Famous Icelander Singers

Bjork is an Icelandic singer, record producer, songwriter, DJ, and actress. She is best known for her association with the now-defunct yet popular band, The Sugarcubes. The bestselling Icelandic singer-songwriter of all time, Bjork was named in Time magazine's most influential people in the world list in 2015. Over the course of her illustrious career, Bjork has received several awards.

Stefán Karl Stefánsson was an Icelandic singer and actor. He is remembered for playing Robbie Rotten in the popular children's television series, LazyTown. In June 2018, he was honored with the Order of the Falcon. In August 2018, Stefán Karl died of cancer. The launch of a performing arts academy in his honor was announced after his death.

Marketa Irglova is a Czech-Icelandic musician, singer-songwriter, and actress. She is best known for starring in the 2007 Irish musical drama film Once, which earned Irglová numerous prestigious awards, such as an Oscar under the Best Original Song category for her song, Falling Slowly. 

Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir is an Icelandic musician. She is the current guitarist and lead vocalist of a band named Of Monsters and Men. The band has released popular albums like My Head Is an Animal, Beneath the Skin, and Fever Dream. My Head Is an Animal was certified platinum and multi-platinum by many trade organizations.

Jónsi is an Icelandic musician best known for his association with a post-rock band named Sigur Rós, where he performs as a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist. Renowned for using his cello bow on guitar, Jónsi has also achieved popularity for his amazing countertenor voice.

Emilíana Torrini is an Icelandic singer-songwriter. Torrini is perhaps best known for performing Gollum's Song for the 2002 epic fantasy adventure film The Lord of the Rings: The Two Towers. Emilíana Torrini is also known for her single Jungle Drum and her third album Love in the Time of Science.

Ragnar Þórhallsson is an Icelandic musician best known as the guitarist and lead vocalist of a band named Of Monsters and Men. He performs as the lead vocalist and guitarist of the band alongside Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir. Of Monsters and Men has released some successful albums like My Head Is an Animal and Beneath the Skin.

Ásgeir Trausti is an Icelandic musician and singer-songwriter. Apart from performing with his eponymous band, Trausti also plays guitar for The Lovely Lion. Over the course of his career, Ásgeir Trausti has won several prestigious awards such as Icelandic Music Awards and Kraumur Award.

Stony Blyden is an Icelandic rapper, singer, actor, drummer, and record producer. He is best known for his portrayal of Stony in the 2018 American coming-of-age comedy-drama film, Dude. Stony Blyden also played an important role in the 2020 American romantic drama film, Life in a Year.

Award-winning Icelandic jazz-pop singer Guðrún Ýr Eyfjörð Jóhannesdóttir, better known as GDRN, is also an actor. Initially a footballer, she played in the Úrvalsdeild kvenna league, before retiring due to an injury. She later switched to music while studying medicine. She has also appeared in the Netflix series Katla.

Icelandic multi-instrumentalist Sóley was a child when she mastered classical and jazz-style piano and then went on to study composition. Beginning her musical journey with the indie-folk band Seabear, she later collaborated with Sin Fang. She is known for redefining electronic pop, too.

The daughter of legendary Icelandic singer Björgvin Halldórsson, Svala Björgvinsdóttir, also known as Svala Björgvins or Kali, began her musical career as her father’s backing vocalist and scored her first number one hit at age 9. She has performed for Steed Lord and has been a Eurovision contestant.

Icelandic singer and trumpet player Einar Örn Benediktsson is best known as a member of the alternative rock band The Sugarcubes. While he has experimented with genres such as punk rock and electro, he has also created works of fine art and exhibited internationally. He has also been part of Icelandic politics.

Icelandic singer-songwriter and indie-musician Ólöf Arnalds gained-attention with her debut- album Við Og Við that found place among Paste Magazine's Top 100 Albums of 2007 and eMusic's editor's list of Best Albums of 2008. Moving on, she released other albums like Innundir Skinni and Sudden Elevation of which the latter marked Arnalds’ first album that was sung entirely in English.

Contemporary Icelandic artist Ragnar Kjartansson has thrived in creating a niche for himself through his use of several artistic mediums during his performative practice. A hallmark of his practice includes use of durational, repetitive performance. One of his notable creations is the 2012 installation and video art piece The Visitors. He was honoured as the Reykjavik City Artist in 2016.

Icelandic singer and classical multi-instrumentalist Kristín Anna Valtýsdóttir plays the accordion, piano, and guitar, and has previously been associated with the indietronica band Múm. She also formed a duo named Avey Tare & Kría Brekkan with her former husband, David Portner. She is the twin sister of fellow Múm member Gyða Valtýsdóttir.

Icelandic singer and actor Ágústa Eva Erlendsdóttir is best known for her portrayal of Silvía Night in the series Sjáumst með Silvíu Nótt. She has also voiced Queen Elsa in the Icelandic version of the Frozen film series and Rapunzel in Tangled. She now performs for the band Sycamore Tree.

Icelandic singer-actress Hafdís Huld commenced her musical journey with the electronic band GusGus. She later made her solo debut with the album Dirty Paper Cup that won Best Pop Album award at the Icelandic Music Awards. Two singles from her second album Synchronised Swimmers reached atop the Icelandic singles chart. As an actress, Hafdís has starred in films like Dramarama. 

Icelandic singer Daníel Ágúst Haraldsson began his career as part of the pop group Nýdönsk. He also participated in the 1989 Eurovision Song Contest and later founded the electronic music band GusGus. Apart from composing and writing for TV and films, he has also played a lead role in the short film Nautn.

Icelandic actress and singer Selma Björnsdóttir gained international recognition while representing Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 1999. She attainted second place in the contest, marking Iceland's best showing in the contest till present. She made a second appearance for her country in the contest in 2005 and also stole the show at the Eurovision gala concert during Europride 2005.   

Icelandic singer, songwriter, and violinist Greta Salóme Stefánsdóttir is associated with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra and represented Iceland in the 2012 and 2016 Eurovision Song Contests. The folk, pop, and soul singer is known for her chartbusting tracks such as Never Forget and Hear Them Calling.

Icelandic singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Jófríður Ákadóttir is also popularly known as JFDR. She founded the groups Samaris and Pascal Pinon. The daughter of composer/musician Áki Ásgeirsson, she began composing songs on her guitar at age 11 and has been releasing albums since age 15.

Icelandic singer-songwriter Bubbi Morthens was 14 when he left school and began travelling as a migrant fish worker and experimenting with his guitar. While he has been part of bands such as Utangarðsmenn and Egó, he has also had a tough battle with drug addiction earlier and later advocated addiction prevention.

While he was initially interested in skateboarding and painting, Icelandic singer-songwriter Unnar Gísli Sigurmundsson, known by his pseudonym, Júníus Meyvant, was later suspended from music school for his eccentricity. Known for his freaky folk-pop, he has also won honors at the 2015 and 2017 Icelandic Music Awards.

Icelandic singer, actor, and presenter Salka Sól Eyfeld, also known as Salka Sól, has been the frontwoman of the reggae band AmabAdamA and the hip-hop band Reykjavíkurdætur. She is also known for playing Soffia in the popular Icelandic mystery series Trapped. She has also voiced for many Icelandic versions of animated features.

Icelandic pop singer and DJ Paul Oscar started his musical journey singing at private functions as a child. He came out as gay at 16 and later also performed in drag shows. He also participated in the 1997 Eurovision Song Contest. He has also appeared in a film and been a radio jockey.  

Icelandic singer Glowie, winner of the 2014 Singing Contest of Icelandic Junior Colleges, released her debut single No More in 2015. It became a hit and topped the charts in Iceland for three weeks in-a-row. Moving on, she bolstered her career with other hit singles like Party and No Lie, both of which found place on the Icelandic singles chart.    

A 2-time Eurovision contestant, Icelandic Singer Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson is a former member of Í svörtum fötum. He is best known for his chartbusting single Nakinn. In 2003, he appeared as Danny Zuko in the Icelandic blockbuster musical Grease. He also sang the theme song of the children’s show LazyTown.

Known for his roles in films such as Dracula Untold and Black’s Game, Icelandic actor Þorvaldur Davíð Kristjánsson, or Thor Kristjansson had first gained fame as the voice of Simba in the Icelandic version of The Lion King. The Juilliard alumnus had his education funded by scholarships and by Robin Williams.

Born into a musical family, Icelandic jazz icon Anna Mjöll began playing the guitar at age 6 and wrote her first song at 8. She mastered the cello and piano pretty early too and went on to perform at the 1996 Eurovision Song Contest. The Sorbonne alumna later moved to the US to perform.

Legendary Icelandic drummer and singer Sigtryggur Baldursson was a founder-member of the alternative rock band the Sugarcubes. A master of punk and alternative music, he has also sung using the pseudonym Bogomil Font. He has written music for theater and has managed ÚTÓN, or Iceland Music.

Known as the Grandfather of Icelandic Rock, Megas began his musical journey by studying the piano and writing sheet music in school. He was once banned from radio for creating non-traditional Icelandic folk songs. His songs redefine Icelandic mythology and also speak about drugs and social issues.

Icelandic-Danish Singer Yohanna commenced her musical journey as child artist and released albums like Ég sjálf before taking a six-year break from music-industry and public-eye. She later gained international recognition while representing Iceland in Eurovision Song Contest  2009 with the song Is It True?, and attainted second place, marking, for the second time, Iceland's best showing in the contest till-present.

Icelandic singer Hera Björk soared to fame with her performance of the track Je ne sais quoi at the 2010 Eurovision Song Contest. She has also been a backing singer for Euroband, Yohanna, and María Ólafs in the 2008, 2009, and 2015 Eurovision contests, respectively.

Icelandic singer Magni Ásgeirsson was 15 when he began performing on stage and first gained recognition with the show Rock Star: Supernova in 2006. Apart from being a soloist, he has also been part of the pop band Á Móti Sól. He has sung for the children’s show Lazytown Extra.

Born to an Icelandic mother and a Sri Lankan father in London, singer Lovísa Elísabet Sigrúnardóttir, better known as Lay Low, moved to Reykjavik as a child. Her debut album, Please Don't Hate Me, became a chart-topper. She has also composed and performed for the play How I Learned to Drive.

Icelandic musician Sigurjón Brink, also known as Sjonni Brink, founded the Europe Theater Prize-winning theater group Vesturport. A 3-time participant on the show Söngvakeppni Sjónvarpsins, he died before appearing in it for the fourth time, while a song he composed for the show was later performed by his musician friends.