Icelandic singer-songwriter RAKEL has spent years performing and touring with other musicians, but her solo work has opened a more personal chapter in her career. At Primavera Pro 2026 in Barcelona, she talks about her album A Place to Be, the landscapes that shaped its sound, and her decision to give her own songwriting a greater place in her musical life.

The album began with a return to a family property in Iceland, where RAKEL's mother grew up and her grandparents once operated a roadside diner. After the business closed and the road was relocated, the property remained an important part of her family history. RAKEL began visiting again to write music, eventually recording parts of the album there with Danish producer and longtime friend Sara Flinte, including sessions in a small church on the property.

Rather than drawing inspiration from Iceland's dramatic landscapes, RAKEL became interested in the quieter details of this particular place. Its subtle scenery, persistent winds and everyday sounds became part of the recording process. Field recordings of birds, creaking floors and the surrounding environment were incorporated into the music alongside synthesizers and acoustic instruments, creating an intimate sound that combines folk, alternative pop and experimentation.

The conversation also explores RAKEL's experience as a session musician and her relationship with Iceland's close-knit music community. Having spent years contributing to other artists' projects, she explains how writing and performing her own songs offers a different emotional experience, while continuing to collaborate with the musicians around her.

RAKEL describes a songwriting method that often begins with guitar melodies and improvised vocal sounds. She records these initial ideas before developing lyrics that reflect the emotions behind them, sometimes through abstract imagery and sometimes through direct, diary-like storytelling.

She also discusses her creative partnership with Sara Flinte, whom she met at music school in Iceland in 2018. Their friendship and years of performing together have shaped the album's arrangements and production, with Flinte bringing new musical ideas while remaining closely connected to the emotional intentions behind RAKEL's songs.

Looking ahead, RAKEL talks about performing new material, supporting John Grant in Reykjavík, touring Europe with Of Monsters and Men, and her excitement about discovering the musical direction of her next recordings. For listeners discovering her music, she recommends beginning with “Always,” the opening track of A Place to Be.

Read the full interview with RAKEL on our blog.

📍 Recorded at Primavera Pro 2026

🎙️ Interview by Pablo Herrera

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