Guðrún Ýr Eyfjörð Jóhannesdóttir (born 8 January 1996), known by the stage name GDRN, is an Icelandic singer and actress. Much of her music is jazz-influenced pop. She won four awards at the 2018 Icelandic Music Awards (including as pop singer of the year) and was nominated for the 2018 Nordic Music Prize.
Biography Early life Born in Reykjavík, Guðrún moved to Mosfellsbær at the age of four.
Football career Guðrún started playing football with Afturelding junior teams at the age of five. She had her first taste with the senior team in July 2011, at the age of 15, when she was an unused substitute in match against Þróttur Reykjavík in the Icelandic top-tier Úrvalsdeild kvenna. She suffered a cruciate ligament tear in 2011 and a meniscus tear in 2012 and while she managed to play 7 matches in the Úrvalsdeild the following seasons, the injuries effectively ended her career following the 2014 season. In April 2022, she signed a 3-year deal to become one of Afturelding women's team primary sponsors.
Music career She studied classical violin for 11 years, and later jazz piano and singing. She went to Reykjavík Junior College with the intention of becoming a medical doctor, but began making music in her last year of junior college which she would then focus on after graduation.
She writes her own lyrics, and co-produces her music with Teitur Helgi Skúlason and Bjarki Sigurðsson or her first album, and with Arnar Ingi Ingason and Magnús Jóhann Ragnarsson on her second.
Her first hit song was "Lætur mig" from 2018. Guðrún headlined at the 2019 Þjóðhátíð and was chosen as Mosfellsbær's artist of 2019. She is a featured vocalist on the song, Midnight Moon, which appears on Icelandic pianist and composer, Eydís Evensen's 2021 debut alum, Bylur. The song was recorded in Iceland in 2020. A 2021 live concert (filmed in Iceland due to COVID-19 travel restrictions) for the Seattle based radio station, KEXP, which included Midnight Moon, received over 4 million views on YouTube.
Acting career In 2019, she was a part of the music cast of the National Theatre of Iceland's production of Shakespeare in Love. In 2020, it was announced that she had been cast as a member of Netflix's Icelandic original series Katla, directed by Baltasar Kormákur. Although she did not formally train as an actress, she was invited to audition for the series by Kormákur who casting for the show. She plays the character of Gríma in the series. The series was filmed in Iceland beginning in February 2020 and featured a small cast and crew due to COVID-19 restrictions.
A Christmas album called Nokkur jólaleg lög, recorded with Magnús Jóhann, was released on 22 November 2024 for vinyl and streaming.
Personal life She and her boyfriend, doctor and former handball player, Árni Steinn Steinþórsson, are parents to a son who was born in July 2022.
Albums Hvað ef (2018) GDRN (2020) Tíu íslensk sönglög (with Magnús Jóhann) (2022) Frá mér til þín (2024) Nokkur jólaleg lög (2024)
Awards and nominations +YearAwardPrizeRecipientResult2017Icelandic Music AwardsNewcomer of the yearHerself+2018Icelandic Music AwardsSongwriter of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsLyricist of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsPop singer of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsPop single of the year"Lætur mig"Icelandic Music AwardsMusic video of the year"Lætur mig"Icelandic Music AwardsPop album of the yearHvað efNordic Music PrizePop album of the yearHvað efReykjavík Grapevine AwardsAlbum of the yearHvað efKraumsverðlaunin AwardsAlbumHvað ef+2019Artist of MosfellsbærArtist of the yearHerself+2020The Icelandic Audience AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsPerformer of the yearHerself+2021The Icelandic Audience AwardsPop performer of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsAlbum of the yearGDRNIcelandic Music AwardsPop singer of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsAlbum of the yearGDRNIcelandic Music AwardsSongwriter of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsSong of the year"Vorið"+2022The Icelandic Audience AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSong of the yearEf ástin er hreinIcelandic Music AwardsPop singer of the yearHerself+2023Icelandic Music AwardsSong of the yearUpp á röndThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSong of the yearUpp á röndThe Icelandic Audience AwardsAlbum of the yearTíu íslensk sönglögThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsPerformer of the yearHerself+2024Icelandic Music AwardsPerformer of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsAlbum of the yearFrá mér til þínIcelandic Music AwardsPeople’s choiceHerselfIcelandic Music AwardsGraphic designNokkur jólaleg lög silver prizeThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSong of the yearHáspennaThe Icelandic Audience AwardsAlbum of the yearFrá mér til þínThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsPerformer of the yearHerself+2025Icelandic Music AwardsMusic video of the yearÞað sem jólin snúast umThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSinger of the yearHerselfThe Icelandic Audience AwardsSong of the yearBlágræn
Discography
Studio albums + List of albums, with selected chart positions, sales figures and certifications Title Album details Peak chart positions CertificationsICL Hvað ef Released: August 17th 2018 Language: Icelandic Label: Alda Music 17 — — — - — — — ISL: Platinum GDRN Released: February 21st 2020 Language: Icelandic Label: GDRN - Exclusively distributed by Sony Music Entertainment Denmark A/S 9 - - - — - - - ISL: Gold Tíu íslensk sönglög Released: September 16th 2022 Language: Icelandic Label: GDRN & Magnús Jóhann - Exclusively distributed by Sony Music Entertainment Denmark A/S 5 - - - — - - — ISL: Platinum Frá mér til þín Released: March 22nd 2024 Language: Icelandic Label: GDRN 85 - - — — - — — Nokkur jólaleg lög Released: November 22nd 2024 Language: Icelandic Label: GDRN & Magnús Jóhann - Exclusively distributed by Alda Music 19 — — — — — — — ISL: Gold
Songs with peak chart positions
+List of songs, with selected peak chart positions Title Year Peak chart positions AlbumICL"Lætur mig"*2019 86 — — — Hvað ef"Næsta"*2019 71 — — — Non album single"Af og til"*2020 95 — — — GDRN"Ef ástin er hrein"*2021 1 — — — Lengi lifum við"Parísarhjól"*2023 61 — — — Frá mér til þín"Háspenna"*2024 66 — — — Frá mér til þín * denotes Iceland-only releases. All positions are on Tónlist, an unofficial Icelandic Singles Chart, but are indicative of relevant popularity and chart success
Filmography +YearTitleRole2021Flýg Upp x Varlega2021KatlaGríma2022Fire & IcelandHerself
Notes
References
External links