Ólöf Arnalds is an Icelandic singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from Reykjavík, Iceland. She is born in 1980 and works in indie folk and indie pop.

Background and musicianship

Arnalds is classically trained on the violin and viola, and she teaches herself guitar and charango. Her voice is a central part of her music and is described as unusually clear and striking, with a delicate quality and an otherworldly tone. Her songs are often noted for being intimate, playful and personal, while still remaining accessible.

Style and performance

Her music is compared with artists such as Vashti Bunyan, Judee Sill and Kate Bush, but her approach remains distinct. She performs with a mixture of subtle delivery, humour and stage presence, and is also described as using screwball humour, vaudevillian charm and bawdy elements alongside more restrained singing.

Albums and recognition

Her debut album, Við og Við, appears in lists of the 100 best albums of the decade from eMusic and Paste Magazine. Her album Innundir skinni is named among Uncut’s Top 50 Albums of 2010 and is nominated for the inaugural Nordic Music Prize.

Family connection

Ólöf Arnalds is a cousin of composer Ólafur Arnalds.