Dan Wilson
Musically, Bewitched consists of jazz pop ballads, predominantly written by Laufey and collaborator Spencer Stewart, and produced by the duo along with Philharmonia Orchestra and Dan Wilson. The album was met with acclaim from music critics, who complimented the songs for their modern spin on jazz and nostalgic quality at the same time; Laufey's technical skills were also a subject of praise in the reviews. It won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.[2]
Four singles preceded the album: "From the Start", "Promise",[3] "Bewitched" and "California and Me",[4] the first of which marked Laufey's first song to chart on record charts. Bewitched peaked at number two on the Icelandic albums chart and was Laufey's first album to chart in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Additionally, the album topped the Australian Jazz & Blues Albums chart. To support the album, Laufey will embark on a European concert tour in 2024.[4]
On March 6, 2024, Laufey announced the reissue of the album Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, which was preceded by the single "Goddess".[5]
Background[edit]
With the announcement, Laufey described Bewitched as "a love album, whether it be a love towards a friend or a lover or life". She reflected on her first album's theme of becoming an adult and contrasted it with having since "experienced a little bit more of that, and [...] writing about the magic in the love of being young".[6]
Shortly prior to releasing the album, Laufey made the sheet music available to fans.[7]
Commercial performance[edit]
Bewitched debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Jazz Albums charts with 23,000 album-equivalent units.[18]