Ólafur Arnalds
Icelandic composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist bringing piano, strings and electronics together in solo records, screen scores and Kiasmos.
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Ólafur’s happenings, collected from public sources, plus their backstory and Starbook, where fans write.
Known for
Overview
- From
- Mosfellsbær, Iceland
- Born
- 1986
- Work
- Composer, producer and multi-instrumentalist
- First album
- Eulogy for Evolution, 2007
- Electronic project
- Kiasmos, with Janus Rasmussen
- Screen breakthrough
- Broadchurch, followed by a BAFTA win in 2014
Mini bio
How it started.
Ólafur grew up in Mosfellsbær, near Reykjavík, and played drums in hardcore bands Fighting Shit and Celestine. Piano, chamber strings and electronics opened another path. One of Erased Tapes’ early artists, Ólafur released Eulogy for Evolution in 2007 and built an audience through touring, including a support slot for Sigur Rós.
An open studio door.
Found Songs in 2009 made the creative process part of the listening experience: a new piece each day for seven days, shared online for free. Living Room Songs added filmed performances in 2011. For Island Songs in 2016, Ólafur travelled to seven Icelandic locations over seven weeks to record with local artists.
Music that crosses rooms.
The Broadchurch score brought a BAFTA for Original Music in 2014. Alongside screen work and solo albums, Ólafur makes electronic music with Janus Rasmussen as Kiasmos. The 2018 album re:member introduced the custom-built Stratus instrument, while some kind of peace in 2020 brought in Bonobo, JFDR and Josin.
Making space for others.
Launched in 2023, OPIA Community connects a travelling festival, a label and collaborative projects. A Dawning, released in 2025, grew from a friendship and musical partnership with Talos. After French’s death in 2024, Ólafur completed the record, with friends contributing to its songs.
Creditschronological, newest first
Music
- 2026II ReworkedKiasmos member; original music with Janus Rasmussen
- 2025A DawningCollaborating artist with Talos
- 2025SAGESCollaborating artist with Loreen
- 2020some kind of peaceSolo artist, composer and producer
- 2018re:memberSolo artist
- 2007Eulogy for EvolutionComposer, arranger, producer and multi-instrumentalist
Film & TV
- 2025Surface: Season 2Score producer; score composed by Tóti Guðnason
- 2020Defending JacobMain title theme composer
- 2013BroadchurchOriginal score composer
Awards
- 2024 Grammy nominationBest New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album for some kind of peace (piano reworks).
- 2022 Grammy nominationsBest Dance/Electronic Recording for Loom with Bonobo, and Best Arrangement, Instruments and Vocals for The Bottom Line.
- 2020 Emmy nominationOutstanding Original Main Title Theme Music for Defending Jacob.
- 2014 BAFTA Television Craft AwardWinner, Original Music, for Broadchurch.
Quotes
It would be weird to make a personal album and not include my friends.Ólafur Arnalds, Mercury KX artist biography
On the collaborators featured on some kind of peace.
Trivia
- Before piano-led solo records, Ólafur was a hardcore drummer in Fighting Shit and Celestine.
- Found Songs was written, recorded and shared one song a day for seven days in 2009.
- The first collaboration with Nils Frahm, Stare, began as a fifth-anniversary gift for Erased Tapes founder Robert Raths.
- The closing passage of Spiral plays its melody through a 100-year-old phonograph.
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