From the start, singer-songwriter Laufey (Lín Bing Jónsdóttir) has captivated listeners with her music. Laufey’s music embraces a wide spectrum of emotions, from gut-wrenching blues like “Snow White” and “Goddess” to songs like “Lover Girl” that make you want to skip and dance in a field of flowers. With 24 million monthly listeners on Spotify and two Grammy Awards for best traditional pop vocal albums, she has become a beloved artist worldwide, with songs that many fans can relate to.
On April 13, 2026, Laufey released the song “Madwoman” from her new deluxe album “A Matter of Time: The Final Hour.” The video stars Laufey, Megan Skiendiel from Katseye, Olympic gold medalist Alysa Liu, Lola Tung from “The Summer I Turned Pretty,” and Hudson Williams from “Heated Rivalry”. The music video explores the feeling of being in a toxic relationship—encompassing the intensity and irrationality of being stuck in a cycle that is difficult to break away from, even when you know better.
One thing that stands out in this music video is how the entire cast holds a common background of Asian and White heritage, also known as “Wasian.” In fact, the entire crew of “Madwoman” is part of the Asian community as well, highlighting the significance of including Asian and multiracial representation within media. For example, Laufey herself is half Icelandic and half Chinese. Director Warren Fu, who is Taiwanese American, explains the significance of the video. “[It is a] picture-perfect but sinister, artificial reality that explores themes of being in between two worlds for those of mixed ethnicity,” Fu said. Additionally, the video was inspired by a 1950s/70s aesthetic, an era where there was a historical lack of Asian representation in classic American media.
In this music video, not only is there representation on screen, but it continues off-screen as well. The creative director is Laufey’s sister, Junia Lin Jonsdottir. Korean Americans Jenny Cho and Daniel Kim are responsible for styling the hair of the cast, and Yoko Sakakura is the Japanese artist who did the cast’s manicures.
CHS freshmen Melody Cottorman and Noelle Huang were asked about the music video. Both agreed that they enjoyed the song and how the Wasian celebrities were incorporated.
“I thought that it was cool,” Cottorman said. “I liked how she tried to represent [Asians/Wasians] and tried to get everyone involved […] I think she should do more projects like that.”
Huang also stated her opinion. “I thought it was really creative the way she did it,” Huang said. “I think that was a pretty good representation because she included all of them […] I think it is good to have representation in the media of different races.”
Laufey’s “Madwoman” is not only an amazing song, but it continues activism in the music industry, ensuring that all artists are supported and given a voice.
