Icelandic singer Hafdís Huld is our latest ‘Off the Shelf’ guest, in which we ask artists to present objects from a shelf or shelves from their home and talk about them. She recently released ‘Darkest Night‘, described in these pages as bittersweet moments where reality is embraced with a sense of wonder and where personal and family stories are treated with a tender sense of grace.
Taken from that album, watch the video for the title track below:
Off the Shelf with Hafdís Huld
Dolly Parton
She is my favourite songwriter and I hope to meet her one day. I was talking about her during my show at SXSW in Texas, and a few weeks later, this arrived in the post. Dolly knows I exist, so that is a step in the right direction toward a duet.
Easter Chick
This is my favourite artwork. This is the first thing my son brought home from nursery when he was not even two years old. And just in case you were wondering, this is a chick.
Student
My daughter made this teddy in her sewing class in third grade and told me his name was student. It makes me smile every time I walk past it.
Harmonium
This harmonium is originally from a school somewhere in Sweden. My parents were at a dinner party, and their friends were talking about not knowing what to do with it and the next day, my dad showed up with it on a trailer outside of my house. It is the harmonium I didn’t know I needed.
Mosi
This beautiful painting of Mosi was sent to me a few years ago. It went straight up on the wall in the studio and it means even more now that he is no longer with us. He was such a lovely dog and can be seen with me in the music video for Take Me Dancing.
Banjo
I met my husband while studying music in London, and he joined my band when I needed a guitarist who could also play banjo to join me for a gig at the Shepherds Bush Empire. We have made music together ever since.
Jumper
My mum is a great knitter and makes me all these beautiful jumpers. They are warm and colourful and made with so much love.
Engagement ring
Alisdair proposed to me with this beautiful engagement ring that was given to his great grandmother Isabella by his great grandfather John in 1921.
Synchronised Swimmers
I am named after my grandmother Hafdís and we were always very close. Haf is Icelandic for ocean, and Dís means fairy. So it feels fitting to have a photo on my wall of her with her Synchronised Swimming team taken in Reykjavik in around 1950.
Read more features from our Off the Shelf series.