Laufey Opens Up About Stage Fright With Audiences

Even after years of performing in sold-out arenas across the globe, Laufey still gets anxious about one seemingly simple thing: looking audience members directly in the eye. During a recent interview with The Hit Network’s Hot Hits with Nic & Loren, the Grammy-winning singer-songwriter opened up about this lingering stage anxiety and traced it back to her early years.

A Lesson That Stuck

Laufey grew up playing cello in her native Iceland, and during her classical training, she developed an accidental habit of staring intensely at audience members during performances. After one recital, a teacher delivered feedback that would shape her approach to performing for years to come: “You can’t look at people directly when you’re playing, it’s creepy.”

That comment clearly left an impression. “I’m so scared of freaking people out! I’m always thinking about it,” Laufey admitted during the interview. It’s a relatable fear for performers, yet it’s striking to hear it from someone who has achieved such massive success in entertainment and regularly connects with thousands of fans in arena settings.

The tension between her desire to engage with her audience and her ingrained fear of eye contact creates an interesting dynamic on stage. Most performers would see direct eye contact as an essential tool for building connection, but for Laufey, it remains a source of genuine unease.

The Exception That Proves the Rule

There is one notable exception to Laufey’s no-eye-contact rule. During “Letter to My 13 Year Old Self,” the powerful set closer that reflects on her younger self, she deliberately seeks out young fans in the crowd to catch their gaze. The logic makes perfect sense: it’s a letter to her childhood self, so connecting with younger audience members feels authentic and purposeful.

However, this intentional eye contact comes with its own emotional toll. “But sometimes they’re crying and that makes me cry,” she explained. “So that’s another reason that I can’t look too closely.” It’s a beautiful sentiment that reveals how deeply she feels the impact of her music on her listeners.

Intimacy in the Massive

Countering conventional wisdom about venue size and fan connection, Laufey shared that she actually feels more intimate with audiences in arenas than in smaller theaters. “In an arena, I’m surrounded and feel closer to the fans,” she said. She credits the barricade walk and her ability to move through the space as key factors in creating that sense of closeness.

There’s something particularly poignant about performing quiet, introspective jazz-influenced songs in massive venues. The contrast between the scale of the room and the intimacy of her compositions creates a unique atmosphere that apparently heightens rather than diminishes connection.

From Grammy Awards to Fortnite Fame

Laufey has experienced a remarkable rise in recent years. Her third studio album, “A Matter of Time,” debuted at number 4 on the Billboard 200 in September 2025, marking her first top-10 entry and the highest-charting jazz album since 2018. The album dominated multiple Billboard charts and won Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album at the 2026 Grammy Awards.

Her crossover appeal has extended into unexpected territories. Recently, she discovered that her fame has even reached the gaming world when a restaurant waitress recognized her as a Fortnite character. “I was at a restaurant yesterday and the waitress was like, ‘Are you the one on Fortnite?’” she said with a laugh. “Sometimes I’ll come across another me and we’re just shooting at each other.” It’s the kind of surreal modern celebrity moment that perfectly captures how fragmented and multifaceted fame has become.

The Icelandic-Chinese artist recently wrapped an eight-show Australian tour, continuing to build on the massive success of her latest album. While her technical achievements and chart performance are impressive, these personal revelations about her stage anxiety remind us that success doesn’t automatically erase the vulnerabilities that make artists human in the first place.

Source: Billboard

Maybe the most authentic performances come from artists who are terrified of messing up.