Video of the week – Krummi, ft. Soffía Björg (Iceland) live performance

When the pandemic was at its height in the second and third quarters of 2020 with everyone and everything locked to the floor I wrote quite a few reviews of streamed gigs. But just as the streaming thing ran out of steam so did the posts.

And that’s why I’m more than happy to show this video, which is of a live performance in Iceland, a country that has suffered more than most musically with Iceland Airwaves and other festivals being cancelled for two years running by an over-cautious government. Hopefully it will be back on this year (first week of November). There’s a website for it but no acts yet. Those booked for the last two years must have lost the will to live by now.

But back to the video. When we ran the rule over Soffía Björg’s excellent second album, ‘The company you keep’ last October, we noted that the third track, ‘Rodeo Clown’, featuring legendary Icelandic artist Krummi (Björgvinsson) was “a love song so replete with Americana that it could be Barbara Streisand and Kris Kristofferson.”

Now it seems as if Krummi has returned the compliment as Soffía Björg pops up to accompany him on this new single, ‘Bona Fide.’ The video is from a TV music show, Hljómskálinn, on the National Broadcasting Service Ríkisútvarpið, or RÚV for short. The BBC of Iceland, if you like. It even has the same mission statement, ‘to inform, educate and entertain.’ This performance will definitely entertain you, or I’m one of the Huldufólk. (Look it up)!

Soffía Björg says, “The song is all about allowing motivation to rule the journey and having fun with that special person you love. Don’t waste time on the fools that tear you down and dance away the negative external forces. Have fun – real fun – and enjoy the moment.” I’ll raise a glass to that.

While the song, so authentically Americana that Thelma and Louise might have danced to it, doesn’t deviate far from Krummi’s natural style it does for Soffía, whose own approach is usually somewhat darker, mysterious, even disturbing alt-pop. But she rises to the occasion, perfectly. ‘Bona Fide’ really ought to be doing the rounds in Nashville or Austin.

I sense a duo coming on here. Perhaps they should call themselves the Cy-Björgs.

Find them on:

Krummi –

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