Daði Freyr

This is an Icelandic name. The last name is patronymic, not a family name; this person is referred to by the given name Daði.

Daði Freyr
Daði Freyr performing in 2022
Background information
Birth name	Daði Freyr Pétursson
Born	(1992-06-30) 30 June 1992 (age 32) Reykjavík, Iceland
Occupation	Musician
Instruments	Vocals keyboards bass guitar drums
Years active	2012–present
Website	dadifreyr.com

Daði Freyr Pétursson (Icelandic pronunciation: [ˈtaːðɪ freiːr̥ ˈpʰjɛːtʏr̥sɔn]; born 30 June 1992), known professionally as Daði Freyr or simply Daði, is an Icelandic musician living in Berlin, Germany. As the frontman of Daði & Gagnamagnið (Icelandic: Daði og Gagnamagnið^[1][2] [ˈtaːðɪ ɔɣ ˈkaknaˌmaknɪθ]), he was due to represent Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 with the song "Think About Things",^[3] before the event was cancelled in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Instead, he represented Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 with the song "10 Years", finishing in fourth place.^[4]

Early life

Daði was born in Reykjavík but grew up in Denmark until the age of nine, then his family moved to Iceland and settled in the Southern Region, first in Laugaland and later in Ásahreppur. Daði graduated from Fjölbrautaskóli Suðurlands ("College of the Southern Region") in 2012. In 2014, he moved to Berlin, where he received a BA in music management and audio production at the Catalyst Institute for Creative Arts and Technology in 2017.^[5][6]

Music career

In his youth, Daði practiced drums and studied piano and bass guitar. He co-founded the band RetRoBot with his friend Kristján Pálmi. Later, singer Gunnlaugur Bjarnason and guitarist Guðmundur Einar Vilbergsson, whom he had met at the South Iceland Multicultural School, joined the band. In 2012, the band RetRoBot won the Músíktilraunir ("Music Experiments") and Daði was chosen as the best electronic musician of the year.^[7] RetRoBot released one album, Blackout, a year later.

Söngvakeppnin and Eurovision

"Gagnamagnið" redirects here. For their song known in Icelandic as "Gagnamagnið", see Think About Things.

Daði performing in the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023 in Liverpool as part of an interval act

2017–2019

In 2017, Daði participated in Söngvakeppnin (competing to represent Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2017) with the song "Is This Love?" (Icelandic: Hvað með það?). In performances, he was supported onstage by a group known as Gagnamagnið, consisting of his sister Sigrún Birna Pétursdóttir (backing vocalist), wife Árný Fjóla Ásmundsdóttir (dancer), and friends Hulda Kristín Kolbrúnardóttir (backing vocalist), Stefán Hannesson (dancer), and Jóhann Sigurður Jóhannsson (dancer). They were characterized by their signature teal green sweaters, which have pixel art portraits of themselves printed on them, as well as their faux "instruments" made of household items and discarded objects that Stefán, Jóhann, and Árný utilize.^[8][9] Daði came in second after Svala Björgvinsdóttir, who performed the song "Paper".^[10]

In June 2019, Daði released his debut album, & Co., an avant-garde pop record that has drawn comparisons to French electronic duo Daft Punk for its retro disco sound.^[11]

2020–2021

Daði took part in the 2020 Söngvakeppnin with the song "Think About Things" (the alternate Icelandic version also titled "Gagnamagnið"), about his newborn daughter. As in Söngvakeppnin 2017, he performed with his group Gagnamagnið, now collectively credited as Daði & Gagnamagnið. The music video for the song went viral on YouTube, with actor Russell Crowe sharing it online.^[12]

They won the 2020 Söngvakeppnin competition and were set to represent Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020, but the event was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Several countries that would have participated in the 2020 contest held their own alternative competitions, broadcasting the entries and crowning a winner. Daði & Gagnamagnið won six such competitions, in Austria (Der kleine Song Contest), Australia, Denmark, Finland, Norway, and Sweden.^[13]

On 23 October 2020, it was announced that Daði & Gagnamagnið would remain as Icelandic representatives at the 2021 Eurovision Song Contest.^[4] They performed the song "10 Years", the lyrics referencing the length of Daði's relationship with his wife and Gagnamagnið member Árný.^[14][15] They were forced to use a prerecorded performance from the second rehearsal during the semi-final and final, due to a member of the group testing positive for COVID-19.^[16] After qualifying for the final, they finished fourth, with 378 points, equaling Iceland's best performance at the competition.^[17]

Post-Eurovision

Following Eurovision, Daði toured Europe and the United States. He collaborated with Australia's 2021 Eurovision representative Montaigne on their single "make me feel so..." and with German metal band Tokio Hotel on the single "Happy People".^[18]

In 2023, he performed a cover of Atomic Kitten's "Whole Again" as an interval act during the final of the Eurovision Song Contest 2023, held in Liverpool, alongside a large number of look-alikes as well as his wife.^[19]

The same year, he released his second studio record I Made an Album.^[20]

On 1 August 2024, he performed at Lollapalooza in Chicago.^[21]

Personal life

Daði is married to musician Árný Fjóla Ásmundsdóttir. Their daughter, Áróra Björg, born in 2019, was the inspiration for the lyrics of the song "Think About Things".^[22][23] The couple's second daughter, Kría Sif, was born in 2021.^[24]

Daði is 2.08 metres (6 ft 9.9 in) tall.^[25] He has his own app called "Neon Planets".^[26] His father was a bongo player for Katla Maria in Söngvakeppni 1993, where they placed ninth out of ten contestants with the song "Samba".

Discography

Studio albums

Title	Details
& Co.	Released: 12 June 2019[27] Format: Digital download, CD Label: Samlist ehf
I Made an Album	Released: 25 August 2023[28] Format: Digital download, CD, vinyl Label: AWAL

EPs

Title	Details	Peak chart positions
		FIN [29]
Næsta skref	Released: 26 October 2017[30] Format: Digital download, CD Label: Self-released	—
Welcome	Released: 21 May 2021[31] Format: Digital download, streaming Label: AWAL	23
I'm Making an Album 1/3	Released: 17 March 2023[32] Format: Digital download, streaming Label: AWAL	—
I'm Still Making an Album 2/3	Released: 26 May 2023[33] Format: Digital download, streaming Label: AWAL	—
How Daði Stole Christmas	Released: 15 November 2024[34] Format: Digital download, streaming Label: Samlist	—

Singles

Title	Year	Peak chart positions									Certifications	Album
		ICE [35]	BEL (FL) [36]	BEL (WA) [37]	IRE [38]	NLD [39]	NOR [40]	SCO [41]	SWE [42]	UK [43]
"Seinni tíma vandamál"[44]	2018	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
"Skiptir ekki máli"[45]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Allir dagar eru jólin með þér"[46]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Heyri ekki"[47] (featuring Don Tox)	2019	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		& Co.
"Endurtaka mig"[48] (featuring Blaer)		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Ég er að fíla mig (Langar ekki að hvíla mig)"[49]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Think About Things"[50] (as Daði og Gagnamagnið)	2020	1	53	—[A]	3	—[B]	—	10	33	34	BPI: Silver[51]	Welcome
"Where We Wanna Be"[52]		—	—[C]	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
"Every Moment Is Christmas with You"[53]		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Feel the Love"[54] (with Ásdís)	2021	18	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Welcome
"10 Years" (as Daði og Gagnamagnið)		1	—[D]	—	38	15	33	—	23	43
"Somebody Else Now"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Something Magical"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
"Sabada" (with Filous)	2022	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"I'm Fine"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		I Made an Album
"Whole Again"	2023	2	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album single
"Moves to Make"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		I Made an Album
"I'm Not Bitter"	2024	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—		Non-album singles
"Outside"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Fuck City"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"Together"		—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released.

As featured artist

Title	Year	Album
"make me feel so..." (Montaigne featuring Daði Freyr)	2022	Making It!
"Happy People" (Tokio Hotel featuring Daði Freyr)		2001

Remixes

Title	Original artist	Year	Album
"I Thought I'd Be More Famous by Now"	Special-K	2018	Non-album singles
"Eye of the Storm"	Millie Turner	2020

Awards and achievements

Award	Year	Category	Nominee(s)	Result	Ref.
Icelandic Music Awards	2018	Pop Song of the Year	"Hvað með það"	Nominated	[55]
	2021	Best Pop Song	"Think About Things"	Won	[56]
Hlustendaverðlaunin		Best Music Video		Won	[57]
		Singer of the Year	Himself	Won
Eurovision Awards		Best Dressed	Himself (with Gagnamagnið)	Nominated	[58]
		Most Iconic Prop		Runner-up
		Best Choreography		Nominated
		Best Official Video	"10 Years" (with Gagnamagnið)	Runner-up
Reykjavík Grapevine Music Awards	2024	Artist of the Year	Himself	Runner-up	[59]

Notes

1. "Think About Things" did not enter the Tipparade of Walloon, but did enter the Bubbling Under.^[36]
2. "Think About Things" did not enter the Top 40 of Netherlands, but did reach number 16 in the Tipparade.^[37]
3. "Where We Wanna Be" did not enter the Tipparade of Flanders, but did enter the Bubbling Under.^[36]
4. "10 Years" did not enter the Flemish Ultratop 50, but did peak at number six on the Ultratip chart.^[36]

References

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34. "Eurovision Christmas (part 2): New festive songs from ISAAK, Daði Freyr, Alexandra Rotan and more". wiwibloggs. 15 December 2024. Retrieved 15 December 2024.
35. Peak chart positions for singles in Iceland:
    • "Think About Things": "TÓNLISTINN – LÖG – Vika 12 – 2020" (in Icelandic). Tonlist. Archived from the original on 24 March 2020. Retrieved 25 March 2020.
    • "Feel the Love": "TÓNLISTINN – LÖG – Vika 4 – 2021" (in Icelandic). Tonlist. Archived from the original on 4 February 2021. Retrieved 4 February 2021.
    • "10 Years": "TÓNLISTINN – LÖG – Vika 20 – 2021" (in Icelandic). Tonlist. 25 May 2021. Archived from the original on 25 May 2021. Retrieved 25 May 2021.
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46. "Allir Dagar Eru Jólin Með Þér - Single by Daði Freyr". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 20 May 2021. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
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54. "Feel the Love - Single by Daði Freyr & ÁSDÍS". Apple Music. Archived from the original on 25 October 2021. Retrieved 4 January 2021.
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External links

• Official website

Preceded by Hatari with "Hatrið mun sigra"	Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 (cancelled) (as Daði og Gagnamagnið)	Succeeded by Himself with "10 Years"
Preceded by Himself with "Think About Things"	Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2021 (as Daði og Gagnamagnið)	Succeeded by Systur with "Með hækkandi sól"