Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir (born 6 May 1989) is an Icelandic musician. She originally performed solo, under the name Songbird. She is the co-lead vocalist and guitarist of the Icelandic indie folk band

Of Monsters and Men Of Monsters and Men is an Icelandic indie folk/Folk rock, rock band formed in Garðabær in 2010. It consists of lead singer and guitarist Nanna Bryndís Hilmarsdóttir, singer and guitarist Ragnar Þórhallsson, Ragnar "Raggi" Þórhallsson, ...

. In 2023, she released her debut solo album, titled ''How to Start a Garden''.

Biography

Nanna was raised in Garður, a town in southwestern Iceland. She attended

music school A music school is an educational institution specialized in the study, training, and research of music. Such an institution can also be known as a school of music, music academy, music faculty, college of music, music department (of a larger in ...

as a child and prior to the formation of the group

, she had a solo musical project called Songbird. She wrote and performed music on open mic nights around

Reykjavík Reykjavík is the Capital city, capital and largest city in Iceland. It is located in southwestern Iceland on the southern shore of Faxaflói, the Faxaflói Bay. With a latitude of 64°08′ N, the city is List of northernmost items, the worl ...

and was a video store clerk.

Of Monsters and Men

Following her Songbird phase, Nanna recruited five musicians who eventually became Of Monsters and Men in 2010. After a week of working together, they won the annual music competition

Músíktilraunir Músíktilraunir () is an annual music competition held in Reykjavík, Iceland. Winners * 1982 – Dron * 1983 – Dúkkulísurnar * 1984 – ''not held due to Strike action, teachers' strike'' * 1985 – Gipsy * 1986 – Greifarnir * 1987 – ...

. They released their debut studio album, '' My Head Is an Animal'', in late 2011. It charted in multiple regions, and the band gained popularity worldwide. After the Seattle radio station

KEXP KEXP-FM (90.3 FM broadcasting, FM) is a non-commercial Radio broadcasting, radio station in Seattle, Seattle, Washington, United States, specializing in indie music programmed by its disc jockeys. KEXP's studios are located at the Seattle Cent ...

broadcast a performance from Ragnar's living room, the band went viral. ''My Head Is an Animal'' reached No. 1 in Australia, Iceland, and Ireland, as well as on U.S. rock and alternative charts. The band was tapped to write a song for the 2013 film '' The Hunger Games: Catching Fire'', and their single " Dirty Paws" was used in ''

The Secret Life of Walter Mitty "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty" (1939) is a short story by James Thurber. The most famous of Thurber's stories, it first appeared in ''The New Yorker'' on March 18, 1939, and was first collected in his book ''My World and Welcome to It'' ( Ha ...

'' (2013). They went on to release the albums '' Beneath the Skin'' in 2015 and '' Fever Dream'' in 2019.

Solo work

On 13 January 2023, she released the single "Godzilla" under the name Nanna, followed by a second single, "Crybaby", on 22 February, and the announcement of a solo album entitled ''How to Start a Garden'', which came out on 5 May 2023. On 5 April, she issued a third single, "Disaster Master". Nanna wrote most of ''How to Start a Garden'' in a cabin outside Reykjavík. About the project, ''Riff Magazine'' stated, "she captures a magnificent soundscape—rich, warm and subtle—that feels solemn and full." In July 2023, Nanna performed at the

Newport Folk Festival The Newport Folk Festival is an annual American folk-oriented music festival in Newport, Rhode Island, which began in 1959 as a counterpart to the Newport Jazz Festival. The festival was founded by music promoter and Jazz Festival founder Geor ...

, a performance that according to ''Rhode Island Magazine'' "offered a more slowed-take on the dreamy Icelandic vibe."

Influences

Nanna cites some of her favorite musicians/influences as

Gayngs Gayngs is a Midwest indie band with a 1980s soft rock-inspired sound. Founded by Ryan Olson, the group consists of 22 musicians, including Justin Vernon of Bon Iver, Dessa and P.O.S of Doomtree, Har Mar Superstar and members of Poliça, Megafaun, ...

Lianne La Havas Lianne Charlotte Vlahavas (born 23 August 1989), known professionally as Lianne La Havas ( ), is a British singer-songwriter. Her career began after being introduced to various musicians, including singer Paloma Faith, for whom she sang backing ...

Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band from Montreal, Quebec, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury, and Jeremy Gara. The band's touring line-up includes former core ...

, Feist, and

Justin Vernon Justin DeYarmond Edison Vernon (born April 30, 1981) is an American singer, songwriter, producer and multi-instrumentalist. He is best-known as the primary songwriter and Lead vocalist, frontman of indie folk band Bon Iver. He is also a member o ...

, of the alt-folk band

Bon Iver Bon Iver ( ) is an American indie folk band founded in 2006 by singer-songwriter Justin Vernon in Eau Claire, Wisconsin. Vernon had originally formed Bon Iver as a solo project, but it eventually became a band consisting of Vernon (vocals, guit ...

Discography

with Of Monsters and Men

* '' My Head Is an Animal'' (2011) * '' Beneath the Skin'' (2015) * '' Fever Dream'' (2019)

Solo

* ''How to Start a Garden'' (2023)

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hilmarsdottir, Nanna Bryndis Living people Icelandic women pop singers Icelandic women rock singers Alternative rock singers Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir Indie rock musicians Folk rock musicians Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir 21st-century Icelandic singers Icelandic women guitarists Lead guitarists Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir 1989 births 21st-century guitarists Nanna Bryndis Hilmarsdottir Of Monsters and Men members 21st-century women guitarists