Páll Óskar has been breaking barriers in Iceland via his music and activism for more than three decades! I’m kicking off my new interview series “In Bed With”, which is sponsored by Center Hotels, with this pop music icon. We talk about his controversial Eurovision performance, what it was like for him to come out of the closet in the 80’s in Iceland, and so much more.
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Check out Páll Óskar’s Music here – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4YnmlfVdziLiqFQtQ4zTcq
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Time Stamps:
00:00:00 – 00:00:58 – Intro to the Icon
00:00:58 – 00:04:36 – What Páll Óskar thinks about Iceland
00:04:36 – 00:08:36 – The attitude towards artists in Iceland
00:08:36 – 00:10:40 – Being a full-time artist & evolving his music
00:10:40 – 00:12:01 – Working with Younger Artists
00:12:01 – 00:17:04 – His incredibly talented Family & Exposure to Different Music
00:17:04 – 00:18:53 – Icelandic Pop Music Gold in the 70s
00:18:53 – 00:20:05 – Why trends spreads so quickly in Iceland
00:20:05 – 00:22:18 – His family’s response after coming out in the 80s
00:22:18 – 00:23:37 – Reconciling with his father after not being accepted as Gay
00:23:37 – 00:26:24 – The change in Iceland toward the LGBTQ+ community
00:26:24 – 00:29:55 – Being an artist and an activist in a small society
00:29:55 – 00:32:10 – The pressure of having a famous older sibling
00:32:10 – 00:35:51 – Keeping the energy for his music alive
00:35:51 – 00:37:32 – Owing Donna Summer & African Americans his whole life
00:37:32 – 00:39:25 – Proud sponsors of Reykjavik Pride
00:39:25 – 00:44:45 – Iceland vs NYC for being an artist
00:44:45 – 00:47:03 – Art knows No Borders
00:47:03 – 00:51:04 – Páll Óskar’s idea of the perfect Pride Parade
00:51:04 – 00:52:03 – The message behind his bumble gum pop lyrics
00:52:03 – 00:55:38 – Proving his parents wrong
00:55:38 – 00:57:07 – Finally finding love
00:57:07 – 01:00:43 – The Grindr scandal
01:00:43 – 01:01:56 – His thoughts on Trans People
01:01:56 – 01:05:25 – Why representation matters in all forms
01:05:25 – 01:10:12 – Páll Óskar’s Controversial Eurovision Performance
01:10:12 – 01:12:51 – The Younger Icelandic Artists that are coming up
01:12:51 – 01:14:27 – What Páll Óskar has planned for the future
01:14:27 – 01:19:13 – His advice for emerging artists
01:19:13 – 01:21:58 – What is Páll Óskar’s favorite Icelandic Word
He’s bold. He’s brilliant. And he’s been breaking
boundaries in Iceland since the ‘9s, over three decades. I’m talking about the iconic Pal Oscar,
who is not only a music icon, but an activist, and I am so honored to have him on the All Things
Iceland podcast, which we are doing a partnership with Center Hotels. In fact, this lovely place
I’m sitting in right now is one of the rooms. I’m in bed with an icon, if you will. And it’s
not just that Oscar or Pale is entertaining, he’s empowering. And you will definitely see
that throughout our conversation in which we go over many different topics, many different
aspects and the evolution of his life, his music, his love, and how he stays fresh and able to
continuously give us art and speak for those who are marginalized. So, without further ado, let’s
get into bed with this musical icon. All right, everybody. I am in bed with an Icelandic music
pop icon. Oh my god. Loving it. Thank you so much, Pop Oscar, for being here. Thank you. Likewise.
I’ve been following you for quite a few years now. Likewise. Before I even moved to Iceland, and
we’re going to have a little contest like who’s been following each other longer. No, I’ve always
loved your energy. Oh, thank you. And the way you present Iceland and I in particular I loved uh
the segment you did when he actually said you can enjoy an an experience Iceland uh all year round.
The question is what kind of experience do you want? Exactly. Exactly. We do have four seasons
technically. I think we’re like two. Some people think it’s one, but you know, whatever. It’s fine.
So, but we do. Yeah. And I and I totally agree with you. I I find magic in white nights. Yeah.
You know, I find I find magic in that we have uh almost no sunset on the 21st 1st of June.
But then, you know, on the 21st of December, we only had like 2 hours of daylight. And that’s
where uh human beings have to come in. And we create the light by going Christmas crazy.
We decorate everything. Eat a lot of sugar in including our grandmothers. Decorate our grand
decorate everything with Christmas lights. And And it’s just as magical. Yeah, I think so. There’s
beauty in every situation if you’re willing to look for it. No. And Iceland is no different.
And obviously, you know, people can be affected differently by it. But I’m glad that you said that
because as someone who was born and raised here, I think that you are giving a great representation
to people that just allow yourself to feel the joy, you know, be in the moment. But so, and I
also, you know, like most Icelanders, uh, I’m born and raised here in the west end of Reikavik,
just a few blocks away from here. And of course, you know, I started off taking this for granted.
Mhm. Until I started traveling. Yes. Broadening your horizons. Yeah. Yeah. And uh realizing that
there are places where people have to buy water. Yeah. In bottles, you know, in places that are
very developed countries actually. Yeah. Right. So it’s not like we’re going to places where
they don’t have running water. It’s like no, there’s chemicals in water in a lot of places
where drinking it is horrific. Imagine. Yeah. And and every time every time I come home uh and
after airport, the moment that sliding door opens and I can take my first breath of fresh knocked
you over yet, oh yeah, then I really do feel at home and I and I always appreciate it more and
more. That’s beautiful. No. And I think like I’m glad we started out this way because you know it’s
so interesting to hear because you’re so embedded in the society and community here that your
appreciation for it has has changed over time. So since you are loyally an icon internationally well
known for the bunts that don’t know you are we’re going to talk about Euro Vision. Okay. you’re
making an impression and people there are people internationally who are definitely like cult uh
popcot fans but for those who are not aware of you you talked a little bit about you grew up over
here in the vestibide area can you take us little bit through your childhood and how you knew you
wanted to be a singer well I’m born into a musical family I’m the youngest of seven children and my
parents and Mario they were both classicalally trained singers. Uh my father was a ilenor, you
know, he really wanted to be like a luchiano power. Wow. And he That’s some big dreams there.
Yeah. Yeah. and and he really had the talent and the ability to be one, but this was the ‘ 50s. And
um and the attitude um towards artists in Iceland uh has always been I’m not going to use the term
lovehate relationship. But but I can imagine that when we when when we were a bunch of of farmers
and and and fishermen in that kind of a community, you really had to focus on just catching that fish
and getting those lambs, you know, back into the houses, you know, get get them from the mountains
and into the houses, you know, and and focus on that. And then we threw a big party and there
was probably someone with an accordion in the in the corner playing. Yeah. And it’s like um the
attitude towards artists was like that like like creating art was not a real job. Yeah. And even
today, you know, I I’ve even though you’ve made a full-blown career out of it, people like and
so what do you do? What does your work? It’s like what more do I have to do? Yeah. I mean thinking
like too about your if you’re talking about like the 50s with your dad. It’s also an interesting
time because got independence in 1944, right? Like and then there’s this modern ninity type of racing
after trying to catch up with other like modern societies. So fishing and all that stuff. It’s and
I and I I’m not saying I get why art was sort of pushed to the side, but it was like we need to th
like get get this in. We have this opportunity, that’s what my brain goes to. But still, you have
these parties, right? Like everybody wants to sing and do whatever and having it’s like people see
it as entertainment, not as this valuable part of what helps us to all feel really good, right?
Like when I listen to your music, I’m I’m dancing around and I and I stop for a second. I go like,
“Oh yeah, right.” like this changed something in me just now, right? Like your dad, his talent
was going to help change something in people, but they couldn’t see it then because they were so
focused on like we got to make this work. We got to use this opportunity to like bring ourselves
up, you know, and you know, in such a a micro, you know, society so much smaller than it is now.
I mean, granted, we’re what 400,000. So that’s like if you think of the 50s, it’s like, oh my
gosh, there’s like hardly anybody here. you know, first and foremost, we were we were like striving
to live. And um so sadly, most artists that I do know, even to this day, most of my fellow artists
are do, you know, they keep their day job. Yeah. you know, they work as teachers maybe from 9 to5
and then they have to uh work on their art or focus on their art after work and you can imagine
how yeah it’s exhausting exhausting it can be um but there are a few of us who can actually live
off our art and now I’ve been living off my art for more than 30 years. Yeah, congratulations.
That is amazing. That is incredible. Oh, and if and if anything, I feel like I’m waking up
again. I My life is pretty hectic right now. Okay. Um I am recording a new album with a friend of
mine, Ben Ham. Mhm. That album is turning out to be a wonderful It’s fire trip. Yeah. And I haven’t
released an album since 2017. Yeah. And it’s 2025 now. And in 2017, Yeah. It was a very fine album.
It was a nice dancy pop album, but I felt like I was repeating myself. Yeah. And I felt like I
had explored everything in me. And I felt like uh Yeah. I had said everything I need to say. Mhm.
Uh, guess what happens? I fell in love. Yeah. Love is beautiful. And it was like waking up again.
Waking up to life. Yeah. Again. And a different appreciation for life. Yeah. And uh and suddenly I
did have something to say. And suddenly everything woke up again in me. The music the musical part
of me woke up again. And and not only that, it’s not only that album. I’m also doing collaborations
with artists who are much younger than me. Yeah. I actually just came out of the studio with
uh a very young artist named Danil and we did this dance track which is on fire. Yeah. He sent
me a sample of it. It was so good. I’m looking forward to it. Yeah. And and I was actually with
I was with him in the studio just the day before yesterday and we were finishing this track and and
I love that I’m getting all this love Yeah. from younger artists, you know, of of totally different
generations than I am. Mhm. And I actually told Dil, Donnie, do you realize in 5 years I’m going
to be 60 years old. And his face turned white. And I asked him, how old are you? Uh 20. And I started
I started laughing immediately. He couldn’t even finish. But this is this is a wonderful place to
be in. It’s a and it’s a wonderful experience. Yeah. And I love that that you’re well, first
of all, you’ve hit on different genres of music, right? So, even though you’re a pop icon in terms
of like you solidified yourself there, you’ve done things with the symphony orchestra, you like
DJ, doing house music, dance, all this stuff. How do you pick which genre you’re going to like step
into? Is it just like in the moment you’re feeling it or something comes to you? Well, I’ll tell you
what. Um, like I said, I’m I’m born and raised in a musical family and and I’m the youngest of
seven children. Oh, okay. Okay. So, you’ve got to experience a lot. Yeah. That was probably my my my
most valuable gift and my biggest blessing was to, you know, make an entrance into this family. uh uh
having six other siblings were three brothers and four sisters living nine people a family of nine
living in 110 square meters. Wow. Which is kind of unthinkable today. Yeah. And um and you can
imagine when you’re living in a household like that um each and every of us kids were striving to
find our own identity. Mhm. And what do you do? Of course, you find your own identity through music,
right? So none of my none of my siblings or family members was listening to the same kind of music.
You’re like, “This is mine.” I got introduced to literally everything. Yeah. Uh my parents being
classically trained singers, they were playing opera at all times. So I I learned to appreciate
classical music. M um but my oldest sister Asti, she was working in this club in the ‘ 70s. Yes,
we had clubs in the 70s. Uh and Oh, those were hot disco techs. We we only had one TV station and
which was turned off on Thursdays. There was no TV on Thursdays. Yes. So you had to do something and
so people went out and they met each other in the real world. Yes. And actually social with each
other. Yes. And uh she was working at the as at one of those clubs and she brought to our house
disco music 7 in singles. Yeah. Uh and at the same time Did my sister she was a big pop star in
the 70s herself. Yeah. Did is a very very gifted singer and even even though she is my sister I
think she’s the most this is probably one of the most beautiful voices Iceland has ever heard.
Mhm. And she um um she made a jump, you know, going from uh folky kind of uh folky kind of
Joan bias music. Mhm. Um she was surrounded with great songwriters and lyricists and oh my
god her catalog from the 70s is amazing. Wow. Okay. But then she made the jump and she went
to London to study classical music. She she uh took her soprano. Uh she uh chose to not to say
goodbye to that pop star forever, but she chose to uh work on her soprano and she involved into
the most beautiful ones. Wow. That we’ve ever heard. That’s amazing. Uh at the same time,
Mi, my brother was learning trumpet and that’s where I got introduced to Herb Albert and and
E listening music. Yeah. Um at good my brother, he was listening to rock and roll. Uh rock and
roll like Mohead, Kiss. Yeah. Uh Judas Priest, uh Iron Maiden, um and Hustina, my sister, she was
the anti artist. She she was listening to punk. Um Nina Hagen. Um and you know all the avantgard um
yeah the avantgard Mhm. uh spectrum of of music. Now uh Linda, my sister was on the she was
listening to some tough tough women like Kate Bush. Oh yeah. Okay. And Pat Bener. Pat Benader. I
mean I can see the memories coming back for you of those like talking about these So, so you see I’m
getting Yeah. Yeah. You’re literally from all It was like a buffet uh a bouet of music. Mhm. From
all over. And at the same time, I uh I’m listening to Icelandic pop music. M the the the this era
of the 70s and 80s in Iceland pop music is filled with gold you know music that is so well written
and so well produced that it’s amazing and we have in particular one uh composer named Gner Thoros
and in my opinion he is the the greatest and Oh my god. He him and Johan Herson, I think the
two of them have written songs that that could have uh could have been big big singles for
artists like Selen Dion. Oh wow. Or Whitney Houston. Yeah. Uh in particular, there’s one song
by Kuno uh titled Fista, your first smile. Um it’s a song about uh the experience of having a a
child. A and and going through the miracle. Yeah, I’m in that process right now. Yeah. Yeah. And I
think you know Fista is the perfect selling Dion song. We have gold in our Icelandic catalog of pop
music. So I’m I’m well raised. Yeah. Okay. And and coming up in a time period where you were saying
even the production of the music and everything was like very topnotch. You’re getting Yeah.
And it’s amazing and what kudos to Icelanders that uh we are quick in uh when it comes to uh
getting into technology, getting used to it, using it to our advantage. Yes. Um modernization
here has happened very quickly. We’re quick. Yes. when the internet came, you know, in 1995, no one
had it. In 1997, 98% of people had the internet, you know, and then cell phones, you know, but
being on an island where like you don’t have a lot of access and then you have the whole like well
seemingly at the time the whole world open to you, that’s pretty cool. This is what we do. You know,
when TV came along, you know, it took it took the whole nation two years to get a TV. Yeah. Yeah.
That’s it’s true. Trends go so like they spread so fast here. It could be something as monumental
like the internet or personal computers to even like people just cycling and buying all the gear
and then all of a sudden everyone’s cycling for like 2 years and it fades off. It’s like some
stuff fades away. But is true like it spreads like wildfire if something becomes popular here. And
it does. But like pivoting a little bit because we talked a bit about you know your childhood and
the fact that you came up in this musical family. You also came out as gay quite early in
terms of in the time period. Yeah. And in a time period where there’s was maybe not that
many examples of of people around. So, well, I come out in 1987 when I’m 17. Yeah. I come out
to my parents and to the kids kids at school. Uh because I had to I was in love. Okay. Love sounds
like already cuz it’s it’s got it’s a trend in your life. Finally, everything made sense and
uh and falling in falling in love, you know, the the the this raw emotion of love of falling
in love. It it was so brutal and it didn’t let go and and I knew I I can’t waste valuable energy in
hiding this. Yeah. and trying to be like, “No, I want it all out there. I got stuff to do.” So, uh,
how were you received when you came out? Cool. Um, all of my brothers and sisters said, “Yeah.” Mhm.
They’re like, “Okay, finally you said it.” While wh while my parents, you know, they were really
taken it back and uh and it took me a long time to forgive them. They they showed all the wrong
response. All the wrong responses. M uh but but when I got older I had to realize and and and the
best moment for me was to ask myself the question Pali, do you realize where your parents come from?
Do you realize what sort of information they had about homosexuality right in the first place? And
uh and it and it took us a long time to recover, but we eventually did. Sadly, my mother died
when I was 25. Oh, I’m sorry. And my father died when uh when he was 69 and I was 32. Um
but by the time by that time me and my father had come to terms that’s good with each other
and and instead of being in this tug of war kind of relationship it was a very um yeah it was like
two primadonas in in the same room at all times. M uh but I also had to start focusing on, you know,
what do I have in common with with this with this man and what does he have in common with me? And
we found out that we we have more in common than they’re different. Yeah. Yeah. And I think
that’s a really it shows growth first of all uh on your part and your dad’s that you were able
to take a step back and be like wait a minute this is a different generation. this is, you know,
from where they’re coming from and try to meet him where he is. And then also that he opened
himself up to doing the same because some people can stay stubborn until their last breath. So I’m
glad that there was a transformation there. Yeah, there was. Thank God. Yeah. Right. Or um and so
as an openly gay icon and coming up and I mean you your first album in 1993 or Groove, right? this
allowed for you to really kind of like have fun and put yourself out there. And through the years,
you’ve not only been doing your music, having a great time, you also been an active voice. Oh,
right. For people who are not able to maybe voice for themselves or even within this community.
And so I’m wondering as you’ve been so like from the very beginning, right? Because it’s not just
for you, it’s been you’ve seen how the community needs to be uh more integrated. M how have you
seen Iceland change in terms of the feelings towards LGBTQ plus community? Oh, drastically.
And well, you do know, you probably know that this community of LGBT people
in Iceland um did show um a lot of progress in a miraculously short time
span. Again, Iceland moving quickly, right? Um, we went from literally being uh unseen, you
know, with with no rights. We were invisible uh to society. We uh we were simply not there.
Uh we go from being not there to literally full equal rights. Yeah. uh within a time span of 10
years. It’s incredible. Yeah. And I um you know, not only did we have some really amazing
individuals who paved the way, who gave their faces and their names. They came out, gave their
faces, gave their names. And when you live in such a small society like Iceland, uh, one face, one
name means a lot. You know, we have cousins and nieces and we have grandmothers and families who
know everybody. So it spirals super quickly. Uh, and it was like suddenly everybody in Iceland
woke up to the fact that all of us know someone all of us know someone who’s gay. We all know
someone, you know, it touches all of us in some way. Mhm. Um, from it was not my agenda to
become an activist. Um, I just want to first and foremost be an be an artist. Yeah. The activism
part didn’t come until later. I’ve never been uh a member of of any political party anywhere.
Um, I haven’t even been a member of the queer organization really. I was uh Yeah. I was at
this committee when we were creating the parade. Mhm. Akavic Pride Parade. Yes. Which is coming up
soon. Yeah. I was a member of that committee from 1999 till 2006. Okay. So, I witnessed that parade
grow. You know, we planted those seeds very punk, very not knowing what we were doing, very, you
know, you know, oh, we had to learn from our all of our mistakes. You got to start from somewhere.
Oh, yeah. Yeah. You have to start from somewhere. And so, yeah, I was there. And but otherwise, no,
the the activism part sort of came to me because if you’re an artist in the first place Mhm. And if
you have this ability to write a song and actually perform it and sing it and make a and make a very
direct connection with people, then then comes the day when someone hands you a microphone and starts
asking questions. You get this window. Yeah. M you know and in my opinion artistists should use
that window and that’s what happened to me and I was asked you know almost all the interviews uh
I went through from 1989 to present day in almost all the interview all all the interviews were
were gay questions okay or queer themed questions which I tried to answer as best as I could, but it
wasn’t like I I wasn’t uh a registered dictionary, you know. You’re like, I’m just the person.
But as you mentioned though, when an individual becomes really well known or seen, it’s and
has something that is different than maybe the majority of people in the community, there is
sort of a responsibility that’s put on that person unknowingly, right? So you start to become this
figure head for or a trailblazer for individuals even if that wasn’t your intention was to set
out to be like oh I’m going to be an openly gay pop star right it was like I’m just making music
I’m an artist and I’m also openly gay but it’s like your existence is a part of your activism
because you’ve lived it boldly and out loud and unapologetically and I think that in itself
empowered a lot of other people. It did. And I always consider that a bonus because I can promise
you uh in my case it was music first. Yeah. Your passion. Music first. It has to come first. Uh
your art has to come first. Uh you have to take it into the picture that I am the little brother
of Titu who was a big pop star in the 70s and then a famous soprano. So naturally everybody was super
curious to hear the little little brother of Titu sing. Did you feel pressured a little? Okay.
by that. Uh, but it it opened up not a door, but it opened up a window of curiosity. And
then I pulled the gig and and I and I um and I felt it pretty strongly inside of me that
no, classical music was not me. Mhm. Even though I’m born and raised in a household playing all
these operas, I I personally did not make that strong of a connection with it. Mhm. Uh but then
I saw ABBA win Eurovision in 1974 and I made a immediate connection. Yes, this is what I want to
do. This pop music. Yeah, this is this is me. And also, [Music] do not forget I have the energy to
do this, you know, the the core Mhm. inside of me is a happy kid, you know, and he’s still here and
alive and kicking and and this is the happy kid that you see on stage. But the moment I entered
and in just normal life when I saw you downstairs, it was such a beautiful moment when you were just
like, “Hey.” And we embrace and even now it’s like you can feel that you have this um beautiful aura
and energy that just emanates from you, you know, because you could be just be like, “Yeah, okay,
whatever.” You know what I mean? Like you could you could be a totally different subdued person
because of all the visibility and attention, but you have this like curiosity and uh really fun
aspects of you. Yeah. Thank God I’m curious. Still am. Yeah. And each and every gig is a new gig. It
is a new experience. It is a uh I don’t know if you do uh I don’t know if you practice meditation.
Yes, I do. Ah. Okay. Meditation, tapping. I do like different things that help me to kind of keep
very present. Okay. Well, uh, for those who don’t, uh, do meditation, uh, I’ve got a very great,
if you know who Lori Anderson is. No. Okay. An artist, New York-based artist, very avantgard.
Uh, I heard her on Instagram the other day saying, “Okay, when you meditate, uh, yes, you probably
live the same life every single day. You do the same. You do the same routine. You drive this
road, you know, to work or you have to walk this road, yada yada yada blah blah blah, and
then the day is done.” Mhm. What happens if you picture yourself not walking that road?
You’re What happens if you’re walking a road? Interesting. And now you’re meditating. Yeah.
Yeah. Mhm. You feel what happens. And this is what happens to me every time I’m on stage. Oh. The
moment is always new. Nice. There are songs on my uh repertoire that I’ve been singing for 30
years, but I’m not tired of them. They still come to me just as fresh as they were. Oh, that’s
beautiful. Because the energy that we manage to capture within the songs, the the the core of the
song itself is still there. Yeah. And it’s still serving. That’s awesome. or and I’ll have a link
to your Spotify like your albums and stuff for people who want to listen and they can get the
vibe of the different songs and even have as you evolved over the years. Yeah. And guess what? Uh
yes, I woke up to ABBA uh in my childhood and I knew that this is this is what I wanted to do
but I didn’t know not know I I I had not quite found my uh my niche or my sound or you know what
is it that I want to do and no one around me knew who do you want to be a Johnny Matthysse kind of
housewife singer or you want to do musicals or uh you want to do bubble gum pop music what
is what is this what do you want to do and I didn’t quite know myself until I went to New York
City ah in 1993 okay the summer of 1993 I I I had actually been um doing this radio show uh here
in Iceland from 1991 till 93 this Dr. Love Uh, no came later. Okay. Okay. I was DJing. Oh, cool.
And I was playing my favorite music from vinyl. Mhm. On the which vinyl is back in style. So,
yeah. And a lot of those tunes I spinned were was 70s disco. And uh you know you know all of us
know now that uh disco is you know I I I actually owe Donna Summer personally my whole life.
That’s that’s a great person to owe your whole life to. She’s amazing you know or was
amazing. Uh, no. African-American. Uh, I owe African-Americans everything I do now. Literally,
um, I enter New York City in 93, summer of 93, and I’m there for three months. Each and every
night, I went to some club. Mhm. There was Chicago house music. It was all the rage. Uh, Robin S with
Show Me Love was the song. I love that song. Oh my gosh. And And I walk into this energy, which
was me. Mhm. With the rest of the homosexuals, with the rest of the people of all genders, all
colors. I felt like home. I felt like I was just one of the colors. I felt like I was one of the
flowers. Yeah. uh made this very distinctive connection and I thought to myself, yes, this is
the energy. This is the excitement that I want to capture in my music and pay it forward and and
try to find and try to do my own spin on it. This episode is sponsored by the lovely center
hotels and we are in one of their rooms at the Grande which is in a great location. And this
is also a special time in Iceland because it is Pride. And so having this openly gay music icon
and also collaborating, partnering with a hotel that is a proud sponsor of Pride is something
that is amazing. and the opportunity to bring voice and a platform to a community that sometimes
doesn’t always have the ability to say or you know express all that is necessary for them to thrive.
So thank you to Center Hotels for sponsoring and as a little gift to our listeners and followers.
You can use my code ATI25, which basically is a shortening for all things Iceland 25 to save 25%
on your stay with Center Hotels. They have nine unique hotels in the center of Rekavik. So, you
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beds, beautiful, amazing customer service. Like, everyone is so kind and so sweet. So definitely
make sure if you’re staying in Rekuik, choose C hotels, whatever one is best for you
because you have a lot of options. And enjoy this episode. Along with your booking though, know
that this is crucial. Free breakfast. Believe me, ice’s expensive. You’ll need it. Also, you’ll
have the ability to have early check-in, potentially late checkout if it’s available,
a welcome drink, and of course, a warm smile. And whenever you stay in Reguik, you’ll know that
when you stay with Center Hotels, you’ll get great service. I’m surprised though that you didn’t want
to stay in New York, right? Was there something was you always you always wanted to come back
to Iceland because there some people sometimes when you get that big of a revelation and it’s
already existing in a place, you might go like, “Oh, I need to be here.” But you felt, I’m
guessing, it sounded like you felt like still Iceland was the place you wanted to be, but just
to bring it back there. Over here in Iceland, it was much easier for me to toile care to break
to break out. Okay, fair enough. Yeah. And uh and you and you must know here in Iceland, it is
pretty easy for artists to work, collaborate, meet up. Uh the beauty of Reikavik for example
is that it is so small and the community is so tiny that you probably get an idea in the morning
you make a phone call at noon and at dinner time you’re in the studio actually working on that.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. It’s true. I mean I sent you a message on Instagram, right? I mean granted
we’ve been following each other but it is that small. Sometimes this is like a Facebook message
or whatever. Like the accessibility to people is and it gets done. Exactly. We talked last late
last week, right? And it was like now we’re here. So yes, I had no interest in being, you know,
being stuck in New York just knocking on doors. So you were very smart about it cuz some people get
disillusioned because they hear about, you know, going to New York and people making it and it’s
like you said, there are millions of people there all trying to do similar things, right? So you
came back to your your roots in a place where that’s pretty cool that you were aware of that.
Well, what happened is that another blessing count your blessings in New York in 93. Mhm. Uh
I didn’t know I did not know that they would be there at the same time that I was, but there was
this heavy metal rock band called Ham. Mhm. It’s the best rock group Iceland has ever seen. Uh
those guys were actually in New York on tour. Oh wow. In the summer of 93. So I became a groupy and
I I followed them to all those uh gigs and I got to know them and I got acquainted with the Johan
Johansson. Mhm. uh bless his heart, bless his memory and also prop was there and blunt at the
rock a little and we we became friends and um Yoi and Sirion they were uh also members of of a side
project called Funkasi which was a joke funk band. uh with tons of people on stage and they could
never meet up, they could never rehearse, they could never record and they had some demos,
some funky demos. Mhm. Uh just lying around and waiting, I don’t know, awaiting their death. Uh
and then they met me and the two of them thought we have a performer. Mhm. And a productive
performer as well. Yeah. And and we had this meeting and we decided the moment we come home
back to the moment we we return to we’ll start working on some of those demos. Cool. It’s uh
it’s Yo and Sor who simply told me to go home, write melodies and lyrics to songs that needed
melodies and lyrics and I Okay. Especially since you were like so in awe that they were there and
also like including you. That’s cool. Yeah. Mhm. And um and so the day after I show up in the
studio with a melody and and lyrics to a song that eventually became starts to starts
to stood. Not not many people know this, but this is the first this is my this is my first
attempt. That’s awesome. Of writing a song and I’m still singing the song to this day. I love it. And
um and I got this uh enormous wonderful uh ka this the the energy and uh the artistic determination
of of Yoi, you know, in particular. Um we had a a wonderful working relationship. We worked on
three albums together. Wow. In the end. and and we had this shared love and passion. Mhm. For
African-American disco music, house music and then techno. We were just looking into what happened
to this? Why is every why is everyone saying that disco is dead? Because because disco was a
taboo in 1993. Mhm. Uh, no one played it really and it was not fashionable at all, you know,
to listen to this in the first place. There’s this ongoing debate if techno is actually from
African-Americans or coming from Europe, you know, coming from uh Germany in particular, I I think
there is a blend. Yeah, there is a blend. Mind you, speak speaking of Donna Summer, Donna Summer
actually lived in Germany in the early ‘7s where she meets up with Giorgio Morotor, an Italian uh
who is living in Germany. And that’s why I’m so, you know, I’m an advocate for no borders. Yeah.
You know, art knows no borders. Yeah. And see, watch the beauty that comes out of this when these
two cultures, you know, merge. Love, love to love you baby came out of this. Oh my gosh. And I love
that you said that about this is why you’re an advocate for things because through art you’re
getting to experience that you can’t restrict people, right? Like there is literally sky is the
limit. And I’m, you know, I even had a question for you about that whole like where’s the boundary
between your art and activism, but you just sort of answered it like it it just blends together,
right? In many different ways, even if your focus has been the art, but the activism is just always
continues to kind of grown out of it. And now you are more, you know, outspoken in and in in terms
of from your own and not just people asking you questions because there’s concerts that you’re
doing. And you know, even we’re going to get in, of course, to you being in love with someone who’s
not from Iceland and how that was a very pivotal moment for you to get insight about how things
work behind the scenes when it comes to coming to Iceland from a place where that might politically
be in strife and, you know, just persecuted. And but before I do that, I do want to say because
we’ve talked a bit about, you know, your journey as being openly gay that Pride is coming up at
the Pride Parade. You are the finale, right? Oh, and love every year ever since I’ve been coming uh
first visiting to Iceland and then living here and seeing your final float and the dancing and the
um bedazzled everything and it’s just it’s just incredible. And so I’m just wondering like for
your float cuz you talked about the beginning you were just making it work probably putting
strings together or whatever else. How has that evolved to being this like incredible display
of what it feels like your inner child, right? like just having a great time. Yeah. Well,
I I um just like in my music. Yes. I I first and foremost I want people to have fun and I want
you guys to be entertained and I also want I want you to feel like someone told you the truth like
like someone ga gave you something of value and and the float you know like the music. I think
I think the Pride Parade in particular uh the perfect pride for me, the perfect pride
parade for me should be both a wonderful party plus politics. You can merge the two. Mhm. Um
I can create dance pop and disco music with lyrics who are pointant and uh and who are strong
have a strong message even a political message or spiritual message. Yes, that can it can be done
and that’s what I’ve done. Yeah. When it comes to the float, you know, it’s not only, you know,
colors and confetti. There’s always always some sort of concept behind the float uh that uh is
pretty serious. Like this year, we’re creating uh the butterfly float. Mhm. Everybody who’s
going to be on the float is a butterfly. Uh but the sculpture on the float is a gig
gigantic chrysalis. Oh yeah. And all the butterflies are constantly going and you know
going into the chrysalis unseen. There’s going to be a staircase inside of the cryis. And so the
the spectators, the the audience on the sidewalks are constantly seeing someone come out of the
chrysalis. Literally. Yeah. I love that. I love that literal and figurative. Yeah. In terms of
transformation and and this is basically what we feel like when we actually do come out. Mhm. Uh
we come out with flying colors. It’s beautiful. after probably being repressed or repressing
ourselves. Um and so so you see you can make a wonderful beautiful statement literally out of
anything. You can disguise it as a party. Mhm. You can but but it but but it can also have a deeper
meaning to it. Same same with my dance pop. Yes, you can call it bubblegum dance pop, but for
me, no, the lyrics are important and when I was growing up and actually when I came out, my
parents thought that I could not fall in love with anyone. Oh, yeah. They both said, you know, you’re
going to be Oh, you’re going to be so lonely. Oh, wow. We feel sorry for you because you’re going to
be alone because you can’t fall in love with, you know, gays can’t fall in love with anyone. Wow.
You know, you guys can only have sex interesting and hurtful to feel like that is. So, I’ve I’ve
tried my best to write the most beautiful lyrics, you know, love songs, if you please, um that
I possibly can. And I actually finished now um recording a new album with a friend of mine,
Ben Hemp, also a wonderful musician. And this new album is just one one long love letter
to Antonio, a who’s your husband. It It’s the first time and that I’m actually in love and
and I’m being answered back. Yeah. Reciprocated. That’s beautiful. And now I feel like all all
of my albums so far are written by someone who is looking for something. The new album sounds
like coming from someone who has found something. Wow. Yeah. Yeah. And you can’t help but hear it.
Yeah. you know, I love it. So, you’re you’re in for a treat. I I’m looking forward to it. I’m sure
people other people who are listening and watching would love to hear it. So, I’ll definitely when
it comes out going to have that link and oh man, I love that just hearing um you know your
story about that evolution. But it’s a bit ironic to me that you coming out, you had to
come out. You felt because you were in love, but your parents were saying you’ll never
love any you love anybody. It’s like, well, that’s the whole reason why I’m out here being
so overly who I am is because I’m in love. Even if that was just, you know, your first love, your
puppy love. You know, my parents were like, uh, uh, where are you going to find a job? You’re
going to be kicked out of all all the jobs. Um, you’re going to be kicked out of apartments. where
you going to live. Yeah. Um you’re going to die. You’re going to you’re going to get AIDS. This was
1987. You’re going to get AIDS and die. Jeez. Uh which there was a guy here who ended up getting
HIV and he turned that around for himself. Um I can’t remember his name. My boyfriend was telling
me about it. Who made like t-shirts about like if you’re going to die, you might as well live.
Something like this. And now he’s been living um you know with HIV for decades and no problem.
You know what I mean? So like yeah it was it’s really scary time back then though. Well literally
all of my life what what happened after you know my parents were like this uh this jealous this
this jealous um what what’s her what’s her name who walks into the party of sleeping beauty while
he’s sleeping in the in the cradle. Maleficent. Yes. Yeah. She walks in putting a curse on
her. My my parents were like Maleficent, you will never. They were speaking ill to
you toward you. Yeah. And so all of my life my reaction was that okay now I have to dismantle
all of this. I have to prove that they are wrong, you know, and a I had to put a lot of energy into
proving to them that none of this is going to come true. I did not get HIV. I did not die. I’ve never
been fired from any kind of job. If anything, I’m a sought after entertainer. You know, my phone
is still ringing. Uh I live in my dream house. Yeah. Uh I make really good income. Uh I uh I’ve
had a wonderful career. Uh none of the bad things that my parents predicted, none of this came true.
Yeah. Um and it took me a long time to find love. Yes. But I never stopped looking. Which is great
for all you people out there. I never stopped looking. Never stopped looking. I allow hope to
keep alive. Right. I found Antonio on Grinder, which is a sex app. Uh yes, we we homosexuals,
we love to have sex with each other. You’re enjoying your life. It’s no problem for
us. But when he, you know, when he entered, it was funny the it was like the the the the
moment we laid eyes on each other. It was like, “Oh, so you’re here. Where you been? Venezuela,
but we were doing there, you know, Iceland. What are you doing there?” Right? like or it it we
obviously have a very strong spiritual connection and emotional connection. Yeah. And then the
physical connection. Yeah. And then um the best part was that I didn’t know who he was and
he didn’t know who I was. We got to get to know each other like totally pure organically without
pretense from point z. Yeah, that is beautiful and that is so necessary but especially with you
having so much status and actually there was an incident. I mean Grinder has its its faults of
course too, right? Um I think it was 2021 when I was I was looking at the time period where you
were on Grinder living your life, you know, having fun and you had shared some photos with somebody
and they decided to publicly I know share them. These are private a private conversation and they
decided to publicly share them to try and shame you. Mhm. But your reaction was not what they
expected. My So could you walk through a little bit of like once you found out that they had
publicly shared these photos, were you immediately like I’m going to do something about this or did
like what happened? I learned from other people that photos of me were in were circulating on the
internet in particular Facebook. Yeah. Wow. Uh and I decided to okay take things into my own hands.
So So immediately you had this like I’m going to do something about this. Oh yeah. Okay. And I
simply published exactly the same photos on my Instagram and Facebook. I I remember seeing this
post because I was like, “What’s going on here?” Yeah. Yeah. Uh and I stated the [ __ ] who is
uh now distributing these photos on the internet uh has not my permission to do so. This was
a private conversation. Uh okay. You guys are welcome to uh enjoy these photos uh because I
cannot possibly feel no shame for my body for the way I look. Uh have a ball. uh to the guy who
actually did this uh he is the one who should feel ashamed because uh I I I cannot find shame within
me for this. I I’m I cannot find shame for being a sexual being in the first place or wanting
to have sex or being ashamed for sex. No. Um I cannot feel ashamed for this. No,
not for this. No. Uh shame is never um the the the shame is never on the shoulders
of the one who trusts. Mhm. The one who should be ashamed is the one who breaks that
trust. When you break this level of trust, then shame on you. And um and
you know what this looking back this is basically what my whole life and career has all been about. It’s it’s
all out in the open. Mhm. And there’s nothing to be ashamed about. there’s
nothing to fear. And and I’m constantly dismantling and proving, for example, pro proving
that my parents Mhm. were wrong. I feel like trans people are now going through the same for the next
few years. I think trans people need to dismantle and and and you know Yeah. Shoot all these
stories, you know, because we we’ve heard all of this before. What about the children? Uh you
are uh you guys are a um I I’m lost for words. Uh you guys are a threat to children. You’re a threat
to our private spaces. You’re a threat to y when literally none of this is true. Nope. Yep. But
I feel for trans people going through this and that’s why us, you know, homosexuals who’ve been
through this, we should be uh alleyies with our sisters. Mhm. And brothers. and brothers. It is
so true. And I think this is a big part again of, you know, the whole you’re not just here selfishly
for your own cuz you could be I mean you could be a gay man that goes like I just care about my own
benefit and everyone else good luck, right? There are people who like that in the world. And as a
person who also has so much status and influence, because you are speaking out, you’re helping to
empower these people to remember this is not a struggle that came from just me existing and all
of a sudden, you know, it’s fine. It’s like, no, there’s been a road to get here to acceptance.
There’s been fighting, there’s been protesting, there’s been, you know, just being visible,
being seen, representation, right? Like I was very lucky as a child that my parents were around
people of many different lifestyles including one of my dad’s best friends was a gay man which you
would think would be my dad was a huge dude like almost 2 m you know really big you just wouldn’t
expect him to have this like very flamboyantly gay friend right uncle Kenny who would come over to
visit and that helped shaped us as kids as being so understanding and like this is just normal
right this is just a person that we love is great right and there’s nothing to demonize about
it and I think that’s again it’s like people have their own activism within their lives, which is
just having different types of people around who represent lifestyles so that children could be
exposed to that as normal rather than demonizing and starting to put this idea in your head that
like if you’re exposed to it, you’re automatically going to become it. It’s like that’s not how that
works. It’s crazy. Yeah. No. And um I do believe that that I’m a part of nature and I do believe
that uh there is this le Mhm. a color spectrum. I’m one of the colors. Then there are people
out there who simply see life only black and white and as a square, a black and white square.
There’s nothing wrong about it or right about it. I’m not trying to look for that. Uh but these
same these same people have difficulties with seeing the rest of the colors in the spectrum.
uh and sometimes don’t want those other colors to exist because they don’t feel comfortable.
Like that’s a different story, right? It’s like you’re trying to dictate other people’s lives.
It is a different story. Yeah. But I know for a fact I am one of the callers. And not only that,
now uh we are seeing layers and layers, you know, that that there’s a a a deeper you can go deeper
into the color spectrum. Mhm. I think trans people are here to remind us that there’s not only the
color spectrum that we see. There are also glossy colors. There are pastel colors. There are what
happens if you mix yellow and red. You get this beautiful orange, you know. And it this and queer
in general, right, too. There’s like there’s a lot of different And this is identity is and this is
in nature, you know? This is nature. Yes, I think the the black and white perspective is a man-made
perspective, you know. Yeah. But I do want to talk about your Eurovvision experience of 1927. Oh
yeah. Min hinted. Yeah. Right. So the lyrics I was looking up the lyrics that cuz I was like was it
also the lyrics? It was like no the performance. people were like so okay when you decided to
do this performance because you were and that’s what I meant by internationally people do know you
because this has stuck with people there’s there’s a big controversy that happened in terms of was a
little bit more sexual than maybe people were used to what made you come up with this particular um
more bold performance and what was going through your mind that night when you kind of got wind
that like oh people have thoughts and feelings about this cool uh the story behind it is that
in 1996 Mhm. Eurovision was in a strange place, a bad place if you ask me. Okay. Uh it was like
Eurovision as a contest was missing the boat. It was not, you know, in with the times.
It uh the the music was kind of dated or tacky. And for example, there was hardly any
electro or any dance music, no house music, nothing that you heard on the radio, right?
You know, it just didn’t uh get it, you know, it it was like it was trying to knock on the doors
of Eurovvision, but it didn’t get in. Yeah. Yeah. And so when Ruv simply asked me to take part in
it because Ruv at the time didn’t have any budget to do a pre-selection. Okay. You just do it. They
picked up the phone. They called me and asked me to do it. That’s funny. And I said, “Okay, I’ll
do it.” Yeah. Uh but you’ll have to allow me to do exactly what I want to do. And no questions.
take off the guard rails. And they said, “Okay.” Yeah. They said, “Yeah.” Or I knew for a fact that
uterism was a big gay cultural enigma. Mhm. Uh but hardly any gays were in the audience at the time.
That’s interesting. Yeah. You know, they were most of the people who were there were really prim
and proper and it was like going out to night at the orchestra or something. Yeah. It’s like
very different. Yeah. And um so okay, Eurovision was just missing the boat. Mhm. And someone
had to do something, you know? You’re like, I’m that someone. Something we’re going to shake
it up. Yeah. All right. And and I show up with a techno. Yeah, a very European techno tune. Um,
me and my friend Trista Haroldson, we wrote this, but the demo was in fact almost like a hymn, a a
church, a religious hymn, a beautiful hymn. Yeah, it is a beautiful song. and uh and and and that
was the demo that uh Tristi gave to me and I said this is interesting what happens if we put a
techno beat to this you know and and so again two worlds you know merge with each other which
I’m which I’m fierce fiercely interested in and and Then I said, “Okay, this has to be as
decadent and gay as possible.” It’s going from like hardly any gay to all the gay that you can.
And I learned only later that I’m the first openly gay contestant. Wow. Uh in Eurovvision history,
but I’m not the first. Right. Right. Right. Exactly. I know. But just All of them out there
with it. All of them were closeted. Wow. Before me. Wow. Imagine that’s incredible. I’m I’m proud
that you have been so boldly yourself. That is incredible, right? Because it’s changed the face
of so many things. Even if it, you know, riled some people, they obviously needed to be riled a
little bit, right? And it started to create this space now for more people to come out and be like,
just do something fun, right? Like don’t be don’t overthink it so much. Oh, awesome. Okay. That was
super important. Yeah. So, as you have progressed in your career, obviously you’re seeing younger
LGBTQ plus people coming up, artists, whatever else. And what does it mean to you? I mean, you’re
collaborating with many of them or some of them who are not maybe in that community, but they’re
allies. I I just collaborated with a friend of mine named Torv. There’s a new queen in town. New
queen in town. The crown has been passed. Tarv is a is a queer artist. I feel like he’s going going
to be the Icelandic Kate Bush because he’s writing songs. He’s writing lyrics. He’s arranging
this. He is uh recording this and mixing this, singing this, and then he dances. He uh he he
was a member of the Icelandic Dance Company. Oh, so like a professional. Wow. Okay. He is. Yeah.
Wow. Amazing artist. Talk about multi-talented. That’s incredible. Yes. Oh, I I must confess
that uh I’ve had a lot of different reactions to me and my music through the years and
and some of it has been yes, I’ve had the aggression and I’ve had the rejection and I’ve
had uh all the negative comments, you know, I’ve had it all. Now I am experiencing this
love. I’m getting a lot of love from artists who are 30 years younger than me and I’m loving
it. Yeah. You know, and Tori is one of them. D is one of them. Yeah. I’m amazed that they that
they they’re calling up this old queen to to write a song with them. Yeah. In in the in the studio
and and it’s always a joyful experience. Always. I think that also I mean you say you call yourself
a old queen but I think that goes to show how much respect and how much you’ve done as you’ve come
up for other people to feel really good and to be artists and to pursue it full-time that they want
to pay respect and also like be with your vibe, right? Like that’s how much great energy you’re
giving off. You’re, you know, you’re like, “Oh, they’re younger than me.” But like at heart,
you’re along those same lines, right? And so that just is a testament to you and like how you’ve
kept present with yourself and allowed yourself to grow and be open to really cool opportunities.
So so thank you for doing that because it’s meant more art for all of us to enjoy from you. Yeah.
And there’s more to come. More to see that. See I’m not done. Not even slightly slowing down.
I had this I had this dream of being an 83y old queen still on that still on that float. Still
like roll me around. still doing shows, you know, May West style. Mhm. And I I love the thought
of it and I do think I have the energy for it, you know. Yeah. As long as you feel good and and
then life happens and it gives you inspiration to sit down and write, you know. Yeah. So what and
then pay it forward and constantly there you go, you know, be grateful, constantly, you know,
save grace and constantly thank uh my diva Donna Summer. Yes. Oh, hell Donna Summer. Yeah. All
hail her. No. Uh because the excitement in her music Mhm. is still there. Yeah. Play her tracks
thousand%. I have all my playlists. I have summer. I have so many different artists, but disco to
me, I wasn’t born in that era, but I feel I feel it. You feel it in your soul. It is so good. And
and that’s probably the magic of music. uh working in a studio, you can actually if you capture
this energy if you’re able in the first place to capture this demon, you know, that that that
is music, you know, you can actually put it on tape. Yeah. It’s going to stay there forever. Yep.
Legacy. Yeah. So what advice or words do you have for emerging artists and activists who are coming
up whether it’s in Iceland or around the world? Because as you mentioned you have some friends who
are doing their own artist work but it’s usually like on the side after work you know people who
really want to embody this full time. What do you have for them? I can tell you one thing. I’ve I’ve
had quite a few young kids coming up to me asking me always the same question. Uh how do you uh
how do you get ahead in music business? You know, and that’s their question. And I sense behind
that question is how do you get famous? Uh like that’s their driving force and I usually say
it’s not about getting famous, right? If you get famous then okay good for you but but fame
is also something you have to be ready for and it takes a strong personality to take that on you
know because that’s a that’s a journey that’s not for everybody you have to have nerves of steel
to go through that I say music first the music has to come first. Mhm. And my advice that
I can give to them is listen to everything. Listen to country music and classical music
and R&B and rap and rock and roll. Uh listen, you know, listen to listen to watch Eurovvision,
right? You know, enjoy, you know, bubblegum pop, you know, listen to everything. Mhm. If you then
decide to do rap, when you start working in the studio Mhm. when you start collaborating with
someone, I can promise you one thing. You are going to cherrypick something that someone else
has done from here and there into your own work. And if you do that, you better know where that
comes from. Agreed. Pay homage. Because if you don’t, if you just do it, if you do rap, you
know, without at least uh raising your hat. Yeah. Acknowledging acknowledging to the ones
who became before you. You’re both hypocrite and uh and rude. Yeah. You know. Yeah. Thank you
for saying that. It is so important. Yeah. And your music will become absolutely flat. Mhm. You
know. Yeah. And it’s going to miss the energy. Yes. Thousand%. People can tell the authenticity
versus the trying to be something you’re not. Yeah. Yeah. And so I advise everyone listen to
everything. know where it comes from, you know, study where it comes from and why, you know, and
then maybe, just maybe, you can actually use it as a color, use it as a pencil or a brush when you’re
painting your own work of art. Yes. You know, Yeah. But you are you have this box of colors
within you. Mhm. And when you start working, when you do songs and when you start performing, you
realize that you have this spectrum of colors that you can pick choose from. And in time, you will
learn how to choose these colors and choose the pencils and choose the brush. Which where should I
go now? Right? That will that will happen in time. No one emerges fully grown you know no performer
goes on stage and kada right no I have developed through the years and I’m I still am I’m still
learning the tiny little details you know which I think gives people a lot of encouragement that
you don’t have to have it all right it is because that’s what holds a lot of people back is they
want to be perfect Oh, and that day never comes, so they never do it. And now being 55year-old,
I feel like I’ve never been better. I I feel Yes. Yeah. I really I really feel like the stuff
I’m writing now, you know, is the best I’ve ever done. I I can still capture the energy, you
know, and talk to that demon. Yeah. You know, and negotiate with him. Mhm. And then K,
you know, a track like Yeah. comes along. Yeah. Amen. All right. I have one last question.
Yeah. And it’s one I ask all my guests actually, so it’s my ending one, which is, what is your
favorite Icelandic word or phrase? The most beautiful word I hear is blowber. Blau link. Yeah.
blueberries, you know, they they grow in global link. They they they they grow within within the
moss. Mhm. Link is a beautiful word. It sounds beautiful. And it’s also Yeah. You’re like, let
me go pick one of those. That’s wonderful. And a phrase. I hate the phrase. Oh, I’ve never heard
Icelanders say that. So this is interesting. No, not that kind of person. No, no, no, no. Nay.
Okay. Um, you know, when when I enter a venue, you know, things have to be You’re like,
we’re not leaving up the chance here, people. No, every tin, the detail of
everything has to be perfect. Okay? Because when everything when the
sound check is good and I’ve got the best light technician in the house and when
everything’s okay, that’s the moment when I can reach the state of not giving a [ __ ]
and and I actually let loose and let you relax. I let go and I love it. Yeah. I love
being there and that’s the first thing that the audience picks up. That is true. they
pick up. He loves being there. Mhm. Yeah. And this is why you’ve sustained such a
long career. Yeah. Because people do get that and they know that you’re there for
them, right? That’s great. This has been an incredible pleasure. Thank you so much, P,
for coming for sharing and for helping us to just get a little bit deeper insight into the
multi-layered, multifaceted and talented you.
7 Comments
#Poppin!!! 🤩
Mikil goðsögn auðvitað hann Palli og alltaf með svo margt gáfulegt að segja 🙂
Great interview! Thank you both!
Great interview. And the Grinder bit is exactly why I don't have my photos out there.
❤❤❤
Please send me the link😊
Beautiful. Takk fyrir