So there's this guy. For 25 years
he's been celebrated for making incredible music, but he's also incredibly shy.
One word, excruciating silences, a little awkward kind of guy, but damn he can sing and
when you hear his falsetto his massive following makes so much sense.
He sings in a completely made-up language called Hopelandish, he plays multiple instruments
and he comes from a place that's dark for nine months of the year. His name is Jónsi.
The band is Sigur Rós and that place is Iceland.
Jónsi!
Tukk for making this time to chat with me today. That's thank you in Icelandic right? Did I get that right?
Yeah, Þakka þér fyrir.
There's so much more to you than just music. You're also now making perfume?
Yeah because I love scents. Like smells, you can train your nose
to be sensitive like a singing. It's just a muscle like you slowly learn to
smell better, distinguish scents and stuff like that.
It's also invisible.
It's hard to describe like music is invisible also. I like that thing that moves you but you can't explain why.
Sigur Rós has often been described as the strangest band in the world. How does that make you feel?
I like it, I love it. It’s nice to be strange. It’s nice when people can’t put a finger on you or describe you.
I like it. (laughs)
What does that make you laugh?
No, it's just funny talking to you, we're so close!
I have a hard time looking people in the eye also.
I've noticed that but I haven't lost eye contact with you.
Yeah, I'm trying to look away. It's hard. It's too close.
You're actually getting closer to me now. That's good, that's a good sign.
Yeah, I'm definitely not getting closer.
You said something about your childhood once that really stuck with me.
You said that you often fell in love with your friends and
many of whom were straight you'd get drunk and have sex and then it got complicated.
Yeah.
I want to go back to that time for a second, if we can.
Okay.
How complicated did it get for you learning about who you are?
It came up and I was like 21 or something. I lived in the countryside, didn't know anybody who's gay, like nobody.
My best friends were straight and yeah.
I kind of fell in love it some of them and just, you know, thought they were amazing.
And like, then you realize that,
you know, they are straight, you know, they are in love with you as a friend.
So I think you just have to rethink your life and your place in the society.
Were you often heartbroken?
Yeah, I broke my heart a lot, actually.
I'm a big loner. I like being alone with myself.
I really like that, actually.
And I think you can learn to channel that energy the heartbreak and
sadness in anger at the world
into something creative and making new music. That's kind of part of the healing process.
Is that how you got through a lot of that heartbreak as a teenager?
Yeah, definitely, definitely.
It seems like you took that falling for straight guys thing into your adult years because when you met
Alex, you also thought that he was straight.
Yeah. I thought it was too good to be true. To meet somebody who's like
takes your breath away and is like incredibly beautiful and amazing.
In my experience, you know it's always been straight guys.
What was it about Alex that took your breath away? That's a beautiful way to describe somebody.
I don't know, he was just the most beautiful boy I ever seen in my life.
Do you remember what you felt in that moment when you felt like you were falling in love?
Yeah, it's kinda hard to look at him.
Here you are, how many is later? You've been together for a long time?
16 years, yeah.
What is your secret? How do you maintain a relationship for 16 years?
I don't know. We might be maybe breaking up now maybe or something or but I don't know
You might be breaking up?
Yeah, or maybe I maybe I shouldn't say that actually.
We were just thinking of maybe taking a break.
Cause you've been together for 16 years and we kind of like the last few years,
your sex life isn't like as amazing it used to be
and like I love him and we were best friends and we share everything
we trust each other and support each other, and stuff like that.
But yeah, maybe it's just, you know, the world is big.
You know, life is weird.
I feel like it makes you sad talking about it.
But yeah, I haven't told my family. Yeah.
It's very beautiful view to be so open and honest and you know, I don't take that for granted.
Is it a bit like that with the band, with Sigur Rós, because more than 25 years you've been together.
Bands not breaking up anytime soon? Please don't drop that news on me.
Too much breaking up for one interview.
Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I don't know, now, probably not.
You've talked about this side project a couple of times called Olympic Boys.
A cheesy, kind of like, gay dance anthem project.
I cannot imagine you doing that. Is that a real thing? Is that gonna happen?
I love good pop music. Yeah. It's drastic.
You're going to be shocked when he hear it. And also I did a really cool duet on my new album.
She's coming up, her name is Robyn.
You're doing a duet with Robyn? That's amazing.
I know, it's really good.
So many surprises today.
Breakups, duets.
When we started chatting and see you said you felt a little bit uncomfortable because this was very intimate.
Yeah, you're like a close person.
How do you feel now? Do you feel more comfortable now?
Yeah, yeah. Definitely.
What was it that turned for you? What made you feel more comfortable?
I guess, when you just start talking to a person and
discover they're not an ass hole, or something.
Thank you.
Good to know I'm not an asshole.
Thank you so much for chatting, lovely to meet you.