How Manila has been part of Laufey’s fairytale ‘From the Start’
“Manila, I love you from the start,” Laufey said, changing the lyrics of her hit song From the Start.
It was truly a night for lover girls as Laufey (pronounced lay-vay) walked straight out of a fairytale for her successful “A Matter of Time Tour” show in Manila. The three-night, sold-out Manila run, presented by Live Nation Philippines, drew crowds at the Mall of Asia (MOA) Arena.
The STAR attended the opening night, joining the sea of fans eager to welcome the Icelandic singer-songwriter back to the country.
Wearing a red gown, Laufey bewitched the arena with her princess-like aura, opening the show with Clockwork. She next sang her catchy crowd-favorite song Lover Girl, with fans jamming along.
“This is so crazy! There’s so many of you! I’m so excited to come and sing here for all of you,” she said as thunderous cheers erupted from the crowd.
She reminisced about her first-ever arena concert during her “Bewitched: The Goddess Tour to Manila” in 2024, looking back on a historic event in her career that happened at the same venue.
“I’m so happy to be back in Manila. I feel like every tour, I’m counting the days to come here. It’s so special to me because here in this room, the very first arena show I’ve ever played was here,” she said, taking a pause from performances and truly connecting with her fans.
Laufey repeatedly expressed bewilderment and gratitude to Filipino Lauvers, as her fanbase is called, for their unwavering support for her as an artist, and for every piece of music she pours her heart into.
“Thank you so much. I know there’s something about you guys in the Philippines, that’s just the culture is so welcoming and kind. From the very, very beginning of my career, I always noticed so much love coming from here,” she added.
“I tour a lot of countries and it’s really rare that one sits so deeply in my heart and I’m so excited to come back,” Laufey said, drawing a connection between her Nordic island life in Iceland and visiting another island far away from her home.
The magical night was divided into four acts, showcasing Laufey’s appreciation for her fans through a series of performances. She also proved she’s a multi-dimensional artist, with each act showcasing her skills in dancing and playing various instruments. Her solo cello numbers deserved separate applause for carrying a story built on melody in the absence of lyrics.
Lauvers are known for attending the show all dolled up, clad in their whimsical gowns, ribbons, floral crowns, and dapper suits. Their fashionista side and artistry didn’t go unnoticed as Laufey spotlighted a “best-dressed” audience member every night. Mei Mei The Bunny, the character from her children’s book, brought the lucky fan to have a one-on-one interaction with the singer.
Aside from tracks in her latest album, she delighted the crowd with renditions of her hit songs Falling Behind, From the Start, and Let You Break My Heart Again, among others.
Wearing a “Manila” sash, Laufey strutted around the stage, singing along with fans to From the Start. She encouraged the crowd to join her, saying Filipinos are good singers and trained with videoke. “Manila, I love you from the start,” she sang, earning excited shrieks from the audience.
During another crowd-pleaser, she belted out Falling Behind, which captures the feeling of losing a race in love when everyone around you has found their lover. Strumming her guitar, Laufey was joined by charming dancers who moved gracefully to the music.
She also revealed the story behind the oldest song in her set, Let You Break My Heart Again, saying it was written out of her fondness for classical music and her desire to blend it with her own writing style.
“When I was younger, I was like, ‘Who wants to listen to that?’ I was so scared that nobody wanted to listen… But then I released this song and with the orchestra I was truly so amazed that you guys really proved me wrong,” Laufey narrated.
Breaking from fast-paced and melancholy songs, she also brought a speakeasy vibe to her cozy jazz set. Laufey also broke barriers and showed her vulnerable side to her fans, opening up about her insecurity, the inspiration behind her track Snow White.
“I wanted to write about these feelings that I think sometimes women are afraid of talking about… talking about your insecurity sometimes is really daunting and it feels like you’re almost giving your secrets away to the world,” she said, with her words resonating with the listeners.
“When you tell someone what you’re afraid of, they know exactly what hurts you. If I tell someone that my skin is my insecurity, they know exactly how to (hurt) me,” she added.
This honest confession tugged at the heartstrings of fans, who shouted affirmations that she’s beautiful inside and out. The sincere and artistic performance highlighted her singing in front of a mirror, serenading her reflection as if dedicating the song to her younger self as well.
“Bickering” with her twin Junia through a recorded video during a bubbly outfit-change transition also became a well-loved portion of the show.
Laufey wrapped up the first night with an encore performance of I Wish You Love and Letter To My 13 Year Old Self, leaving encouragement for young artists to chase their dreams and take a chance on themselves.
“I know there are a lot of artists out here who maybe are unsure whether or not to chase their dreams and I just want to encourage you to do so. The world is really, really big and what you can achieve is so much further than just the people you see around you,” she said.
Still in awe of all the love, she said, “I’m so shocked every single day that I can come and sell out three shows in a country so far away from home.”
On the second night of her tour, Laufey had a pleasant surprise for fans as she welcomed on stage the P-pop girl group BINI for a lovely performance of From the Start. The girls also bonded over creating TikTok trends beyond the show.
Dancer-content creator Niana Guerrero also had a backstage moment with the musician as they danced to Madwoman, sharing their interaction online.
Like the “honorary Filipina” that she is, Laufey posted clips of herself enjoying Filipino snacks such as lumpia, turon, chicharon, puto and ensaymada after her performances.
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