The airplanes are packed, the Keflavík airport gets busier, the streets in Reykjavik become brighter and people are generally happier. Of course, the Icelandic summer draws a huge number of tourists but for one special week, these numbers triple in size: it’s Reykjavik Pride!
The festivities are endless: mesmerizing drag shows, live music, sexy dance parties and did we mention a Pride Parade celebration that draws more than one-third of the nation. We’ve been counting down the days until the start of this glamorous week and for most of us, it’s a time to celebrate love and freedom. But for Bjartmar Þórðarson, the voice behind this year’s new pride theme song “We can unite” (“Við getum sameinast”), it’s an opportunity to showcase his diversity as a multi-talented creator.
“I never like to anchor myself too heavily to one thing. I’ve always been a multi-tasking type, so I really enjoy jumping between different crafts,” he tells me, from his living room in Reykjavik over Skype. His British accent throws me off guard, almost making me question if he is in fact Icelandic. “I trained in the UK as an actor. I lived there for a few years, did my undergrad and post-grad there, which explains where it comes from!” Bjartmar exudes confidence when he speaks. Being an actor, director, writer, singer, producer and performer from Iceland, he has a warm openness that one would need to hone these skills.
Having recently collaborated with the band September on the official 2016 pride theme song “We can unite” (“Við getum sameinast”), I ask him how he feels about the new track. “I really enjoy it and I think it came out really well. The September guys are really clever and they managed to get a very professional sound. It was a nice experience, they had a very strong vision of what they wanted to achieve, while they were equally open to my own suggestions. It was a very easy-going, give and take kind of collaboration.”
One might wonder how an opportunity like this comes about. “I just got a phone call,” he laughs, “it was pretty much like that. My friend said they were looking for a singer and that I would be the right fit for the job. I figured, why not? Let’s see what we can get out of it. We did it really quickly and managed to get the sound out very fast.”
While some are afraid to step outside their comfort zone, Bjartmar seems to thrive outside the box. While growing up, he didn’t start out as the singer you’d think. “Growing up, I started off as a dancer. I was training from a young age and when I was 15, I decided to audition for the musical “The Rocky Horror Show”. The minimum age requirement was 16 so of course, I lied about my age. After getting chosen,
I told the producers that I was only 15 which wasn’t a problem. Through that experience, I realized that I might have the ability to sing. It was born from that, taking my dance background into a musical theater background.”
Was it hard to start a singing career as a teen? “No, I’ve always been a multi-tasker and I still am, so I really enjoy trying new things. I love the unpredictability of it all. There was never one main focus for me, I was just experimenting with what I enjoyed. I knew that I enjoyed being on the stage and the theater world really opened that door within myself. This was the genre of performing that I wanted to be in. The word “theater” is broad: you can be a dancer in the theater, you can be a singer in the theater, you don’t have to pick and choose. The stage is a plethora of options.”
Acting is certainly versatile and one of Bjartmar’s biggest passions lies in the craft of improv: creating without preparation. Having toured internationally with Improv Iceland, he talks about the link between doing improv and making music. “I think that improv has helped me musically, in the way that you never know what’s coming next. It helps you to be organic, to listen to your inner voice and ultimately to become less rigid in your performance.” It makes sense that maybe Bjartmar’s interest in improv
“If I could talk to my 18-year-old self, I would tell myself that the most poisonous thing to keep above your shoulders is to be afraid of other’s opinions … Stay true to your vision and do what you fucking want to do.”
was influenced by his “go with the flow” mentality in life. “Good point. One of the main reasons I started doing improv to begin with was because i felt that I wasn’t spontaneous enough. I was scared of not being in control in every situation, so why not jump in the deep end and learn to be in the moment.”
Having spent many years in front of a live audience, it’s also not a surprise that Bjartmar has dipped into the role of director. “It has changed me in the way that I could finally see it from the other end. You are quite focused on the whole, whereas as an actor, you’re sometime more focused on your role inside the whole. Both crafts are difficult in their own way but after having directed, as an actor you can mold into what the director wants much quicker.”
He wrote a play called “Gripahúsið”, and had the chance to direct it. “It was interesting to direct something you wrote yourself because it gives you better insight into the material but is equally dangerous as you can lose perspective as well. You lose that fresh, outside-eye that you’d have for something you didn’t write.”
I ask him if the end result was what he expected. “It never is. You have to be ready to go in and expect everything. What I’ve learned in the business of creating is that you never end up with what you expected.” Perhaps that’s what keeps it exciting. “Definitely. You need to be able to let go of a certain control, as you’ll miss out on some things that could happen organically along the way.”
Being more than a triple threat, Bjartmar’s taste in music is equally as broad as his skill set. “I listen to all types of music, although electronica has always been a favourite of mine. I’m really into retro 80s music, the drama, it’s great. I really love Kraftwerk, I love film scores, dark synths, etc. In today’s music, Rihanna barely ever releases a bad track. I tend to go for singles, I tend to follow tracks more than artists.”
His diverse musical palette explains his drive to be multi-dimensional as an artist. For most people, it would become overwhelming to hone this many skills. “Sometimes it’s hard to keep track. Every single day. It’s sometimes it’s difficult to be interested in so many artistic forms, as you can’t focus on one thing particularly. It’s a great advantage to be able to do a lot of things, but it makes it harder for people to define who you are. Sometimes that can lead to you not getting gigs and in return, makes you fall through the cracks.”
“I learnt in Iceland … that everything is possible … In the UK, I felt like people often focused on what couldn’t be done instead of focusing on what could be done.”
Like any professional, Bjartmar doesn’t focus on the critics. “I’ve come to an arrangement with myself: I just do whatever I want and what feels right. Isn’t life just a tasting menu? I’ve chosen to live down this route.”
Bjartmar’s passion for creation is inspiring. A true risk taker, he’s full of life and full of insight. “If I could talk to my 18-year-old self, I would tell myself that the most poisonous thing to keep above your shoulders is to be afraid of other’s opinions. You have to be yourself and allow your personality to come through. Stay true to your vision and do what you fucking want to do.”
I ask if he thinks the life of an artist is hard. “I think it can be. I think that a lot of artists are filled with self-doubt and only feel as good as their latest success or failure. It’s probably the worst disease of the art world, when people have fragile egos.”
Iceland is known to be a hub for creative types. It’s a wonder where the quality of the art comes from, considering there are less than 400,000 Icelanders. “What I learnt working in Iceland is the attitude that everything is possible. I think that we are more likely to think in solutions instead of problems. In the UK, I felt like people often focused on what couldn’t be done instead of focusing on what could be done. With that said, as a result living close to the arctic circle, it’s bound to drive you a bit insane. It creates extreme emotions, extreme ideas and extreme creations.”
This week is a big one for Bjartmar. Not only will he be performing the pride theme song at the Reykjavík Pride opening event and after the Pride parade but his improv group will be performing tonight at Iðnó Theater. “I’m still working things out with the vocal performance and I’m very excited about it. As well, my improv group will be performing tonight in the theatre and I think people can expect anything to happen. This is a special celebratory performance but as it is improv, anything can happen. Audience suggestions, participation will be encouraged. There will probably be queer themes, which will add to the excitement. We never know what will happen at an improv show, so you’ll have to come to find out!
I ask him about some of his goals for the next few years. “I want to release a few tracks, that’s a definite. Aside from that, I’ll use the improv philosophy and go with what comes my way, which I think is a great way to live my life. I’ll see what opportunities come my way, perhaps I’ll end up back in the UK someday. For now, it looks like I’ll be part-time in Denmark this coming year to further my skills in singing.” He smiles playfully, the same kind of smile you’d feel before taking on a big adventure.
