Interviews Archives - All Things Iceland

Bríet Ísis Elfar – Interview with Iceland’s Fearless Pop Visionary

Jewells Chambers — Sat, 07 Feb 2026 13:11:26 +0000

Bríet Ísis Elfar is not just one of Iceland’s biggest music stars. She’s an artist who embodies fearlessness, authenticity, and constant reinvention. Her breakout English-language single In Too Deep in 2018 introduced her sultry, soulful voice to the world, but it was her 2020 album Kveðja, Bríet that catapulted her to national stardom. She won “Album of the Year” and cemented herself as one of the country’s most influential female musicians.

Big Conversations in the Coziest Setting with Center Hotels

This interview is part of my In Bed With series, created in partnership with Center Hotels. Each conversation is recorded right in a bed at one of Center Hotels’ nine locations in downtown Reykjavík—keeping things cozy, relaxed, and a little unconventional. If you’re planning a stay in the city, you can use my code ATI25 to save 25% off at any Center Hotels location in Reykjavík.

Bríet's Artistic & Spiritual Upbringing

Born in Reykjavík in 1999, Bríet grew up in a uniquely creative and spiritual household. Her father, Benedikt Elfar, taught her guitar and nurtured her love of jazz, while her mother, Ásrún Laila Awad, led sweat-lodge ceremonies infused with mantra chanting and deep emotional connection.

Raised in this world of music, ritual, and radical openness, Bríet developed both resilience and a powerful sense of self.

From Jazz Bars to Center Stage

From singing jazz in Reykjavík restaurants for a hamburger and 5,000 krónur, to debuting her original work on the stage of Sónar Reykjavík, Bríet’s journey has been anything but ordinary. She’s unapologetically experimental, whether making plastic “glass” dresses with her longtime fashion collaborator, diving into collaborative projects like 1000 orð with rapper Birnir, or writing songs that transform heartbreak into catharsis.

Bríet's Radical Honesty as a Creative Force

Known for her raw honesty, she has openly shared struggles with belonging, heartbreak, and personal growth. Yet through it all, her guiding philosophy remains simple: don’t take life too seriously, embrace failure, and always follow the intuition of the heart.

At a Turning Point, Always Becoming

Today, Bríet stands at a new turning point—after years of acclaim, collaborations with major Icelandic artists like Ásgeir Trausti and Friðrik Dór, and millions of streams worldwide, she continues to chase the unknown.

Whether sitting next to global icons in Tokyo or returning to her roots in a sweat lodge in Iceland, Bríet carries a rare ability to turn both joy and pain into beauty.

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Thanks for listening. Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótega.

The post Bríet Ísis Elfar – Interview with Iceland’s Fearless Pop Visionary appeared first on All Things Iceland.

A Pioneering Icelandic Actress – Aldís Amah Hamilton

Jewells Chambers — Sat, 13 Sep 2025 11:27:32 +0000

Aldís Amah Hamilton is a trailblazing Icelandic actress, writer, and cultural icon. Born in Germany and raised in Reykjavík, she has starred in hit shows like The Valhalla Murders, Netflix’s Katla, and co-created the gripping series Black Sands. In 2019, she made history as the first woman of color to embody the Fjallkonan, Iceland’s national symbol on Independence Day in Reykjavík, which is the largest celebration and is televised around the country.

Beyond the screen, Aldís lends her voice to video games like Senua’s Saga: Hellblade II and Echoes of the End, and leads as chair of the Vegan Association of Iceland—advocating for plant-based living while shaping Iceland’s cultural landscape.

Save Big When You Stay in Reykjavík

The “In bed with” series is sponsored by Center Hotels and the interviews are recording at one of their hotels while I chat with my guests in a bed. They have 9 hotels in the center of Reykjavik and each of them is unique. To save 25% on your stay with Center Hotels use my code ATI25.

The Previous Interview I did with Aldís Amah Years Ago

I was very fortunate to interveiw Aldís Amah Hamilton years before her acting career took off. Learn more about her childhood in Iceland by checking out that interview here – https://allthingsiceland.com/aldis-amah-biracial-iceland-interview/

Some of the Topics Aldís Amah and I Spoke About During the Interview

Breaking barriers in the Icelandic acting world
Making history as the Fjallkonan
Life as a vegan and her role in Iceland’s vegan community
What drives her authenticity on and off screen

Live Iceland Trip Planning Workshop

On Saturday, October 4th, 2025, I'm hosting a Live Iceland Trip Planning Workshop. Get local expertise to help cut through confusion and plan your trip with ease.

Click Here

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The post A Pioneering Icelandic Actress – Aldís Amah Hamilton appeared first on All Things Iceland.

More Than Music: Iceland’s Pop Icon Páll Óskar on Life, Love & Legacy

Jewells Chambers — Wed, 06 Aug 2025 22:55:48 +0000

Since bursting onto the scene in 1993, Páll Óskar—also known as Paul Oscar—has been turning heads, moving hips, and breaking boundaries. He’s not just a singer. He’s a performer, a provocateur, a fearless icon who has never shied away from being exactly who he is—openly gay, genre-bending, and unapologetically fabulous.

And let me tell you, he’s not slowing down anytime soon. His music and style have evolved over the decades, but his bold spirit and commitment to authenticity have never wavered. Whether he’s belting it out with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra or dancing down Reykjavík’s Laugavegur during Pride on a sparkling unicorn float (yes, really!), Páll brings all the drama in the best way possible.

Save Big When You Stay in Reykjavík, Iceland

This episode is sponsored by Center Hotels, who is also a proud sponsor of Pride in Reykjavík.

To save big when you stay in any of their 9 hotels, use code ATI25 for 25% off.

Some of the Topics Páll Óskar and I Discussed during the Interview

The attitude towards artists in Iceland
His incredibly talented Family
Why trends spreads so quickly in Iceland
His family’s response after coming out in the 80s
Reconciling with his father after not being accepted as Gay
The change in Iceland toward the LGBTQ+ community
Being an artist and an activist in a small society
The pressure of having a famous older sibling
Owing Donna Summer & African Americans his whole life
Páll Óskar’s idea of the perfect Pride Parade
The Grindr scandal
Why representation matters in all forms
Páll Óskar’s Controversial Eurovision Performance
His advice for emerging artists

Check out Páll Óskar's Music

If you want to dance to awesome Icelandic pop music spanning from the 90s until present day, check out Páll Óskar’s music here.

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The post More Than Music: Iceland’s Pop Icon Páll Óskar on Life, Love & Legacy appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Expert Advice on How to Hunt the Northern Lights in Iceland

Jewells Chambers — Fri, 31 Jan 2025 17:55:06 +0000

In this captivating episode, I sat down with Christian Legère, the visionary behind Emerald Skies of Iceland, to delve into the mesmerizing world of the Northern Lights. As a seasoned expert, Christian has dedicated his career to guiding enthusiasts and travelers through the ethereal dance of the aurora borealis across Iceland’s night skies.

More about Christian Legère

Christian’s journey began with a profound fascination for the natural wonders of the Arctic. This passion led him to establish Emerald Skies, a platform that offers real-time Northern Lights forecasts, comprehensive aurora activity information, and invaluable insights for both novice observers and seasoned chasers. His commitment is to demystify the aurora borealis, making it accessible to all who venture to witness its beauty.

Throughout our discussion, Christian shares his extensive knowledge on the optimal times and locations to experience the Northern Lights in Iceland. He emphasizes the importance of understanding solar activity, weather patterns, and the significance of minimal light pollution. Listeners will gain practical tips on how to enhance their aurora viewing experience, whether embarking on a guided tour or setting out independently.

A highlight of the conversation is Christian’s explanation of the tools and resources available on the Emerald Skies website. From detailed solar wind data to magnetometer readings, he illustrates how these instruments can predict aurora activity, ensuring that observers are well-prepared to catch a glimpse of this celestial phenomenon.

Moreover, Christian addresses common misconceptions about the Northern Lights and provides guidance on capturing the perfect aurora photograph. His insights are not only informative but also inspire a deeper appreciation for the natural wonders that Iceland offers.

Questions I Asked Christian Legere During the Interview

Where are you from and what brough you to Iceland?
When did your fascination with the Northern Lights begin?
There are so many different apps & websites to check out the Northern Lights forecast, what should people look for to get an accurate as possible prediction?
What makes your website Emerald Skies unique?
Tips you have for people who want to see the Northern Lights on their own.
How should people manage their expectations when it comes to seeing the Northern Lights?
What are some spots you recommend people go to and potentially see the Northern Lights?
What are your favorite Northern Lights sightings?
What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

Contact Christian about the Northern Lights

The best way to contact Christian about the northern lights is via his website Emerald Skies of Iceland.

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The post Expert Advice on How to Hunt the Northern Lights in Iceland appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Meet Iceland’s Guardian of Rare Books: Eyþór Guðmundsson

Jewells Chambers — Wed, 06 Nov 2024 20:51:02 +0000

Eyþór is an Icelandic antiquarian with an impressive rare book collection. For many years, he has been collecting and restoring rare books, some of which are important original Icelandic manuscripts. We sat down to chat about his collection and so much more.

Questions I Asked Eyþór During the Interview?

When did your fascination with antique book collecting and restoration start?
How many books are in your collection?
What is your process of restoration? How long does it take to restore a book?
Do you have any strange books in your collection? What is the oldest book that you have?
You’ve had many visitors to see your collection. Is there anyone who visited your collection that surprised you?
Do you ever display your collections to the public?
Where can people find you online if they want to follow along with what you are doing?
What’s your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

Where you can interact with Eyþór on social media

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Þakka þér kærlega fyrir að hlusta og sjáumst fljótlega.

The post Meet Iceland’s Guardian of Rare Books: Eyþór Guðmundsson appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Rökkvi Vésteinsson on Using LingQ to Learn Languages & More

Jewells Chambers — Thu, 09 May 2024 20:44:36 +0000

Rökkvi Vésteinsson was born in 1978 in Iceland. He had a multicultural upbringing, living in Chicago at age 11, and spending summers in Denmark and Sweden during his teens. By age 20, he was fluent in four foreign languages, thanks to his travels and a stint as an au pair in Germany.

Rökkvi began his professional journey guiding one-day tours from Reykjavík to Kulusuk, Greenland at 23, leveraging his language skills in English, German, and Danish. He simultaneously embarked on a career in stand-up comedy starting in 2003.

After completing degrees in Biochemistry and Computer Science at Háskóli Íslands, he worked in Montreal as a programmer and software tester from 2004-2005, where he continued his comedy career. He also intermittently guided tours in Greenland and Iceland.

In 2017, Vésteinsson transitioned to full-time tour guiding, leading a variety of tours across Iceland, including multi-day and cruise ship tours, distillery tours, and city walks in Reykjavík. His guiding languages expanded to include Icelandic, English, German, Swedish, Danish, Norwegian, Dutch, and French, reflecting his continuous language learning.

Vésteinsson’s passion for languages led him to LingQ in 2019, where he learned French and other languages to literacy. He collaborated with LingQ’s CEO, contributing significantly to their Icelandic resources and successfully advocating for free Icelandic learning on the platform.

Today, Vésteinsson continues to add educational content to LingQ and promotes language learning in Iceland. He also performs comedy in multiple languages across various countries, showcasing his diverse linguistic and cultural fluency.

Have a Question for Rökkvi

Through my link for “Ask Jewells Anything”, feel free to submit a question for Rökkvi. Please add into the description box that it is for him.

Learn More About Greenland

During the interview, Rökkvi and I talked about Greenland. Here is an episode where you can learn more about modern Greenland and how some Greenlandic activist are working to reclaim their culture.

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The post Rökkvi Vésteinsson on Using LingQ to Learn Languages & More appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Laura Alice Watt: An American Relocates to Iceland’s Remote Westfjords

Jewells Chambers — Wed, 17 Apr 2024 14:15:41 +0000

Interviews are one of my favorite things to do for the podcast, so I was delighted when Laura was available to come on and share about her experience moving from the San Francisco Bay area to one of the most remote parts of the Westfjords in Iceland.

Background About Laura Alice Watt

Laura Alice Watt is a professor emerita of environmental history and policy at Sonoma State University in Northern California. She arrived in the Westfjords in July 2020 with a Fulbright-NSF Arctic Scholar grant to conduct historical research in Iceland, and decided to stay long-term. She teaches occasional courses at the University Centre of the Westfjords, where she also provides writing support for graduate students with their thesis projects.

Before taking early retirement from Sonoma State, she spent fifteen years as professor in the Department of Geography, Environment, and Planning, and also Graduate Coordinator for SSU’s Cultural Resource Management masters program. She now lives on the northern shore of Dýrafjörður with her two cats, and is an avid photographer and knitter.

Questions I Asked Laura During the Interview

Where did you grow up in the US?
What was your profession while living in the US?
What inspired you to come to Iceland?
When did you know you wanted to stay here?
Why did you choose the Westfjords to live in Iceland?
What do you like about living in Iceland?
What do you dislike about living in Iceland?
What do you miss from the US (if anything at all)?
Do you ever see yourself moving back to the US?
How has your Icelandic learning journey been since moving here?
What advice do you have for people who want to move to Iceland?
What is your favorite Icelandic word or phrase?

Icelandic Phrase of the Episode

Glöggt er gests augað – Keen is the eye of the guest

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The post Laura Alice Watt: An American Relocates to Iceland’s Remote Westfjords appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Chief Phil Fontaine on West Icelanders & His History-Making Activism for Indigenous People

Jewells Chambers — Tue, 09 May 2023 13:21:21 +0000

I had the honor of interviewing Chief Phil Fontaine, an Indigenous Canadian leader, and former National Chief of the Assembly of First Nations. He is best known for playing a central role in raising awareness about residential schools in Canada and pushing for a Federal and Papal apology in 2008 and 2022. Additionally, he helped to get a repudiation of the Discovery Doctrine from Pope Francis about a month ago on March 30^th, 2023.

The Manitoba area is where hundreds of Icelanders immigrated to in the 1800s. During the interview, we talked about his historical work and “West Icelanders” (what Icelanders are called who immigrated to the West) who settled in Gimli, and surrounding areas. He shared some fascinating insight about the community and their interactions with the indigenous community, who have been living all over Canada before any Europeans immigrated there.

Learn More about Chief Phil Fontaine here.

Thank You to the National Research Council of Canada

This episode was sponsored using funds from the Social Sciences & Humanities Research Council of Canada.

A special thank you to L.K. Bertram for connecting me with Chief Phil for this dynamic, educational, and insightful conversation.

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The post Chief Phil Fontaine on West Icelanders & His History-Making Activism for Indigenous People appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Wheelchair Accessibility in Iceland – Interview with Halli Thorleifsson

Jewells Chambers — Thu, 23 Mar 2023 17:17:45 +0000

I have another fantastic interview to share with you this month. This time around it’s with Haraldur Thorleifsson or “Halli”, as he likes to be called. Halli was born and raised in Iceland and has achieved some incredible things, such as building a successful design company and selling it to Twitter.

In 2022, he was named Person of the Year in Iceland, was awarded the Order of the Falcon (the highest honor one can receive in the country), and he has lived in many cool places around the world. You can learn more about his accolades on his personal website.

Ramp Up Iceland – Increasing Wheelchair Accessibility in the Country

While I find all those things to be interesting, what intrigued me the most is the work that Halli is doing to provide ramp access across Iceland for those who are in wheelchairs, have a stroller, or just find that a ramp is easier for them to walk up than stairs. The project is called Ramp Up Iceland or Römpum Upp Ísland.

For updates about the project in English, click here.

During the interview, Halli and I talk about all of this and the fact that he has muscular dystrophy. The CDC describes muscular dystrophy as,

a group of muscle diseases caused by mutations in a person's genes. Over time, muscle weakness decreases mobility, making everyday tasks difficult."

Please note that this interview was conducted in Halli’s apartment in February 2023 so the sound quality will be different than what you hear right now. Also, this interview was recorded before Halli and Elon Musk had a huge argument on Twitter. During the back and forth, Elon embarrassed himself and eventually had to apologize to Halli.

If you use Twitter, I highly recommend following Halli there. He is very active on that channel and shares quite a bit.

Follow Halli on Twitter

The post Wheelchair Accessibility in Iceland – Interview with Halli Thorleifsson appeared first on All Things Iceland.

Living in Greenland vs Iceland – Josepha Lauth Thomsen

Jewells Chambers — Sun, 12 Mar 2023 18:46:39 +0000

This is the third and last episode I am publishing for what I dubbed “Greenland Week” on the podcast. As mentioned in previous episodes, Greenland and Iceland have some interesting things in common. Also, Iceland is only one of two places in the world where you can fly directly to Greenland, which gives you a unique opportunity to explore both places.

During this interview with the lovely and multi-talented Jospeha, we talk about what it was like for her growing up in Greenland, as well as her experience living in Iceland and Denmark.

Josepha is a fantastic photographer, mask dancer, and knowledgeable guide. In fact, she has guided all over Greenland and provides some insight on what to see and do in the country.

Follow Josepha on Social Media

Other Episodes about Greenland

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