Transcript:
0:02: Hello everyone.
0:02: I am Marcus Swenson.
0:04: Thank you for tuning in to bonus tracks from KXCI Tucson.
music sample: (0:36) Laufey- Promise, Bewitched: The Goddess Edition, 2024 AWAL Recordings
0:15: Today I’m going to be talking about one of my favorite artists, Leve, and not just her music, but her brand new children’s book called Mei Mei the Bunny.
0:30: If you know Laufey, you’d probably think of her dreamy jazz pop songs like From the Start.
music sample: (0:22) Laufey-From the Start, Bewitched, 2023 AWAL Recordings
music sample: (0:34) Laufey- Valentine, Everything I Know About Love, 2022 AWAL Recordings
1:24: That blend classic jazz with a modern twist.
1:28: She just dropped a new album too, which keeps that same cozy, emotional vibe she’s known for.
music sample: (0:20) Laufey- Snow White, A Matter of Time, 2025 AWAL Recordings
1:55: But what’s really cool is that she’s now stepping into the world of storytelling with Mai Mai the bunny, and it fits perfectly with who she is as an artist.
2:04: The book follows a little bunny named Mai Mai who’s full of curiosity and wonder, kind of like how Laufey approaches her music.
music sample: (1:10) Laufey- Forget-Me-Not, A Matter of Time, 2025 AWAL Recordings
2:13: From what Laufey’s shared, the story is about imagination, creativity, and finding joy in the small things.
2:20: It’s simple and gentle, but it has this warm, magical feeling that totally matches Laufey’s style.
2:28: You can really tell she wants to share that sense of calm, beauty and nostalgia through every project she does.
2:35: Laufey has talked before about how she grew up surrounded by classical music and storytelling.
2:41: Her mom’s a violinist and she started playing cello at a young age.
2:46: It makes sense that she’d want to create something that mixes music and imagination and childhood wonder.
2:54: Mei Mei The Bunny feels like an extension of that.
2:56: It’s soft, thoughtful, and full of heart, just like her songs.
3:01: So if you love Laufey, you’ll probably love this book too.
3:05: It captures that same peaceful world she builds with her lyrics, only now through a little bunny’s eyes.
3:13: I think it’s really inspiring to see artists like Laufey branch out like this.
3:18: It reminds us that creativity doesn’t have to stay in one lane.
3:22: You can write, sing, or even tell stories for kids and still express the same message.
3:28: Feels like a hug in book form.
3:35: And once again, this is Marcus Swenson from Bonus Tracks from KXCI Tucson.
3:40: For more information and episodes, visit KXCI.org.
Bonus Tracks is recorded, edited, and produced by KXCI’s Production Manager, Bridgitte Thum.
Special Thanks to KXCI’s extraordinary education team, and to our beautiful listeners who support this amazing radio station.
