Bewitched (Laufey album)
{{Use dmy dates|date=September 2023}}
{{Infobox album
| name = Bewitched
| type = studio
| artist = Laufey
| cover = Laufey - Bewitched.png
| border = yes
| alt = Laufey lying on her front wearing a silver crown and dress in front of a wooden wall
| released = {{start date|2023|09|08|df=y}}
| recorded =
| studio =
- Mosey Creative
- EastWest
- Blackheath Halls
- Ballroom West
| genre = *Jazz pop
- modern classical{{Cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/laufey-bewitched-album-review-from-the-start-radar-3493926|title=Laufey - 'Bewitched' Review: A Captivating Debut From the Start|website=NME|access-date=2024-06-08}}
| length = 48:19
| label = AWAL
| producer = * Laufey
- Philharmonia Orchestra
- Spencer Stewart
- Dan Wilson
| prev_title = A Night at the Symphony
| prev_year = 2023
| next_title =
| next_year =
| misc = {{Extra album cover
| header =
| type = studio
| cover = Bewitched, The Goddess Edition.jpeg
| border = yes
| alt =
| caption = The Goddess Edition cover
}}
{{Singles
| name = Bewitched
| type = studio
| single1 = From the Start
| single1date = 11 May 2023
| single2 = Promise
| single2date = 14 June 2023
| single3 = Bewitched
| single3date = 26 July 2023
| single4 = California and Me
| single4date = 24 August 2023
}}
}}
Bewitched is the second studio album by Icelandic singer-songwriter Laufey, released on 8 September 2023 through AWAL. Described by Laufey as "a love album, whether it be a love towards a friend or a lover or life", Bewitched deals with a variety of romantic themes in its songs.
Musically, Bewitched consists of jazz pop ballads, predominantly written by Laufey and collaborator Spencer Stewart, and produced by the duo along with Philharmonia Orchestra and Dan Wilson. The album was met with acclaim from music critics, who complimented the songs for their modern spin on jazz and nostalgic quality at the same time; Laufey's technical skills were also a subject of praise in the reviews. It won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 66th Annual Grammy Awards.{{Cite web |last=Minsker |first=Evan |date=2023-11-10 |title=Grammy Nominations 2024: See the Full List Here |url=https://pitchfork.com/news/grammy-nominations-2024-see-the-full-list-here/ |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Pitchfork |language=en-US}}
Four singles preceded the album: "From the Start", "Promise",{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/news/laufey-announces-her-second-album-bewitched|title=Laufey announces her second album Bewitched|website=The Line of Best Fit|last=Kelly|first=Tyler Damara|date=15 June 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}} "Bewitched" and "California and Me",{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/news/music/laufey-announces-2024-bewitched-uk-and-european-tour-3491774|title=Laufey announces 2024 Bewitched UK and European tour|website=NME|last=Young|first=David James|date=1 September 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}} the first of which marked Laufey's first song to chart on record charts. Bewitched peaked at number one on the Icelandic albums chart and was Laufey's first album to chart in Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Ireland, Scotland, the United Kingdom, and the United States. Additionally, the album topped the Australian Jazz & Blues Albums chart. In 2024, to support the album, Laufey embarked on a worldwide concert tour.
On 6 March 2024, Laufey announced the reissue of the album Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, which was preceded by the single "Goddess".{{Cite web |last=Jónsdóttir |first=Laufey |date=2024-03-06 |title=Bewitched: The Goddess Edition with 3 new songs will be yours on April 26th |url=https://twitter.com/laufey/status/1765441289401626732/photo/1 |access-date=2023-11-10 |website=Twitter |language=en-US}}
Background
With the announcement, Laufey described Bewitched as "a love album, whether it be a love towards a friend or a lover or life". She reflected on her first album's theme of becoming an adult and contrasted it with having since "experienced a little bit more of that, and [...] writing about the magic in the love of being young".{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/en_au/news/music/laufey-new-album-single-video-bewitched-3474392|title=Laufey announces new album Bewitched with title track|website=NME|last=Richards|first=Will|date=27 July 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}}
Shortly prior to releasing the album, Laufey made the sheet music available to fans.{{cite web|url=https://trinitynews.ie/2023/09/the-musical-witching-hour/|title=The musical witching hour|website=Trinity News|last=Bhakdi|first=Lara|date=28 September 2023|access-date=16 November 2023}}
Critical reception
{{Music ratings
| MC = 83/100{{cite web|url=https://www.metacritic.com/music/bewitched/laufey|title=Bewitched by Laufey Reviews and Tracks|website=Metacritic|access-date=3 October 2023}}
| rev1 = DIY
| rev1score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite magazine|url=https://diymag.com/review/album/laufey-bewitched|title=Laufey – Bewitched review|magazine=DIY|last=Hickey|first=James|date=7 September 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}}
| rev2 = The Line of Best Fit
| rev2score = 8/10{{cite web|url=https://www.thelineofbestfit.com/albums/laufey-bewitched-polishes-classic-jazz-pop-sound|title=Laufey: Bewitched Review – refinement with purpose|website=The Line of Best Fit|last=Kim|first=Matthew|date=5 September 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}}
| rev3 = NME
| rev3score = {{Rating|5|5}}{{cite web|url=https://www.nme.com/reviews/album/laufey-bewitched-album-review-from-the-start-radar-3493926|title=Laufey – Bewitched review: spellbinding modern jazz with a pop twist|website=NME|last=Mylrea|first=Hannah|date=7 September 2023|access-date=8 September 2023}}
| rev4 = Pitchfork
| rev4score = 7.0/10{{cite web|url=https://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/laufey-bewitched/|title=Laufey: Bewitched Album Review|website=Pitchfork|last=Ramos|first=Alex|date=12 September 2023|access-date=13 September 2023}}
| rev5 = Uncut
| rev5score = 8/10{{cite magazine|title=Laufey – Bewitched|magazine=Uncut|page=29|date=October 2023}}
}}
Bewitched received a score of 83 out of 100 on review aggregator Metacritic based on six critics' reviews, indicating "universal acclaim". Uncut felt that "if these [tracks] feel like throwbacks, they're no more so than Norah Jones' best work, and there's nonetheless something timeless about the breezy 'While You Were Sleeping' and, with its chugging guitars, 'Lovesick'". In a five-star review, Hannah Mylrea of NME described Bewitched as "confident and musically ambitious, melding jazz, pop and modern classical composition", throughout which "Laufey's impressive technical ability shines".
James Hickey of DIY wrote that Laufey's "crystalline voice and effortless charisma make this album into a gorgeous display of a unique talent", which he also described as "stuffed full of immaculate jazz ballads, shot through with luscious strings and swooning stories of hopeless love". The Line of Best Fit{{'}}s Matthew Kim opined that Laufey "improves on her already effective formula in just about every department", and while she does not "reinvent the wheel when it comes to the antique jazz-pop sound that she's already mastered", "she certainly diversifies her palette". Alex Ramos of Pitchfork found it to be "bolder and more intentional" than Everything I Know About Love as "here, Laufey doesn't simply let jazz inform the work; she uses it as a vehicle to enact fantasies and ambitions, lending her contemporary musings a misty, out-of-time quality".
=Year-end lists=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders"
|+Critics' rankings for Bewitched ! scope="col" |Publication ! scope="col" |Accolade ! scope="col" |Rank ! scope="col" class="unsortable" |{{abbr|Ref.|Reference}} |
| scope="row" |Billboard
|Best Albums of 2023 | style="text-align:center;" |46 |{{center|{{Cite magazine |last1=Pascual |first1=Danielle |date=2023-12-06 |title=The 50 Best Albums of 2023: Staff List |url=https://www.billboard.com/lists/best-albums-2023/ |access-date=2024-04-05 |magazine=Billboard |language=en-US}}}} |
|---|
| scope="row" |NME
|The Best Albums of 2023 | style="text-align:center;" |33 |
| scope="row"| Uproxx
|The Best Albums of 2023 | {{n/a}} |{{center|{{Cite web |date=2023-12-04 |title=These Are The Best Albums Of 2023 |url=https://uproxx.com/music/best-albums-2023-list/ |access-date=2023-12-27 |website=UPROXX |language=en-US}}}} |
| scope="row" |Variety
|The Best Albums of 2023 | style="text-align:center;" |9 |
| scope="row"| Vogue
|The Best Albums of 2023 | {{n/a}} |
Commercial performance
Bewitched debuted at number 23 on the US Billboard 200 and number 1 on the Jazz Albums charts with 23,000 album-equivalent units.{{cite magazine | last1=Caulfield | first1=Keith | title=Laufey Logs Biggest Jazz Debut in Nearly Two Years With 'Bewitched' | magazine=Billboard | date=20 September 2023 | url=https://www.billboard.com/pro/laufey-bewitched-debut-jazz-charts/ | access-date=31 January 2024}}
Track listing
{{Track listing
| headline = Bewitched track listing
| all_writing = Laufey and Spencer Stewart, except where noted
| title1 = Dreamer
| length1 = 3:30
| title2 = Second Best
| length2 = 3:24
| title3 = Haunted
| length3 = 3:20
| title4 = Must Be Love
| writer4 = {{hlist|Laufey|Freddy Wexler|Max Wolfgang}}
| length4 = 3:04
| title5 = While You Were Sleeping
| length5 = 2:57
| title6 = Lovesick
| length6 = 3:45
| title7 = California and Me
| note7 = featuring Philharmonia Orchestra
| writer7 = Laufey
| length7 = 3:36
| title8 = Nocturne
| note8 = Interlude
| writer8 = Laufey
| length8 = 2:24
| title9 = Promise
| writer9 = {{hlist|Laufey|Dan Wilson}}
| length9 = 3:54
| title10 = From the Start
| length10 = 2:49
| title11 = Misty
| writer11 = {{hlist|Johnny Burke|Erroll Garner}}
| length11 = 3:29
| title12 = Serendipity
| length12 = 3:39
| title13 = Letter to My 13 Year Old Self
| writer13 = Laufey
| length13 = 4:22
| title14 = Bewitched
| length14 = 4:06
| total_length = 48:19
}}
{{Track listing
| headline = Bewitched: The Goddess Edition bonus tracks
| title15 = Bored
| length15 = 3:33
| title16 = Trouble
| length16 = 2:51
| writer16 = {{hlist|Laufey|Stewart|Wilson}}
| title17 = It Could Happen to You
| length17 = 2:07
| writer17 = {{hlist|Jimmy Van Heusen|Burke}}
| title18 = Goddess
| length18 = 4:27
| writer18 = Laufey
| total_length = 61:17
}}
Personnel
Musicians
- Laufey – lead vocals
- Simon Moullier – vibraphone (track 1)
- Jordan Rose – drums (track 1)
- Júnía Lín – violin (tracks 2, 3, 6)
- Þorleifur Gaukur Davíðsson – slide guitar (track 5)
- Robin O'Neill – conductor (tracks 7, 14)
- Carson Grant – drums (track 9)
- Ted Case – piano (tracks 11, 16)
- Jonathan Richards – bass (tracks 11, 16)
- Ryan Shaw – drums (tracks 11, 16)
- Hal Rosenfeld – orchestration (track 14)
- JJ Kirkpatrick – trumpet (track 16)
Technical
- Laufey – production
- Spencer Stewart – production (tracks 1–6, 10–18), additional production (9), arrangement (14), executive production
- Philharmonia Orchestra – production (tracks 7, 14)
- Joe LaPorta – mastering
- Steve Haye – mixing
- Iain Farrington – arrangement (track 7)
- Dan Wilson – production (track 9)
- Sara Mulford – recording (track 9)
- Daniel Ficca – recording (track 9)
Visuals
- Júnía Lín – creative direction
- Kelly Ford – physical packaging design
- Gemma Warren – artist photography
Charts
{{col-start}}
{{col-2}}
=Weekly charts=
{{col-2}}
=Year-end charts=
| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ 2023 year-end chart performance for Bewitched ! scope="col"| Chart (2023) ! scope="col"| Position |
| scope="row"| Icelandic Albums (Tónlistinn){{cite web|url=https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn-plotur-2023/|title=Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2023|publisher=Plötutíðindi|access-date=11 January 2025|language=is}}
| 14 |
|---|
| scope="row"|US Traditional Jazz Albums (Billboard){{cite magazine |title=Traditional Jazz Albums: 2023 Year-End Charts |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/traditional-jazz-albums/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20240502002139/https://www.billboard.com/charts/year-end/2023/traditional-jazz-albums/ |archive-date=2 May 2024 |access-date=13 January 2025 |magazine=Billboard}}
|11 |
{{col-end}}
Certifications and sales
{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications and sales for Bewitched}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=Iceland (FHF)|nocert=true|salesamount=2,405|salesref=Tónlistinn – Plötur (2023-2024)
- {{cite web|url=https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn-plotur-2023/|title=Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2023|publisher=Plötutíðindi|access-date=19 April 2025|language=is|archive-date=30 December 2024|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241230091708/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn-plotur-2023/|url-status=live}}
- {{cite web|url=https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn-plotur-2024/|title=Tónlistinn – Plötur – 2024|publisher=Plötutíðindi|access-date=19 April 2025|language=is|archive-date=28 January 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250128103101/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn-plotur-2024/|url-status=live}}}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Laufey|title=Bewitched|award=Silver|type=album|relyear=2023|certyear=2025|id=20796-6924-2|access-date=21 February 2025}}
{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Laufey|title=Bewitched|award=Gold|type=album|relyear=2023|certyear=2025|access-date=12 March 2025}}
{{Certification Table Bottom|streaming=true|nosales=true|noshipments=true}}