It will be a wild show!

A drag extravaganza is coming to Reykjavík. Tonight, Wednesday night, Loft Hostel will be hosting Australian drag queen Shae den Freude, who will be joined by local queen Mighty Bear.

Magnús Bjarni Gröndal – Magnús is a musician who performs as Mighty Bear. Mighty Bear is a member of Drag-Súgur, a group of drag queens and kings in Reykjavík who began performing last year.

It’s not the first time Loft has brought in an international queen to perform for Reykjavík audiences. In the past year, they’ve brought in British drag queen Crystal Lubrikunt to perform at the hostel twice. Tomorrow’s show is just the next milestone for Iceland’s drag scene, which has been growing steadily over the past year.

Mighty Bear, also known as Magnús Bjarni Gröndal, is a member of Drag-Súgur, the group that sparked somewhat of a drag renaissance in Iceland when they began performing last year. Although Mighty Bear only began doing drag last year, she’s made a name for herself by combining drag with her dark and brooding music.

What can people expect from tonight’s show?

“I honestly haven’t met Shae yet, but I’ve been watching her on YouTube. She does a little bit of pole dancing and a little bit of everything. It’s kind of hard to describe. But people who are going to come to the show are definitely in for a great show. It’s wild! And I’m going to play my original music and set, so it’s going to be in your face.”

How did you bring Shae den Freude over to perform in Reykjavík?

“Rakel, the promoter of Loft, has been very busy at dragging queens from the UK because she lives there in the UK now, like Shae does. Loft is such a great venue to do that, because you can offer them a place to stay and they can do a show.”

“… people who are going to come to the show are definitely in for a great show. It’s wild! And I’m going to play my original music and set, so it’s going to be in your face.”

What does it mean to you that there are more queens coming from around the world to perform in Iceland?

“It’s a huge honour. Up until a year ago when me and some others started Drag-Súgur there was no drag scene here, we had nothing. Drag-Súgur is booming, we recently had our one year anniversary, and getting international queens coming over now is a truly breathtaking and phenomenal experience to witness. We finally have an emerging drag scene that people are interested in outside of Iceland.”

How would you describe your style of drag?

Shae den Freude – Australian drag queen Shae den Freude will be performing at Loft Hostel on April 26.

“It’s highly visual. I tend to do a lot of dark stuff, so it’s not your typical glittery drag queen. You’re going to see a thirty minute visual-audio explosion. I’ve been in bands for years, so music is kind of my number one art. But getting to create a whole look with drag and being able to incorporate visual stuff into my act is truly amazing. That’s what I love about drag. It’s constantly evolving, and you’re constantly evolving your character. I hope that a lot of people who have seen me before are going to expect something new from me tomorrow.”

How do you think your style and Shae’s style will compliment each other?

“It’s going to be an awesome contrast. You’re going to watch black and white, in a way. But that’s fun! If you go to shows and see the same queens over and over again, that isn’t fun. So you’re definitely going to be entertained because you’re going to get two completely separate styles that hopefully will merge together well.”

How has the drag scene in Iceland changed and evolved since Drag-Súgur began last year?

“It’s some of the same core people still doing drag, but the growth has been enormous. We were looking at pictures just a couple days ago and we were laughing at how far we’ve come. When you look at other countries, they’ve had drag culture intertwined with the gay culture for decades, and we’ve almost had it for a year. Now we have a huge boom in drag kings, so that’s amazing, and more people are starting to pick up on it.”

… getting international queens coming over now is a truly breathtaking and phenomenal experience to witness. We finally have an emerging drag scene that people are interested in outside of Iceland.”

Has Loft Hostel been supportive of Drag-Súgur from the beginning?

“Drag night’s home has always been Gaukurinn. But what I like here is that Rakel at Loft has been very supportive and she is the one who has been bringing in international queens and she’s been very busy doing that.

“I tend to do a lot of dark stuff, so it’s not your typical glittery drag queen. You’re going to see a thirty minute visual-audio explosion.”

This is the fourth or the fifth in maybe a year that she’s bringing in, so Loft is definitely helping out and definitely doing their part.”

What can you learn from performing with drag queens from around the world? 

“It’s nice to meet a queen or a king who can broaden your horizon and show you something that isn’t happening here. They are much more in tune with connecting with the audience. Because we usually perform in front of the same people — and I do not mean that in a bad way! But they are more used to aggressive clubs where you have loads of people. The scene here is so accepting that you’re not coming to a drag show if you’re not supportive, where I think in other countries you might get a little bit of a tougher crowd. I can definitely pick up things from international queens regarding that.”

Wednesday’s show at Loft begins at 20.30. Entry is free, and the venue is wheelchair accessible.

Blush

    Blush was founded in 2011 when it started selling high quality sex products. The goal from the beginning was to change the market and take the discussion about sex products to a higher level. Today Blush provides professional services in a pleasant environment that fulfills different needs, both for individuals and couples. Blush respects diversity and wants to set a good example in all of its messaging to target audiences. Sexual health and equality in sex is important and Blush wants to focus on those issues through education and open discussion. Blush works in a socially responsible manner for society, their customers and the environment.

    Check out Blush’s website: https://blush.is/

    Omnom Chocolate
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      Omnom Chocolate is an Icelandic craft chocolate company based in Reykjavík. We produce handcrafted chocolate from organic cacao beans sourced ethically and sustainably. We’ve developed direct relationships to create premium chocolate with fine flavor cacao beans.

      Our creative flavors are carefully crafted by meticulous chocolate makers. The cacao beans are roasted, winnowed, ground, and refined into melty-smooth chocolate.

      Omnom’s process is one of constant exploration, invention, and experimentation. If it doesn’t please us, if something isn’t absolutely delicious, there’s no reason to be doing it. So, we always start with our taste buds and follow our instincts. Our team searches for the finest ingredients in the world and new ways to improve chocolate. This obsession with knowing where our ingredients come from has led us around the corner to dairy farms in the Icelandic countryside and all the way to rainforest cacao farms of Nicaragua.

      In only a few short years, we’ve grown from our 50 sq. m. petrol station space and become an award-winning chocolate maker. Now, with our headquarters in 101 Reykjavík, our chocolate is sent out around Iceland and all over the world.

      At the end of the day, our goal is to make chocolate.

       

      Nasdaq

         

        Nasdaq (Nasdaq: NDAQ) is a global technology company serving the capital markets and other industries. Our diverse offering of data, analytics, software and services enables clients to optimize and execute their business vision with confidence.

        With over 4,300 employees in 39 offices around the world, at Nasdaq we all contribute to the success of the company and its culture, and each one of us has the ability to make a difference. When it comes to our core mission and values, we embrace the role of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) as a fundamental driver of our corporate growth, workplace culture and market development. We strive to create a culture that embraces the power of different perspectives—a culture where people’s unique backgrounds and different experiences helps us fuel innovation and support our clients around the world.

        Our unique position at the center of the capital markets allows us to see firsthand how these values have redefined corporate culture and success, deepening and accelerating our own commitment to champion inclusive growth and prosperity, as we strive to create more equitable opportunities to help people of all backgrounds reach their full potential. Most notably, we published our diversity statistics for the first time in 2020. These metrics serve as a quantitative assessment of where we are today and help determine what strategies we need to adopt to enhance diversity in the workplace. We recognize that we have much work to do, but we are steadfast in our commitment to creating a diverse and inclusive culture—one that reflects the communities in which we live, allows all employees to be their true, authentic selves and fosters individual growth and achievement.

        As we move forward together, we will continue advancing diverse ideas and perspectives that help fulfill the promise of a more inclusive and prosperous world. We aim to set the pace for rethinking capital markets and economies anywhere and everywhere. To learn more about the company, technology solutions and career opportunities, visit us on LinkedIn, on Twitter @Nasdaq, or at www.nasdaq.com.

        Blue Lagoon
        - One of the 25 Wonders of the World

        Named by National Geographic as one of the 25 Wonders of the World, the Blue Lagoon is a shimmering expanse of warmth, relaxation, and rejuvenation. Its unique geothermal seawater
        comes from 2.000 meters within the earth where seawater and freshwater converge in a tectonic realm of porous lava and searing heat. Propelled by extreme pressure, the water ascends to the earth’s surface, emerging enriched with silica, algae, and minerals—the elements that endow Blue Lagoon geothermal seawater with its radiant, healing properties.

        From its humble beginnings in the shadows of a geothermal power plant, Blue Lagoon has evolved into a world of wonder, now encompassing two hotels, three restaurants, three
        geothermal lagoons, a subterranean spa, a renowned line of skin care, a thriving research center, and a wealth of spa and refreshment facilities.

        Achieving harmony with the volcanic landscape, the lagoon and its surrounding architecture embody the unification of the man-made and the natural, and adhere to the highest principles of sustainability.

        The Blue Lagoon. A wonder of the world. A world of wonder.

        Landsbankinn
        - leading financial institution
        Landsbankinn

        Landsbankinn is a leading Icelandic financial institution. It offers a full range of financial services and is the market leader in the Icelandic financial service sector with the largest branch network.

        The present bank was established on 7 October 2008 but the history of its predecessor dates back to 1886. The bank is owned by the National Treasury of Iceland, which holds 98.2% of its share capital, and other shareholders who own 1.8%.

        Landsbankinn’s strategy is to provide comprehensive financial services that meet customer’s needs. It emphasizes providing exemplary service to customers, developing e-banking for their convenience, increasing the efficiency of support functions, modernizing its technology and ensuring effective utilization of its balance sheet.

        The bank’s vision is to be exemplary and its role is to be a trusted financial partner.

        Special emphasis is placed on promoting a performance-oriented culture in the bank. To follow up on the implementation of this strategy, the bank has defined key goals which are measured regularly to determine progress. These goals include, for example, customer satisfaction and loyalty, profitability, cost efficiency and the correlation between risk appetite and employee satisfaction.

        Landsbankinn wishes to lead the development of a sustainable society in Iceland by integrating economic, social and environmental concerns in its operations. The Bank aims to ensure that both its owners and society at large benefit from its activities.

        It intends to achieve this aim by building solid infrastructure and a strong team of 1.100 employees, by listening to its customers and by respecting and encouraging its employees to actively participate in their community. Landsbankinn was a founding member of Festa, a Centre for Corporate Social Responsibility, and is a member of the UN Global Compact.

        Landsbankinn has been a proud sponsor of the Reykjavik Pride since it was first celebrated in Iceland.

        Dohop
        - get inspired
        Dohop

        Dohop allows people to find the cheapest flights available with just one click. Founded in Reykjavik in 2004, it is the only Icelandic company of its kind and quickly became the go-to tool for finding cheap flights among the locals. Dohop finds the best deals among hundreds of different airlines and online travel agencies, to make sure that the user is getting the cheapest price. Dohop also offers hotel and car rental search engines, so users can make all of their travel bookings from a single website.

        Dohop‘s specialty is finding so-called “self-connect” flight options, which can save travelers money by booking a ticket through two or more different airlines. The ability to look for these self-connect option is what sets Dohop apart from its competition, as it can save people hundreds of dollars on certain routes.

        More recently, Dohop has developed a unique product called Dohop Go!, which allows users to check for the cheapest available flights from their home airport. This tool is perfect for those who are looking for travel inspiration but are not willing to overpay for their flight ticket. Dohop Go! is now available in the Dohop Flights App, both for Android and iOS, along with its traditional flight, hotel, and car search engines. “

        VSÓ Ráðgjöf

           

          VSÓ Ráðgjöf er alhliða ráðgjafar- og verkfræðifyrirtæki sem leggur áherslu á trausta og faglega þjónustu sem tryggir viðskiptavinum hagkvæmustu lausnir hverju sinni, skilar raunverulegum árangri og stuðlar að samkeppnisforskoti.  Á skrifstofum VSÓ í Reykjavík og í Noregi starfar yfir 80 manna samhentur hópur verkfræðinga og annarra tæknimenntaðra starfsmanna.

          Macland
          - for all your Apple needs
          Macland

          From starting out as a proper startup with only a good idea and the need to change things, to becoming an established company with 6 employees. Starting from scratch and expanding organically has allowed us to love our expansion and take our customers on the ride with us.

          Macland is located at Laugavegur 23 (101, Downtown Reykjavik)
          For all your Apple needs. We are here.

          Ísey skyr
          - once tasted never forgotten

          Our Story
          Once upon a time, 1,100 years ago in fact, Nordic settlers began arriving in Iceland. They brought with them the skills and knowledge for producing skyr. As time passed, the know-how and recipe for this nutritious food slowly faded out elsewhere in the Nordic region. Luckily, the Icelandic skyr-making tradition continued.

          For centuries, Icelandic skyr formed a cornerstone of the national diet, helping to keep people strong in living conditions that were often harsh. On family farms countrywide, it was the women who nurtured this dairy and passing on both the recipe and the original Icelandic skyr cultures from mother to daughter.

          Ísey skyr builds on this remarkable legacy. It was some of those very same women, the recipients of their mothers’ expertise, who, around 90 years ago, taught Icelandic dairy scientists the art of skyr-making. The production process is more high-tech these days, and the quality standards more rigorous. However, the basic recipe and the use of original cultures to ferment the skimmed milk remain the same. Protein rich, fat-free, creamy and delicious – Ísey skyr is as relevant to consumers now as it was all those centuries ago.
          This is our secret and you are in on it

          You can read more about Ísey skyr on our website.

          Contact Us


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