With programs such as Record in Iceland and festivals like Iceland Airwaves it's easy to be convinced that Iceland is more than just a paradise for tourists but also musicians.
Record in Iceland is a promotional effort run by Iceland Music, a public export office for Icelandic music, in collaboration with Business Iceland, Iceland’s foreign service and Reykjavik Music City. The project is funded by the Ministry of Culture and Business Affairs. Which means that with this program 25% of music production costs incurred in Iceland are refundable. That includes Flights, Accommodation and all studio costs.
Iceland Airwaves is an immersive, multi-genre music festival held across a multitude of venues in the country’s capital, Reykjavík. This festival showcases acts ranging from unheard-of up-and-comers to headline status artists, ranging from established international talent to the country’s rich melting pot of domestic rising stars.
Please join these speakers:
Leifur Bjornsson (Iceland Music Export): is responsible for the Record in Iceland refund project, funded by the government of Iceland. Leifur has vast experience as an experimental electronic music producer, composer and songwriter. He has taken part in various acts including Klemens Hannigan, Low Roar and Cheek Mountain Thief in the past. Leifur’s previous musical work has been featured in recent years in various high-profile projects, including computer game Death Stranding, ads for Allstate and TV shows on ABC and MTV, among others. Leifur has as of late been focusing more on music production and writing, as well as working with Iceland Music Export.
Nick Knowles (KxKn Management): had his first professional experience in and around music working across world-renowned magazine titles which included Q (r.i.p.), MOJO, Kerrang! and Mixmag. During his award winning decade in the media, Nick first visited Iceland in 2004 for the inaugural Iceland Airwaves Kerrang! Night. Having had a long fascination with Iceland and a certain female singer since her debut release in the mid-90s, Nick was immediately smitten.
A year living and working in Iceland in 2010 saw Nick transition from media marketing into management and on his return to the UK to co-manage a roster of artists with fellow Iceland aficionado Chris Morrison, known for Blur & Gorillaz (amongst others).
As manager Nick helps steer the ship for the multi-award nominated, multi-disciplinary chamber-doom icon sóley as well Sony-signed pianist and composer Eydís Evensen, the latter with whom he's worked with since her very first show (at Iceland Airwaves in 2018) and subsequent career launch in 2021. Additionally Nick consults on and for the media. He can also occasionally be found in Kaffibarinn embarrassing himself with his terrible Icelandic.
Sindri Ástmarsson (Iceland Airwaves): with a background in management, radio and as a DJ, Sindri has been a part of the Icelandic music industry since he was 14 years old. In 2012 Sindri turned to management and until 2018 he ran Mid Atlantic Management. His first management gig was managing Icelandic rock stars KALEO until they moved to the USA after signing their first major deal. Sindri has since been involved with a number of major label deals and worked with some of Iceland’s biggest names in music. In 2018 Sindri turned away from management after taking a job at Iceland Airwaves and its parent company, SENA (Iceland’s biggest concert promoter). At Iceland Airwaves Sindri works as head of booking and programming. His other work for Sena includes being the head of their Corporate events team and has led the work of moving into Esports.