Eyþór Arnalds
Eyþór Arnalds | |
|---|---|
| Born | Eyþór Laxdal Arnalds 24 November 1964 Reykjavík, Iceland |
| Citizenship | Icelandic |
| Education | Reykjavík University (MBA) |
| Occupation(s) | Musician, composer, businessman |
| Website | eythorarnalds |
Eyþór Laxdal Arnalds (born 24 November 1964) is an Icelandic musician, composer, cellist, and businessman. His musical work includes classical, electronic, and pop genres, and he has also held executive roles in technology and energy sectors as well as positions in local politics.[1]
Early life and education
[edit]Eyþór was born in Reykjavík, Iceland. He began playing music and working in theater at an early age. He studied cello with Gunnar Kvaran in Reykjavík and later with Frances-Marie Uitti in Amsterdam. He studied composition with Atli Heimir Sveinsson in Reykjavík and with Dutch composer Louis Andriessen in Amsterdam.[1][2][3][4]
Eyþór graduated with a composition degree that included the performance of his symphonic work Terta, written in three movements for the Iceland Symphony Orchestra. He later received an MBA from Reykjavík University and completed executive education in economic history at Harvard University.[1][2][3]
Music career
[edit]Eyþór began his music career as a founding member and singer of the new wave band Tappi Tíkarrass, which also featured Björk among its members. He later became a singer and cellist in the band Todmobile, an Icelandic pop and rock group. Todmobile won Best Band and Best Album at the inaugural Icelandic Music Awards in 1994.[1][5][3][6]
Along with the bands, Eyþór has composed music for theater, dance, film, and symphony orchestra. His compositions often blend classical and electronic elements. He has collaborated with artists including Tony Hadley, Midge Ure, and Nik Kershaw in recent live performances with Todmobile.[1][7]
In 2025, he released a solo album titled The Busy Child, which features 12 tracks composed for up to 20 cellos. A string orchestra version of the album was conducted by Viktor Orri Árnason. The album explores themes related to artificial intelligence and human identity.[2][5][7]
Business and technology
[edit]Eyþór worked in the technology sector with companies including OZ and Enpocket, both of which were later acquired by Nokia. He served as CEO of Íslandssími (now Vodafone Iceland) from 1999 to 2001 and was CEO of Strokkur Energy from 2007 to 2017, leading different energy industrial projects. He has also been involved in eco-tourism and media ventures.[2]
Political involvement
[edit]Eyþór served on the municipal council of Árborg from 2006 to 2014. In 2018, he was elected to the Reykjavík City Council as a representative of the Independence Party and was chosen as the party's lead candidate (oddviti) in the municipal election that year. During his term, Eyþór voiced opposition to the city's policies on urban traffic, including speed limit reductions, which he argued increased traffic on residential streets.[8][9][10][4]
His time on the Reykjavík council included strained coalition negotiations, with Mayor Dagur B. Eggertsson publicly ruling out forming a coalition with the Independence Party while Eyþór was its lead candidate.[8] In December 2021, Eyþór announced he would not seek re-election as the party’s lead candidate in the upcoming municipal election.[11]
Controversies
[edit]Eythor has been involved in controversies related to media ownership and political transparency. In 2017, it was reported that he became a key shareholder in the media company that publishes Morgunblaðið.[12] His involvement raised questions due to the company's financial situation and its connections to the fishing company Samherji.[13]
In 2019, calls were made for Eyþór and Samherji to clarify their roles and ownership stakes in Morgunblaðið. Critics argued that the financial and editorial independence of the media outlet was unclear.[13] In the following year, Eyþór rejected claims that Samherji might regain control over the media company, describing such allegations as unfounded.[14] He also dismissed criticism from members of the Pirate Party as exclusionary politics.[15]
Personal life
[edit]Eyþór was married to musician Móeiða Júníusdóttir, with whom he has two children. He later married yoga instructor Dagmar Una Ólafsdóttir, and they also have two sons together. In a 2019 interview, Eyþór confirmed that he and Dagmar Una had legally separated.[16] Since 2021, he has been in a relationship with the Icelandic visual artist Ástríður Jósefín Ólafsdóttir.[17]
Selected discography
[edit]Solo
[edit]- The Busy Child (2025)
References
[edit]- ^ a b c d e Hinriksson, Benedikt Boas (12 January 2016). "Eyþór Arnalds snýr aftur í Tappa tíkarrass". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b c d "From Iceland — Eyþór Arnalds". The Reykjavik Grapevine. 30 November 2001. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b c Sigfúsdóttir, Sylvía Rut (5 March 2018). ""Ég er ekki viss um að hann viti hvernig á að snúa skrúfjárni" - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b Benónýsdóttir, Friðrika (6 September 2019). "Með beinagrindurnar á borðinu -". Mannlíf (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Mun bylta tilvist fólks á næstu árum". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Todmobile með töfra og tónleika". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b "Eyþór Arnalds: "Ég er rétt að byrja"". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b "From Iceland — Face/Off: The Reykjavík City Mayoral Race Centres On These Two Men". The Reykjavik Grapevine. 18 May 2018. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ Daðason, Kolbeinn Tumi (28 January 2015). "Eyþór Arnalds næsti formaður Þjóðleikhússráðs - Vísir". visir.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Eyþór Arnalds í stjórn OR". www.vb.is. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ Innherja, Ritstjórn (21 December 2021). "Eyþór Arnalds dregur framboð sitt til baka". Innherji (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Eyþór Arnalds orðinn kjölfestueigandi Morgunblaðsins". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). 4 April 2017. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ a b ""Lágmarkskrafa að Eyþór Arnalds og Samherji geri hreint fyrir sínum dyrum"". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). 19 November 2019. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Eyþór segir ólíklegt að eignarhluturinn í Morgunblaðinu færist aftur til Samherja". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). 5 October 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Segir Eyþór enn eiga eftir að koma hreint fram varðandi tengsl við Samherja". Kjarninn (in Icelandic). 13 September 2020. Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ "Eyþór Arnalds og Dagmar Una hvort í sína áttina". www.mbl.is (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.
- ^ Gunnarsson, Björgvin (23 October 2021). "Eyþór Arnalds um nýju ástina í lífi sínu: "Hún er ólík flestum sem ég hef kynnst" -". Mannlíf (in Icelandic). Retrieved 24 July 2025.