Laufey Wearing Bode On Tour Is Our Dream Collab

Summary

Podcast Summary: "Laufey Wearing Bode On Tour Is Our Dream Collab"

Introduction to the Episode

In the August 14, 2025, episode of The Run-Through with Vogue, hosts Chioma Nnadi, head of British Vogue, and Chloe Mel, editor of Vogue.com, delve into an engaging conversation featuring the multifaceted Icelandic-Chinese artist, Laufey. This episode highlights Laufey's unique blend of genres, her upcoming tour collaboration with designer Bode, and offers an intimate look into her musical journey and personal life.

Introducing Laufey: A Genre-Defying Artist

Chloe Mel kicks off the episode by expressing her excitement about Lautey, describing her as "the Icelandic, Chinese pop, jazz, super blender of different genres" (00:36). Laufey's ability to defy traditional categorization is emphasized, showcasing her roots in classical music influenced by her classical musician mother and her diverse interests ranging from TikTok fame to traditional jazz and pop.

Irene Kim's Experience with Laufey

Irene Kim, Vogue’s director of Vogue Runway and a close friend of Laufey, shares a heartfelt anecdote about attending Laufey's concert at the Royal Albert Hall (01:45). She recounts the electrifying atmosphere and Laufey's powerful performance, highlighting Laufey's ability to evoke deep emotions among her fans. Irene describes meeting Laufey and her identical twin sister backstage, noting, "Gabby literally lost her mind. Started crying" (03:13), showcasing the profound connection between Laufey and her audience.

Laufey's Musical Influences and Style

Chloe and Irene discuss Laufey's throwback musical style, comparing her vocals to legends like Norah Jones and Oscar Peterson (03:57). Laufey’s passion for romantic and classical music is evident, with Chloe noting Laufey’s admiration for artists like Ella Fitzgerald and her desire to duet with iconic figures from the past (04:11). Laufey's twin, who directs her music videos, plays a crucial role in her creative process, adding another layer to her artistic expression.

In-Depth Interview with Laufey: Creative Process and Album Insights

The core of the episode features an in-depth interview with Laufey, where she discusses her latest album and the evolution of her music:

• Album Creation and Personal Growth: Laufey explains that her new album represents the most authentic version of herself, focusing on honesty and emotional depth. She states, "I was thinking so much about how what I could bring to the table, that felt new, but was like the most true to myself that I'd ever been" (16:20).

• Musical Arrangements and Performance Styles: She describes her desire for cinematic and vivid arrangements, tailored for large arena performances. Laufey emphasizes the versatility of her music, offering multiple versions of her songs to suit different concert settings (19:43).

• Tour Preparations and Challenges: Discussing her upcoming Madison Square Garden performance, Laufey highlights the increased stakes and larger audience size compared to previous venues like Radio City Music Hall. She shares her strategies for maintaining stamina and delivering captivating performances every night (19:55).

• Personal Rituals and Superstitions: Contrary to traditional superstitions, Laufey prefers silence and solitude before performances, using it as a form of meditation. She occasionally indulges in chocolate to calm her nerves, admitting, "I'm gonna have the real chocolate justice for milk chocolate" (21:07).

Laufey’s Fashion Sense and Collaboration with Bode

A significant portion of the conversation revolves around Laufey's impeccable fashion sense and her collaboration with designer Bode for her tour wardrobe:

• Fashion Inspirations and Preferences: Laufey expresses her love for vintage and couture fashion, frequently sourcing outfits from vintage shops like Sorbara's in Williamsburg. She emphasizes the importance of wearing pieces she loves, adhering to her new shopping motto inspired by Vogue writer Lynn Yaeger: "If you don't want to wear it out of the store, you shouldn't buy it" (39:11).

• Custom Tour Outfits by Bode: Laufey reveals that her entire tour wardrobe is custom-made by Bode, aligning with her musical style and artistic vision. She describes the collaboration as "full of surprises" and praises Bode’s understanding of her aesthetic (42:12).

Personal Anecdotes: Laufey and Her Twin Sister

Laufey shares delightful stories about her identical twin sister, who travels with her on tour and directs her music videos. Their playful sibling dynamic is highlighted through humorous incidents, such as their attempt to outdo each other with bangs and sharing clothes (35:12; 37:19). Laufey recounts a memorable moment when her twin impersonated her, leading to a fun yet slightly awkward encounter (35:50).

Laufey’s Use of Social Media and Independent Career

Laufey discusses the pivotal role of TikTok and other social media platforms in building her career independently. She credits her ability to grow an audience organically without relying on major labels, allowing her complete creative control. Laufey highlights the importance of these platforms in nurturing niche genres and providing artists with the freedom to express their unique sounds (28:30; 29:11).

Musical Influences and Family Background

Delving deeper into her musical roots, Laufey explains how her parents' extensive background in classical and jazz music profoundly influenced her style. Her mother’s participation in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and her father’s love for jazz and world music shaped Laufey’s diverse musical palette. She articulates, "There's a level of dissonance to them, a level of tension that then resolves" (23:08), showcasing her appreciation for complex musical structures.

Future Aspirations and Dream Collaborations

When asked about her dream collaborations, Laufey expresses a desire to work with legendary artists like Oscar Peterson and contemporary icons such as Lana Del Rey. She reflects on her fortunate experiences performing with renowned artists like Norah Jones and Barbra Streisand, indicating her aspirations to continue growing and collaborating within the music industry (47:36).

Conclusion: Laufey’s Multifaceted Talent and Future Prospects

The episode concludes with Laufey reiterating her excitement for her upcoming tour and the continuous evolution of her music and fashion collaborations. Hosts Chioma and Chloe express their admiration and support for Laufey, emphasizing her impact as an independent artist who seamlessly blends diverse musical genres with high fashion.

Notable Quotes

• Chloe Mel on Laufey’s Genre-Blending: "She's someone who really defies any boundary that's put around her or one box descriptor" (00:36).

• Irene Kim on Laufey’s Performance: "Her Voice sounds like from another era" (02:00).

• Laufey on Artistic Authenticity: "I wanted to stay true to my musical roots... honesty and speaking, like, straight from my heart" (16:32).

• Laufey on Fashion Week Inspiration: "Every time I go to Fashion Week, like, there are very few things that have me as starstruck as getting to sit front row at a fashion show" (40:37).

• Laufey on Independent Career: "I own all my masters and all my publishing... I grew an audience first... and grew the industry's trust in me" (29:52).

Final Thoughts

This episode of The Run-Through with Vogue offers a comprehensive glimpse into Laufey's artistic journey, her seamless integration of music and fashion, and her steadfast independence in the music industry. Through personal anecdotes, in-depth discussions, and insightful interviews, listeners gain an appreciation for Laufey's talent, her collaborative spirit with designers like Bode, and her unwavering dedication to her craft.

Transcript

[Levi]

She's made up her mind to live pretty smart Learn to budget responsibly right from the start. She spends a little less, inputs more into savings Keeps her blood pressure low and credit score raises she's cutting debt right out of her life she tracks her cash flow on her spreadsheet at.

[Choma]

Night Boring money moves make kinda lame songs but they sound pretty sweet to your wallet. Brilliantly boring since 1865.

[Chloe Mel]

This is the run through. I'm Chloe Mel. And I'm Choma Nadi Choma. I can't wait for you to hear today's episode because we had the most adorable. Sorry, I don't know if that's demeaning because she's also a powerhouse, but she was really so sweet and I will, I stand by adorable. Le Vey, the Icelandic, Chinese pop, jazz, super blender of different genres. I didn't know much about Lei versus I'm an elder person. But what I now understand is that she's someone who really defies any boundary that's put around her or one box descriptor. She's Icelandic Chinese, she's a TikTok star, but also very traditional. She's jazz and pop. She grew up with classical music. Her mom is a classical musician. So it's just in her blood. And we had such a great conversation with her. Our beloved Gen Z colleague Irene Kim joined the conversation and she is friends with Lave and her identical twin and I really felt like their mother, but it was great. And she's wearing custom Bodhi for her whole tour.

[Irene Kim]

I mean she has amazing style. But I have a very fun, fun Leve story for you. So I didn't know who Leve was either, but a friend of mine, Carol, and her daughter, who is Carol, who is I think 14, 15 and obviously really plugged into what's new and what's hip and was like, we have to go to see this concert. And she'd been like, can you, can you go? Can we go? Can we go? And I managed to get tickets and like Gabby is the biggest Leve fan in the world and I didn't really know what to expect but you walk in and it's like a whole audience. And it was at the Royal Albert hall, which is a massive, beautiful. I guess it's kind of like Carnegie. Carnegie hall would be the comparison maybe. And it's just basically a room, a kind of a crowd full of musical theater kids. Like it is like all of the musical theater kids descending down at once and the atmosphere is insane. I mean, obviously her Voice sounds like from another era. So then we went backstage to meet Leve and her identical twin, and Gabby literally lost her mind. Started crying. No, started crying. But she has an incredible voice herself. And then she sang for Leve and it was like. I didn't even know that she had this voice. And it was. It was like the most. It was the craziest thing that ever happened. Like, she sang for Leve and was. Was in full tears because that's how intense a fanhood is. And I was just like, I am old.

[Gabby]

Wow.

[Irene Kim]

I was just like. I didn't even know. I know. It was really crazy. It was really crazy. But, yeah, it was quite interesting. It's not like. It's just not an experience I would have had if I wouldn't have gotten sort of tipped off by this 15 year old. And it opened up this world of, like, fandom and music, a genre of music that feels so throwback that I was so quite surprised to hear. Cause she sounds like she could be singing, you know, in the sort of dance halls of like 1940s or something. Like, it's quite throwback. Her sound and her voice.

[Chloe Mel]

No, it's completely throwback. I mean, it's. And I don't know if this is a fair comp, but I think about Norah Jones or. I mean, it really is sort of.

[Irene Kim]

A. Yeah, sorry, that isn't it.

[Chloe Mel]

And I asked her, I said, who would you love to duet with? And she only named dead people. It was like Ella Fitzgerald or Oscar Peterson. I really appreciated that as someone who.

[Irene Kim]

Made the musicianship is insane. Isn't her twin also like a cellist or something?

[Chloe Mel]

Her twin also directed her most all of her music videos. So her twin travels with her and is her creative director. And they were very funny about how, like times that they've maybe been each other or.

[Irene Kim]

I mean, having an identical twin must be the most fun. I mean, my cousins are identical twins, but I don't think they played many pranks.

[Chloe Mel]

Like, no parent trap for them.

[Irene Kim]

No parent trap. Yeah. So Michaela Cole is British Vogue September cover star. One of my favorite people. One of the most talented actors, writers and creators. Love now. And she looks incredible. Shot by photographer Harley Weir and styled by my friend Nell Kalongi. And I've been wanting Harley to shoot for us forever. And Harley has been. Usually, she's kind of more focused on art projects at the moment, but she is such a fan of mc, of Our Dear mc that she decided to. She agreed to it. So it's very exciting and Then Reni Eddo Lodge did a fantastic job at the interview. She talk about obviously Mother Mary, who she stars opposite Anne Hathaway, but also about her new 10 part series that she's creating that will be coming out in the very near future on the BBC. So watch this space. I think it's gonna be incredible. And she also has another movie with Steve Soderbergh. So she is fully booked and busy this fall.

[Chloe Mel]

We love a Booked and busy. Mikayla Cole.

[Irene Kim]

Booked and busy. And yeah. So very, very excited.

[Chloe Mel]

September, I'm so season.

[Irene Kim]

Yeah, she's great. I mean also did we. I miss the. I know the conversation around Emma Stone. I know you guys have had that conversation, but wow.

[Chloe Mel]

Isn't it such a fab cover? I really so fab. I love all the photos and I think they're, you know, it's hard to do a compelling article about Emma Stone because she's just so universally well liked and that makes it less of a. There's less tension. But I thought Jason Gay did a great job and really articulated that and figured out a fun way to approach her. And I also love when people who have interviewed celebrities throughout their careers come back to them. And Jason did Emma's first cover many years ago. So I thought it was a really fun story. And I loved all of these sort of couture levels, clothes that Vuitton.

[Irene Kim]

Yeah. Fun fact. I interviewed Nicolas Gasket for the. To talk about the clothes and I went to Paris to interview him about the process of making those couture pieces.

[Chloe Mel]

Wow.

[Irene Kim]

And he was so animated, excited. It was really a joy to talk to him and he was truly in his element. He has such an amazing relationship with Emma and also with Grace Coddington. So we had a really fun time and I'd never spent much time with him and it was really kind of. It was a really great day and he gave so much and he's such a fab interview.

[Chloe Mel]

That's very exciting to have a. Yeah.

[Irene Kim]

It was my secret mission. My secret mission was to go and mystics agent naughty. But yes, over here we've all been. As our colleague Jose Crias onto has been saying, it always says it's always Fashion Week somewhere. And here we've been very into Copenhagen street style. Cause I think, I don't know about the US or about New York, but Scandi girls are perennially like the coolest girls in Europe. Like French girls have that kind of like classical cool. But like Scandi girls are where the trends start percolating and people the Kind of interesting layering tricks. And it was really fun to see the street style. And a lot of people go. Actually, a lot of people go from the US I always love reading Laird's reports on the shows, but for me it's really about watching the streets. Lyle, I love seeing like the way, the way the girls dress on the street.

[Chloe Mel]

Now I know our colleague Laird Borelli Pearson is really the queen of Copenhagen and she. I love seeing her sort of reports from the ground while she's there. Like, for example, rat accessories were a big deal in Copenhagen this year.

[Irene Kim]

Wait, really? I miss that.

[Chloe Mel]

Metallic leather rat purses, which ra are like my animal that I really prefer not to interact with.

[Irene Kim]

I mean, you and everyone else.

[Chloe Mel]

No, no, I'm fine with snakes. But like a rat, I just, I want, like, I have a very specific approach to the subway, which is I never look on the tracks because there's always rats on the tracks. I don't.

[Irene Kim]

You're in the wrong city for rats.

[Chloe Mel]

I know, I know. But I have a whole system about avoiding rats as much as possible. And Suddenly on the vogue.com homepage there was a metallic rat bag. And that was one of the trends coming out of Copenhagen. And so. But yes, people love the Scandi street girl style. My 20 year old niece is doing her a semester in Copenhagen with. She's at the Sorbonne and she's so excited but very stressed about how to dress cool in Copenhagen because it really is. They set the bar very high and they really do. I'm like, is that you're a French girl. You don't need to worry about dressing cool.

[Irene Kim]

She just needs to lean into the French thing. You know, they don't care, do less. It's always just do less, care less, do less. Okay, so Angelina Jolie has revealed that she's in this new film, this new fashion film, and it's called Couture. It's directed by Alice Vinicourt. She's a French director. I think most obviously her films are all French language. But this one is making waves because it stars Angelina Jolie and Louis Guerrel.

[Chloe Mel]

Bestill My heart.

[Irene Kim]

Oh, wow. Okay.

[Chloe Mel]

I love Louis Guerrel.

[Irene Kim]

Why should I know Louis Guerrell? Tell me everything.

[Chloe Mel]

Louis Guerrel, he's just an extreme. He's. I mean, any French person listening to this will roll their eyes because he's sort of a like bad boy. He's sort of. He's been around the block for a while, but he's just a very hunky French actor. He was in the Dreamers He's Philippe Garrel's son.

[Irene Kim]

Okay, okay, got it, got it, got it, got it.

[Chloe Mel]

Sister Esther is also is like a big mew mew girl. So they're a big sort of French film family. But Louis Guerrel sort of, you know, a French hunk that we love to see as a co star in a fashion film.

[Irene Kim]

So my question is, has there been up until this point? Because this movie could be a really great portrayal of the fashion world. But has. Is. Does a really good fashion film exist?

[Chloe Mel]

Discuss.

[Irene Kim]

Like, do we think it has? Like, I'm curious to know because for.

[Chloe Mel]

Background, this first came up in our the run through internal Slack channel and Shoma and Nicole Phelps had very strong feelings about this, which I really appreciated. Shoma made this bold claim and Nicole agreed. And then Nicole said, what was the documentary?

[Irene Kim]

She said unzipped, which, which I agree with. But it's a documentary.

[Chloe Mel]

Documentary's different, but a fashion feature. It's true. It's. It's tricky. Although I do feel like we all love fandom thread.

[Irene Kim]

There's been a lot of biopics that have been. Been okay. Been good. Ish.

[Chloe Mel]

I mean, to me, Funny Face is a fashion film, but it's really a fashion magazine film. But I find that to be like a great depiction of the dream of the 1950s fashion media world. But Audrey Hepburn and Fred Astaire don't hurt in that. Oh my God. I, as you know, choma go to bed at 9:30. I woke up early the next morning to a explosion of activity on Slack about Taylor Swift's new album being dropped on Travis Kelce's podcast.

[Irene Kim]

I mean, love that. I love. I love that she did that on her podcast.

[Chloe Mel]

We love a cross platform announcement.

[Gabby]

Yeah.

[Irene Kim]

And then, and then he had that crazy, insane Ryan McGinley GQ cover.

[Chloe Mel]

I love this new GQ cover. I think it's Saba La Roche with Sean Manning. I mean, I just think it's very cool and has a very strong point of view. Someone in a comment, I forget where it was like, it's giving Maha shaman, which I think was true, but in a good way. Well, and the big deal about this was that she's wearing all orange in the photos that she released. And so Margot interviewed an aura specialist and a color theorist about what that new, this new orange era for Taylor is going to mean.

[Irene Kim]

So everyone should read that the Easter eggs abound.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh yes, the orange Easter eggs. And also Christian did a piece that we were talking about because we started discussing yesterday. She's wearing the like Cartier Panthere necklace in the clip.

[Irene Kim]

Who is she?

[Chloe Mel]

And I was saying, as a someone who's in a podcast studio several times a week, a statement necklace is really the best accessory for podcasting because your ears are covered for earrings.

[Irene Kim]

You're right, you're right, you're right.

[Chloe Mel]

Your rings. You can see if you're gesticulating a lot. Bracelets are clacking on the table, so you shouldn't be wearing bracelets. A statement necklace, really the only option you've got.

[Irene Kim]

Good. I love, I love your necklace. Like your necklace forever. It's so nice.

[Chloe Mel]

So, yes, we, we have a lot of thoughts about Taylor's new album. The run through will be back in a moment.

[Levi]

She's made up her mind to live pretty smart, learn to budget responsibly right from the start. She spends a little less and boots pouring through savings keeps her blood pressure low and credit score raises.

[Choma]

Boring money moves. Make kind of lame songs, but they sound pretty sweet to your wallet. The NC bank, brilliantly boring since 1865.

[Chloe Mel]

And we're back. We are so excited to have you here. I have been hearing about you for two years, starting with Irene Kim because she is your number one fan and supporter.

[Gabby]

God, I am hers.

[Chloe Mel]

And we get to have Irene Kim in the studio today as our levee ambassador. Ambassadress.

[F]

That'd be my new job.

[Chloe Mel]

What's your title when it's not that? Irene?

[F]

Production and editorial associate of Vogue Runway.

[Chloe Mel]

There we go. Levi, we are so excited about the new album. How are you feeling?

[Gabby]

I am feeling really excited. Really, really excited. There was a good moment, I think, when we were like a couple of months, like, it was still. We had a couple of months to go where I was a little nervous cause I'd finished it, but it had yet to reach the arms of everyone. And also, you know, when you're rolling out singles, it's like you're tearing pages out of a book. Like you don't have the full story yet. Yeah. So like I put out a song and people are like, oh, this is like so different. Or something like that. And it's like, no, no. Like you need to hear the full album. So now I'm very excited. I'm excited for everyone to hear the full thing and get the context of the story because I think it's like a type of album that you have to listen to from beginning to end.

[F]

So I had the opportunity to listen to your album early and I loved your album. You know, it goes very Personal and, you know, deeper than you have in other albums. Can you explain a little bit more about that?

[Gabby]

Yeah. Well, when I was starting to write this album, I was thinking so much about how what I could bring to the table, that felt new, but was like the most true to myself that I'd ever been. Because I didn't want to repeat the same album again. That's just. I've changed as a person as well, but I still wanted to stay true to my musical roots. And I thought, how can I evolve and how can I grow? And I always just went towards, like, honesty and speaking, like, straight from my heart. So that was one of the main things. And I think I also musically wanted to. I wanted to make an album that was very vivid, very cinematic and. And big. Like, it's my loudest album with the biggest arrangements, and I knew I'd be touring in arenas and playing it for a lot of people at once. And also my fans, they. After Bewitched and that whole concert run tour, I realized just how passionate they are and sing along to every lyric. And so I wanted to give them an album that was also worthy of singing along to. Yeah.

[Chloe Mel]

I wonder if you make music with the venue or the way it's going to be shared with your fans in mind. Like, when you're writing something, you're thinking, oh, this will be something that's for a small group at Bemelman's or for Madison Square Garden, right?

[Gabby]

I do, and I don't. I think when I'm writing the song, like, just in my bedroom, and it's just, you know, guitar and voice or piano and voice, I don't think about it at all. I think sometimes when I get into producing the song and recording it, I think a little bit about it, but more out of, like, excitement, of, like, wondering how audiences are going to receive it, but not too much. I mean, you know, you could have a song that's just piano and voice, but it could be the biggest song and actually more fit for an arena than some song that maybe would be best played in, like, a small club with, like a band, you know, so it's. It's very. It's very difficult to figure out how you're going to write it. Also, I play so many different types of concerts. Like, I. I like to say there are three types of concerts that I play. There's the concert with my band and a string quartet, which is like, what I usually go on tour with. And then there's orchestra concerts where I play with a full orchestra. And the. The songs are all arranged for, like, a classical orchestra. And then I have the solo sets. So no matter what, I can't really focus too much on writing for one type of venue because I always end up singing the song in different ways. Like, even if you go on my discography on Spotify or Apple Music or something, it's like you'll have four different versions of a song. Because I did a live version from. With the orchestra at the Hollywood bowl, and then I did an acoustic version here, and then I did, you know, a. A band version and a live band version. It's like there's so many different ways for a song to live.

[F]

So the last time you performed in New York City, you were at Radio City Music hall, and this October you'll be at Madison Square Garden. How is your concert prep this different this time around?

[Gabby]

Ooh. I mean, there's a lot more at stake, right? I mean, Radio City was still huge and is one of my favorite venues I've ever played. But there's a big difference between, like, every show will have, like, over 10,000 people. And that's a lot of people who've taken time out of their day money, spent a lot of money and learned the songs, like, spent their time to really invest in me and the show. So I really. I wanna make sure I'm protecting myself and doing everything I can to be the best version of myself and perform well on stage every night. And so, I mean. And then the stage is bigger. So, like, I've been building up my stamina. I need to. Yeah.

[Chloe Mel]

Cause you probably move more.

[Gabby]

I'm moving more. Yeah. There's dancers, so there's going to be a lot more movement involved. And the songs are. The songs are bigger. Singing with more chest.

[Chloe Mel]

Do you. Are there any superstitions before a concert or sort of a. Like a routine that you do before any performance?

[Gabby]

I. I don't really have one for the exact reason that I. If I forget to do it, I will panic on stage. Like, if I have to. If I set up a system where I had to slap a wall 10 times before I went on stage or something and I was on stage and I was like, oh, my God, I forgot. Then I'd probably feel. Get superstitious about it. So, no, I think for me, I. I just need silence. Like, I need everyone out of the room. Just even 20 minutes, even 10 minutes, if I'm lucky. I have 10 minutes to just kind of sit. And it's almost like my meditation. But, yeah, that's Good. Sometimes I like having chocolate too.

[F]

Do you have a favorite?

[Gabby]

Yeah. What's your chocolate of choice? I'll literally eat any chocolate.

[Chloe Mel]

Really?

[Gabby]

Yeah.

[Chloe Mel]

Okay, me too.

[Gabby]

Oh, yeah. Any. Any chocolate. Going through a milk chocolate phase.

[Chloe Mel]

I love milk chocolate. Tony's is my number one.

[Gabby]

Tony's is so good. I gaslit myself into, like, thinking I was a dark chocolate girl for my entire life and. And I realized that that was just propaganda.

[Chloe Mel]

It really is.

[Gabby]

Dark chocolate has such good marketing. Literally, such good marketing. My mom bought into it all. Everybody bought into it. But milk chocolate just tastes really good.

[Chloe Mel]

It's so much more delicious.

[Gabby]

Like, if I'm having chocolate, I'm gonna have. I'm gonna have the real chocolate justice for milk chocolate.

[Chloe Mel]

Levi, I wanna talk about your musical influences. Because I feel like there's a lot of discussion about. You can't put Lefe in a box. She's jazz, she's pop, she's TikTok. She's traditional. But I'm curious because I feel like you have referenced some of my favorite musicians, like Carole King and Chet Baker, even Ravel. How does that all come together and how has that sort of coalesced into one style for you?

[Gabby]

Hmm. I mean, it's all music that I grew up with and grew up studying, and so I feel like it almost just exists within me. Okay. It's not something I like. It's not like I listen to a classical piece or like a Chet Baker record, and I'm like, I'm gonna replicate that. I feel like even my poppiest pop songs, you have a 2, 5, 1 progression, which is a classic, a jazz progression. Or you'll have kind of these minor. These chordal movements that are very classical. Like, I have a song called Tough Luck. It's like the pop song of the album. And it's like when I sing it or I just play it on piano, the da da da da da da da da da da da da. It's like very, like. It's like Russian romantic classical music. Interesting. And so it's something that I think is just like, kind of within me. But I think the common denominator, it's all quite romantic music. So it's like romantic period of classical music. Very romantic jazz music. Like the melodic things, the things that you may feel like they're tugging at your heartstrings. Cause there's a level of dissonance to them, a level of tension that then resolves. That's something that I think brings all of my favorite art forms together.

[F]

So Going back to the jazz and the music of it all. How do you feel about the whole iswave jazz debate? You know, for those who might not be aware, there's an ongoing conversation online about whether your music is jazz and.

[Gabby]

How do I feel about it? I don't like it because I don't really subscribe to one thing or another. Anytime I've been tagged as one thing, you have an army of people being like, she's not classical, she's not jazz, she's not this, she's not that. And I'm like, I'm literally just me and I'm an artist.

[F]

Yeah.

[Gabby]

And I'm making music that is a concoction of all these different things. So much pop music is a concoction of different things, but we're less sensitive about that because we're used to it. But like, I think maybe because I'm reaching so far back into jazz inspirations, into bossa nova inspirations, people are just not used to it being mixed together. And so, yeah, I don't know. I wish that I wouldn't. I just feel like I'm a current artist with inspirations from the past. That being said, like, I love jazz music so much and I'm a trained jazz singer. Like, I studied vocal jazz and I always include a standard in all of my albums and do that for a reason. Like I want to introduce my audience, this audience that is hopefully has trained their ear to understand and enjoy that kind of music and want to be in that atmosphere. Same with classical music. I always have a song with an orchestra and I want to train the ear and introduce that sound as well, that soundscape to new audiences. So it's definitely something I care about and absolutely not something I want to erase either. And I don't want people from those communities to think that it's something that I'm just taking from and not giving to, if that makes sense.

[Chloe Mel]

So, yeah, I think that's a good problem to have. If people are that passionate about your work that they're worried about how it's being boxed in. I think that's exciting.

[Gabby]

Yeah, it's. It's so weird. And, you know, I have songs that sound a lot like jazz standards. And if there's like a 14 year old out there somewhere who's never listened to jazz in their life and they hear a song like Valentine and they choose to call that jazz because it is very reminiscent of a jazz standard and is structured after the jazz music that I love, then I don't think that they're wrong in saying that either. You know what I mean? Yeah. So it's a weird debate.

[Chloe Mel]

Were your parents very musical? I mean, or are they. Did you grow up in a house that was always playing music?

[Gabby]

Oh, yeah. My mom's a violinist. Oh, wow. She's in the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and she. Her parents, my grandparents, were both professors of classical music as well, of piano and violin and Beijing and China. So I grew up very much surrounded by classical music and was at orchestra rehearsals in the womb. And I don't remember starting an instrument. It was just one of those things that happened. So music was always a huge, huge part of my life. I think that's why classical music is always what I go back to because it feels it sounds like my childhood. But my dad, like, he loves jazz music and loves world music, loves Brazilian music, and I think that side of my musical ear has actually come from him. And also he loves the Beatles and he loves Carole King and the Mamas and Papas. So I think I get a lot of that inspiration also from my dad. Love that.

[F]

I'm really curious to hear about the early days of your career. Would you give some credit to TikTok? Cause you and your sister do post.

[Gabby]

A lot of TikToks and you know, absolutely. I mean, in this TikTok is, or the social media in general is like, it's a, it's an essential for a musician now, but. And I think is often looked down upon by a lot of artists because, I mean, I get it, it's like sometimes not fun. And you've definitely. Like the amount of times I've embarrassed myself on social media is like a little bit more than literally yesterday I posted a TikTok. Oh, I think I saw the Hamilton one.

[Chloe Mel]

Wait, what was it?

[Gabby]

Tell me about it. It's like this Hamilton trend where it's like you're playing Alexander Hamilton, you're lip syncing to him, like climbing out a window and he's like going to duel with Aaron Burr. And girls have been doing it and it's such a funny trend and I love Hamilton so much. So I was like, I have to do it. Like I wanted just truly in my heart to do it. And, and all my friends that are like, with me on tour, we're all Hamilton friends, so. And also like, honestly, that, like colonial garb, like, I have that in my closet. Like, unfortunately, I just dress a little bit like that.

[Chloe Mel]

Where did you get that colonial garb?

[Gabby]

So this wasn't even my closet. This is like my tour suitcase. I have this like vintage Ralph Lauren, like double breasted, like, jacket that looks like a colonial jacket. And I had, I have a lot of tulle ribbons, like different ribbons for concerts. And so we put that around as like almost like a pussy bow.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh my God.

[Gabby]

And then I had a pair of like linen pants, but they're like just simple navy pants. And we took hair ties and we like pulled them up so the pants looked like pantaloons. And I had white socks and these boaty Irish dancing shoes kind of. Wow. Like these lace up shoes that look very vintage. And then I put another little black bow and a low pony and I looked in the mirror and I was like, well, this is Hamilton. No, I. No, but I'd wear it. No, we. The outfit. But then I. But then I took two eyeliners and started putting a mustache on my face.

[F]

Yeah, that was the problem that got me.

[Gabby]

Yeah. And I did two shades, so I kind of like shaded it out. No, I looked in the mirror and I was like, my phone wouldn't let me log in. Like, face ID declined.

[Chloe Mel]

That's impressive. That's a real disguise.

[Gabby]

Face ID declined. But anyways, to answer your question, I embarrass myself on social media almost every single day.

[Chloe Mel]

But do you Remember your first TikTok post ever?

[Gabby]

I do. It was, it was of a song I had just written at the time called like the Movies. And it was like a jazz standard, like, song.

[Chloe Mel]

And what year is this? How old are you?

[Gabby]

2020. Okay, summer of 2020. Okay. So I was 21. COVID lockdowns. Exactly, COVID lockdowns. And I put a video of that online and people were like, responding to it. And it was weird because it was all young people and the music didn't seem. I was like, hoping obviously that there would be a young audience for it, but I'd never had an example of it. So, yeah, TikTok really and Instagram really, like, it's very difficult for me to hate on the, on the device that gives me so much creative freedom and so much power and power over my word is, is what I mean. Essentially. Like, absolutely no one can. Like, my thoughts are my own and I can always deliver them to my audience exactly how I want to. Like, it's very like me unfiltered. And if you would have asked, you know, anyone in the industry five, six years ago if a project like mine would succeed or even resonate with a young audience, I'm sure most people would not bet on it. I don't know if I Would have even bet on it. Like, yes, of course. And now it's easy to look back and think that. But. But the only reason I have a career is because I didn't go to a label or the industry. I didn't go to an industry and say, I have this idea, like, let's figure it out. Can you invest in me? I did it the opposite way around. I grew an audience first. I had already quite a large audience before I signed any album deal. And it gave me complete creative control. No one's ever told me what kind of song I should put out or which one, because they know that I know my audience very well and my audience trusts me. So I think it's actually a really, really beautiful thing. Like artists in the past, especially female artists, absolutely did not have control over what they could say. And the fact that we have that now, I think that's pretty cool. So I don't take it for granted. And still to this day, I mean, I'm independent. I've never signed to a major label. Wow. And I own all my masters and all my publishing. And. And the sole reason is because I grew an audience and grew the industry's trust in me. Before, it was the other way around. So I think it's actually a vital tool for artists, for artists with a unique sound or unique look, because it's really just a testing ground. And I think there are so many niches of different music that maybe weren't given a chance before because there were just a couple of guys at the top deciding what people wanted to listen to. And now every niche is fulfilled. You know, if there's, like, a really specific sound you want, like, there's probably an artist making it. Yeah.

[Levi]

She's made up her mind to live pretty smart, learn to budget responsibly right from the start. She spends a little less and puts more into savings. Keeps her blood pressure low and credit score raises. She's cutting debt right out of her life. She tracks her cash more on her spreadsheet at night.

[Choma]

Boring money moves make kind of lame songs but they sound pretty sweet to your wallet. BNC Bank. Brilliantly boring since 1865.

[Chloe Mel]

For people who don't know, you have a twin.

[Gabby]

Twin? I have an identical twin sister. So April 23rd is a powerful, powerful day. Wow. Yeah, it's crazy.

[Chloe Mel]

And do you travel on tour with your twin sister?

[Gabby]

Yeah, she comes with me everywhere. Wow.

[Chloe Mel]

And she just directed your new music video, right?

[Gabby]

Lover Girl. Both Lover Girl and Snow White. Wow.

[Chloe Mel]

What is it like traveling together and do you guys. Of course. I imagine like Parent Trap. Swap stories. Do you guys. She ever go to an event as you.

[Gabby]

One time. She did. One time. Have you heard of this? Does she travel? But I can't say no. I'm. I'm. I need to wait another couple years for it.

[Chloe Mel]

But can you describe the scene without giving away any relevant details?

[Gabby]

The scene was that I was already overwhelmed from an event and. But so joyously overwhelmed, but had a very early morning the next day to catch a concert and there was some business that needed to be dealt where a face card was accepted.

[Chloe Mel]

I really love that for you, Du.

[Gabby]

Oh, yes. But that's the only time other than that. It's actually one time. I feel really bad. Somebody asked me if I was. And I was. They were really drunk. It was like out in Reykjavik, like at. It was like 2am and they were like, can we get a photo? And I was like, I was not looking good. I was also drunk. I was like, oh, I'm not. I'm Yunya. You're twin. Yeah. But then it backfired. Cause they were like, oh no, we want a photo with you. Like, you're like the best creative director ever. And I was like. I was like, no. I was like, no, you don't want a photo with me. Like, so.

[F]

Yeah, now with the bangs. You guys can't switch.

[Gabby]

I know, but the tea with the bangs is I really want to get bangs. Oh, wow.

[Chloe Mel]

So then you both have bangs.

[Gabby]

I was going to get bangs first. Oh my God. And then she sneakily. I think she would debate this. Got bangs. I'll never forget. It was Fashion Week. It was January Fashion Week. We were in Paris. She got off the Eurostar and arrived at the hotel with just. Just a shadow of a bang. And I said, what have you done? And we'd all been agreeing that I was going to wait to get bangs until after my like, album cover photo shoot. Because the album cover photo shoot, like, it dictates my hair for the next two years.

[Chloe Mel]

Okay.

[Gabby]

So I was like, I'm gonna do that with like hair that I trust. And then I'm gonna go for a fun bang. And she. She slid, right?

[Chloe Mel]

She outbanged you?

[Gabby]

She outbanged me. And then I wore. I did fake bangs for.

[F]

In the white dress.

[Gabby]

Right?

[F]

Yeah.

[Gabby]

Yes.

[Chloe Mel]

Whatever. Fake bangs. Like, do they feel weird or.

[Gabby]

It just feels like super weird.

[Irene Kim]

Okay.

[Gabby]

Yeah. It feels like you're a horse. I think that's. I. Not that I know what being a horse is like, but like, you're like, acutely aware. But maybe that's what bangs. I haven't had a bang, so I wouldn't know.

[Chloe Mel]

Me neither.

[Gabby]

But it was like. I don't know. My forehead was kind of sweating weird. But I was. I posted a photo in it or, like, a TikTok or something, and everyone was like, oh, my God, she copied Yunia. And I was like, no. So I don't know. Maybe. But yeah, right now, things are the tell.

[Chloe Mel]

Do you guys share clothes?

[Gabby]

Yes, we share all of our clothes.

[F]

Oh, that's so nice.

[Gabby]

She's also a fashion queen.

[Chloe Mel]

So what are you wearing today? This is a great, like, summer in the city outfit.

[Gabby]

Oh, what am I wearing today? I am wearing this vintage Courrez top that I just got, which is.

[Chloe Mel]

What's your vintage shop source? Like, where.

[Gabby]

So I got this at Sorbara's. Okay. Williamsburg. Yes. Yes. I. I love that place. Spent a lot of money there. I honestly found a lot of good things, and I had to hold myself back. I also got this, like, vintage Chanel cashmere skirt there, and I walked out. In was one of those situations where I was like, if I don't walk out in this right now, I run the risk of never wearing it, because I'll, like, protect it too much.

[Chloe Mel]

An iconic Vogue fashion writer, Lynn Yeager. Her rule for shopping is, if you don't want to wear it out of the store, you shouldn't buy it.

[Gabby]

Okay. My new motto. Yeah, my new motto. And I exercised it yesterday, but. And I'm wearing 501, like, Levi's vintage cutoffs that I got at Scout Vintage in la.

[Chloe Mel]

Good vintage sourcing.

[Gabby]

I've definitely found my spots, I think. And then I'm wearing Repettos. So cute. Heeled Repettos.

[F]

You've become a Fashion Week fixture on the front row at Cloe and Chanel the past few seasons. Are you sad to miss Fashion Month this season? Because I'm assuming you can't go between your concerts and everything.

[Gabby]

I am. I love Fashion Week. Like, I am. I just love clothes. I love style, and I love how it connects to music. And, you know, the fashion shows are music shows, too. I mean, at the last Chanel show, at the last couture show, it was like, I've never seen such a direct, like, correlation between the styling getting, like, darker and, like, more dramatic, and the music also, like, traveling into a more dramatic sphere. Like, obviously that kind of happens in a way everywhere. But it was really obvious in this show. Cause it just went from, like, tan and white to, like, black. And so it's always. It's so fun. I just love clothes. Like, every time I go to Fashion Week, like, there are very few things that have me as starstruck as getting to sit front row at a fashion show. Like, that is where I. People ask me when I feel like I made it, and I'm like, that. Like, that is absolutely it. But I get so much. So much inspiration, and, like, it's so fun. Sometimes I get to, like, like, text my stylist afterwards, and I'm like, can we wear that? Or something like this? And it's such good inspiration. But I will say I'm very excited about my tour styling. So excited that it might be a balm for missing Fashion Week.

[Chloe Mel]

Okay, tell us about what the tour style is. Is there, like, one designer you're working with a lot, or is there, you know, a narrative that's sort of overarching?

[Gabby]

It's so. It's Bodhi. It's custom Bodhi.

[F]

That's going to be incredible.

[Gabby]

It is. Wait, I'll show you afterwards. But it is full of surprises. I'm so excited. I'll put it that way. It's full of surprises, but very. Like, when I was thinking about what I wanted to do for Tor, I was like, okay, which designers do. I feel like really just get the music inside out. And I, like, I feel like with every bode line, I just see so many connections between, like, you know, either, like, the doll clothes or, like, the, like, the vintage inspirations.

[Chloe Mel]

We love the doll clothes.

[Gabby]

We love the doll clothes. And then a lot of music. Like, even their current. Their new collection is, like, all. It's called the Expressionist or something. It's like the inspiration is this, like, old musical composer, but it's not even someone that's very known, but it's like. And even when I go in there, I can tell they're playing the kind of music that is, like, that I'm inspired by. So. And they just get it. So I immediately. I was like. I asked them. I was like, so how would you want to dress me and feed my crazy fantasies? Also, the last tour was such a good, like, experimenting ground for me because I wore a different dress every night. And there was one particular outfit that I wore, and it was from Bodhi, and it was this white tulle skirt and, like, embroidered bra. Do you know what I'm talking about?

[Chloe Mel]

Sam Sussman wore that to the pre med party.

[Gabby]

Yes. A lot of people. I have a lot of friends who've worn it like, I actually have seen it on a lot of friends of mine, which is honestly so cute. It's so cute.

[Chloe Mel]

The sisterhood of the traveling tutu, literally.

[Gabby]

And every time I'm like, I think I'm wearing the same one as all of them too. But that one I wore more than once. I wore it like three times or something just because it danced so beautifully and they understood the dancewear and so I. Yeah, that's the reason I was.

[Chloe Mel]

Such a. I mean, custom Bodhi tour wardrobe is a pretty fab way to kick off fall, I have to say. It's worth missing Fashion Week, maybe.

[Gabby]

Yes. I have my own fashion week. It's called the American.

[Chloe Mel]

Are there any designer debuts? As I'm sure you know, there's a lot of change in the fashion arena.

[Gabby]

The musical chairs.

[Chloe Mel]

The musical chairs. Are there any big debuts this season that you're eagle eyed, watching from afar?

[Gabby]

I mean, I feel like I've kind of been following along all of them. I'm obviously extremely excited to see Chanel. Yes. And what Matou Blaizi does. I feel like every time I'm over there too, I'm like, so how's it looking like? And they're all like, they must love that. Oh, yeah. No, they're locked up though. Like they're. And as they should. As they should. So I'm kind of on the edge of my seat for that. I was also very excited to see what J.W. anderson was doing for Dior. I thought that was really cool. I loved what he put Sabrina in because it was like this callback to like that. What was it called? The new look.

[Chloe Mel]

Yes.

[Gabby]

Which I thought. I'm always so excited to see anything vintage represented in a modern way. I feel like that's like my whole artistic philosophy. I love new Selene as well.

[F]

Yes, me too.

[Gabby]

I love, I love like a chic preppy moment. Yeah, I am perverted Prep.

[Chloe Mel]

Anything current that you're watching or enjoying. Are you a Love island person?

[Gabby]

Well, actually, one of my songs played in Love Island.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh my God.

[Gabby]

In the finale.

[Chloe Mel]

No way. I don't watch Love Island.

[F]

It was one of the, you know, the main contestants. So I'm like, they always pick the, like, good songs for the people who will win or might win because everyone else kind of gets like, you know, a cover song. So that's when I was like, oh, Amaya's going to win.

[Gabby]

No, it was, that was definitely, like really, really cool. I was very, very happy with that. I just watched the entirety of Succession.

[Chloe Mel]

And What did you think?

[Gabby]

I loved it. I loved it so much. I thought it was so kooky.

[Chloe Mel]

Who do you think is the best? Roy?

[Gabby]

I feel like I am always partial to the woman. Like I've always been naturally partial to Shiv, but I think it's just cause she's the sister and she's a woman. There's so many moments where I think she's like, cast aside. Cause she's a woman. But then they also, like, poke fun at that. They're like, you know, it's like an interesting look into how women are viewed in, like, in. In the workplace and in like, positions of power as well. But that was fun. That was like. I. I didn't think I would be the succession type of person, but I thought it was really kooky. I thought it was funny.

[Chloe Mel]

I loved reading Barbra Streisand's quote about working with you and that you were one of the amazing artists that she collaborated with. If you had a dream list of people you wanted to collaborate with, artists who are major to you.

[Gabby]

Hmm. Well, they're all like, not alive, but if that's an option, like Ella Fitzgerald, Astrid Gilberto, Chet Baker, Oscar Peterson, Errol Garner, like, a lot of the pianists. I feel like it'd be fun to sing with them.

[Chloe Mel]

Oh, it'd be heaven to sing with Oscar Peterson.

[Gabby]

Oh, my God, heaven. And he, like, he knows how to dance around singers really well. Like, my favorite recordings of like, Ella Fitzgerald's, like, Oscar Peterson playing piano. Bill Evans.

[Chloe Mel]

Anyone alive?

[Gabby]

Miles Dizzy. Anyone alive? I mean, I feel so lucky. Like, I've gotten to sing with Norah Jones. I've gotten to sing with John Batiste. I've gotten to sing with Barbra Streisand, which is crazy. I mean, I'd love to sing with like, maybe like the Marias or something. And I've gotten to sing with Bea, and I've gotten to sing with Claire. Claro. So I feel like I'm getting to sing with a lot of, like, my friends as well. Fantastic. I'd love to sing with Lana Del Rey.

[F]

Oh, my God.

[Chloe Mel]

That would be Major Levi. This has been such a treat and we feel very honored to be part of your pre album.

[Gabby]

Stop. Well, thank you so much.

[Chloe Mel]

Thank you for coming to visit us.

[Gabby]

Of course. Thank you for having me. This is such a treat.

[Chloe Mel]

The Run through is produced by Chelsea Daniel, Alex DePalma and Stephanie Cariuki. It's engineered by Pran Bandy and James Yost. It is mixed by Mike Kutchman. Chris Bannon is Conde Nast's head of Global Audio.

[Levi]

She's made up her mind to live pretty smart, Learn to budget responsibly right from the start. She spends a little less, inputs more into savings Keeps her blood pressure low and credit score raises. She's cutting debt right out of her life. She tracks her cash flow on her spreadsheet at night.

[Choma]

Boring money moves make kind of lame songs but they sound pretty sweet to your wallet. BNC bank brilliantly boring since 1865.

[Gabby]

From PRX.