Iceland review - 2016, Qupperneq 16

14 ICELAND REVIEW
ALMOST FAMOUS
How would you describe your sound
to people who have never heard your
music?
I’ve only recorded and released three
singles so far. Right now, my sound is
mainly pop. My songs were written by
a group of three Icelandic guys who call
themselves StopWaitGo, and the songs
[No More, Party—both of which have
been hits in Iceland—and One Day] were
meant to be catchy and radio-friendly.
StopWaitGo send me these songs, and
then I record them and perform them all
over Iceland. It has become my full-time
job, and I’m coming out with my first EP,
with six songs, in May.
Who do you most look up to in
today’s music industry?
I really love Ed Sheeran. I think his songs
are so honest. He’s not afraid to be him-
self, and he doesn’t have to try hard to
get people to like him or his music.
Elliott Brandsma chats with young emerging Icelandic
pop star Sara Pétursdóttir—better known as Glowie
—about her music, her artistic influences,
and her upcoming debut EP.
PHOTOS BY PÁLL STEFÁNSSON.
Are you planning on branching out
into international markets?
I’m going to the US in September
because an American record label has
expressed interest in me and my music.
I’m going with my dad and my band to
introduce myself to several producers,
to sing a few songs for them, and to
discuss where I want my career to go.
I’m really nervous about singing in front
of them, knowing that I’ll be judged. In
some ways, it’s easier to sing in front of
a crowd of a thousand people than just a
few people in a small room! A few years
ago I was always really nervous to go
out on stage, and I initially thought that
was a bad thing, but then I realized that
when my music became popular, I wasn’t
nervous at all. I learned that stress can
be really beneficial because it makes me
perform better, so sometimes I have to
remind myself to be nervous.
If you could collaborate with any singer
from any country, who would you pick?
I would say Beyoncé. But I respect her
too much, and I don’t think she’d ever
want to work with me! [she laughs] I love
Coldplay’s style. Like Ed Sheeran, they’re
not trying to be anybody but themselves.
They have an authentic sound, which I
admire, and I would love to collaborate
with them.
What do you like to do when you’re
not on stage or recording music?
I like drawing, and I do that as often as I
can, but I haven’t had as much time to do
it lately because I’ve been performing so
much. I don’t know why, but I’ve always
been fascinated with drawing eyes, and
I felt like I couldn’t draw anything else,
even if I tried. I would also like to
become a make-up artist in the future, if
my music career doesn’t work out.
Where have you performed most
recently?
[Stops to think] I sang at a 13-year-
old’s confirmation party, gave a perfor-
mance at the 2016 Hlustendaverðlaunin
(Icelandic Listeners’ Choice Awards),
and performed at the largest annual ball
for teenagers in Iceland. Over 500 young
people attended, and it was really fun.
Where does your stage name
‘Glowie’ come from? What’s the
story behind it?
I’m actually really shy and kind of a loner.
That’s why I’m Glowie on stage, because
I have to be really open and confident;