Ólöf Arnalds at Norrænahúsið

We’ve been wondering a lot the partner in crime and I if it’s just for a coincidence that Icelandic women we observe seem to be so incredibly charismatic. Just take the most prominent example you can currently think of: Prime Minister Jóhanna Sigurðardóttir. In most countries women seem to have to struggle a lot everyday to affirm their individuality. Sadly we all know how in most countries the woman is still a citizen of second class when compared to man and how she is treated as a disposable member of society when it comes to general well-being. In Iceland womanhood is often equivalent to strong possession of individual qualities of self-assertion. Icelandic women constantly show a determination and a power that comes to them as a natural attitude, not as an acquisition agonizingly conquered through everyday humiliations and deprivations, through continual acts of extreme volition. It’s no wonder then, but still it’s truly amazing, how womanhood and artistic talent have such a firm bond in Iceland.

Artistic talents as the ones that gathered yesterday night to take part to Ólöf Arnalds’ concert at the Nordic House are not an exception in Iceland. The country has been blessed by this point of view. In spite – or maybe precisely because – of historical and natural hardships, women here found out their greatest strength resides in themselves. They started making use of their gifts: they play several instruments, they write, they paint, and still find the time to do many other things. Their curiosity towards the variety of life is inexhaustible, their will to explore different media is always growing. It’s impressive to see how much in many circumstances men seem to disappear or to look like irrelevant walk-ons. Try to spend some time in a room filled with Icelandic women and men alike and you’ll see what I mean.

Ólöf Arnalds is truly a worthy daughter of her homeland, if you have read and understood my preamble. With her beautiful features and her bright wit, she embodies the innate spirited grace of Iceland. Her talents flow from her to the audience like a natural current. She bewitches her public with the beauty of her music and with the sincerity of her words. Her candid looks and gestures are filtered through her vivid intelligence. Her voice is what you would imagine to be the voice of heavenly creatures. But a good voice is not that rare as a gift. Many female singers have pretty decent voices but very often they lack all the rest: or they defect in skills and adequate training, or they appear vapid figurines deprived of any charisma. Some have skills and charisma, but are deficient in the femininity area, looking and acting more like men than like women. Ólöf shows how a female musician can be all these things together. And much more. Both in her collaborations with other musicians – her renowned work with múm, just to name one example – and in her solo career – her anticipated upcoming album Innundir skinni will be released in September – she demonstrates how remarkable her multiple talents really are.

For her concert she sought support from other talented Icelandic women, all with their peculiar abilities and a straightforward appeal. Adda Ingólfsdóttir and her guitar, writer Guðrún Eva Mínervudóttir, artist Ásdís Sif Gunnarsdóttir and DJ Klara, all offered their help to enrich with their special contribution the laid-back mood of an event that from the outsider’s perspective could look terribly formal. All of them added their something, teaching a simple lesson on womanhood that hopefully all women everywhere at some point will be able to make theirs.