Laufey danced under the Northern Lights after her final Reykjavik performance

Laufey – who scooped this year's Grammy award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album – returned to her Icelandic home turf last weekend and, according to the 24-year-old artist, the experience was nothing short of “perfect”. Playing three shows at Reykjavik ’s Harpa Concert Hall, the dates form part of a long-running tour that has swept through the USA and Europe and will continue spanning the globe throughout the year ahead. While this would sound like an exhausting feat to most, it’s a tireless joy for Laufey. “I love [touring],” she says. “Getting the opportunity to see all my fans with my own eyes and connect with them in real life through music is my favourite thing ever.”

Laufey has been living in the US for the last six years, so having this experience with her in her home country last weekend was extra special. “Coming back home to Iceland and getting to see now only my family, but also Icelandic fans, is wild. Although, I guess they’re family as well – since most of us are related to some degree on the island!” she laughs.

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Her elation to be performing at home was mixed with “deeply emotional” feelings. “A lot of the people in the audience have at some point touched my life – whether they were one of my music teachers, a doctor, driving instructor… connections can be found everywhere,” Laufey reflects. “I am a result of all the different people who helped me grow up in Iceland. They say it takes a village to raise a child. Knowing that my village was in the audience set a whole different tone for the concert, especially during the songs where I write about childhood or adolescent struggles. In a way, my victories have become theirs as well.”

Being such a monumental homecoming experience, revelries were in order as everything wrapped up. Laufey gathered with family and friends after the last Harpa show at Vogue Scandinavia’s favourite hotspot in the capital, Reykjavik Edition. What were the highlights of the afterparty hosted at the venue’s Sunset Club? “Dancing to ‘Climax’ by Usher while clutching a Paloma,” Laufey says, “and the surprise cake!” she adds of the Grammy-shaped baked treat unveiled a tthe end of the night. The celebrations were soundtracked by DJ Benni B Ruff – making the most of Sunset’s state-of-the-art sound system – with Laufey and her loved ones celebrating all night as the Northern Lights danced above. “All of us ran out to take a peek,” she says of the natural phenomena, “and we were amazed – they shone brightly above the Reykjavik Harbour. The perfect end to the perfect weekend and perfect night.”

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What else did Laufey get up to during her time in the capital? “My favourite spots for coffee include Reykjavik Roasters and Kaffi Vest,” she says, saying the latter – which doubles as a restaurant – is a haven for her to sit down with a book and coffee whenever she has a break. “The perfect Kaffi Vest trip concludes with a dip in a Vesturbæjarlaug hot tub, which is right across the street. For drinks, I love Tíu Sopar for a glass of wine or Röntgen for a cocktail. Later at night, Röntgen is also a fantastic place to boogie!”

See all the snapshots from Laufey's afterparty at Reykjavik Edition below: