View source for Jónsi

{{short description|Icelandic musician (born 1975)}}
{{For|another Icelandic musician of the same nickname|Jón Jósep Snæbjörnsson}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2025}}
{{icelandic name|Jón}}
{{Infobox musical artist <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Musicians -->
| background        = solo_singer
| name              = Jónsi
| image             = Sigur Rós, Victoria Park, London (Citadel Festival) (27836688703).jpg
| caption           = Jónsi at the Citadel Festival, [[Victoria Park, Tower Hamlets|Victoria Park]], London, 2016
| birth_name        = Jón Þór Birgisson
| birth_date        = {{birth date and age|df=y|1975|4|23}}
| death_date        =
| origin            = [[Reykjavík]], Iceland
| instrument        = {{hlist|Guitar|bass guitar|vocals|keyboards|[[banjo]]|[[ukulele]]|harmonica|[[sampler (musical instrument)|sampler]]}}
| genre             = {{hlist|[[Experimental rock]]|[[ambient music|ambient]]|[[worldbeat]]|[[contemporary classical music|contemporary classical]]}}
| current_member_of = [[Sigur Rós]]
| associated_acts   = {{hlist|[[Sigur Rós]]|[[Jónsi & Alex]]|Dark Morph|[[Alex Somers]]|[[Carl Michael von Hausswolff]]|[[Klive]]|[[A. G. Cook]]|}}
| label             =
| years_active      = 1992–present
| website           = {{URL|https://jonsi.com}}
}}
'''Jón Þór''' "'''Jónsi'''" '''Birgisson''' ({{IPA|is|ˈjouːn ˈθouːr ˈpɪrcɪsɔn, ˈjounsɪ|pron|Is-Jón Þór Birgisson, Jónsi.oga}}; born 23 April 1975) is an Icelandic musician; he is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for the Icelandic [[post-rock]] band [[Sigur Rós]]. He is known for his use of a cello [[bow (music)|bow]] on guitar and his [[falsetto]]<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.pastemagazine.com/blogs/lists/2011/09/11-amazing-falsetto-vocalists.html |title=11 Amazing Falsetto Vocalists |last1=Larsen |first1=Luke |date=23 September 2011 |work=[[Paste (magazine)]]|access-date=4 May 2014}}</ref> or [[countertenor]]<ref>{{cite web|last=Hunter|first=James|date=26 November 2002|title=Shades of Gray|url=http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-11-26/music/shades-of-gray/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140422233314/http://www.villagevoice.com/2002-11-26/music/shades-of-gray/|archive-date=22 April 2014|website=The Village Voice}}</ref> voice.

Jónsi released his debut solo album ''[[Go (Jónsi album)|Go]]'' on 5 April 2010. His second album, ''[[Shiver (Jónsi album)|Shiver]]'', was released on 2 October 2020. He released his third album ''Obsidian'' a year later in conjunction with an art exhibition of the same name. He has also collaborated with his ex-partner [[Alex Somers]] and has contributed to the scores for the films ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (2010 film)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'' and ''[[We Bought a Zoo]].''

==Musical career==
When Jónsi was 13 years old, he learned his first song on guitar, "Wrathchild" by [[Iron Maiden]]. Iron Maiden remains one of his favorite bands to this day.<ref name="sigur rós – trivia">{{cite web |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/band/trivia.php |title=sigur rós – trivia |access-date=8 March 2009 |work=sigur-ros.co.uk}}</ref> In 1995, Jónsi fronted a band called Bee Spiders, under the [[Stage name|alias]] 'Jonny B'. He wore [[sunglasses]] on stage throughout their concerts. Bee Spiders received the 'most interesting band' award in 1995 in a contest for unknown bands called ''Músíktilraunir'' (''Music Experimentations''). The band played long rock songs and was compared to [[The Smashing Pumpkins]].<ref name="sigur rós – trivia"/> Jónsi also fronted a [[grunge]] band called Stoned around 1992–1993. He also uses the alias '''Frakkur''' to release his solo material, e.g., the contribution to ''[[Kitchen Motors Family Album]]'', which marked the first release under this name.

Since 1994, Jónsi has been the singer and guitarist for [[Sigur Rós]]. To date, they have released eight studio albums.

Aside from his many years with Sigur Rós, Jónsi has collaborated with his ex-partner [[Alex Somers]]<ref name=sfchron>{{Cite news |url=https://www.sfgate.com/entertainment/article/Sigur-R-s-singer-prepares-for-U-S-solo-tour-3193685.php |title=Sigur Rós singer prepares for U.S. solo tour |date=4 April 2010 |access-date=14 April 2010 |periodical=[[San Francisco Chronicle]] |first=Aidin |last=Vaziri }}</ref> under the [[moniker]] [[Jónsi & Alex]], releasing their album ''[[Riceboy Sleeps (album)|Riceboy Sleeps]]'' in 2009. In April 2010, Jónsi released his first solo album, ''[[Go (Jónsi album)|Go]]'', and began a multi-nation tour to promote the album from March through September across North America and Europe.

Jónsi's song "Around Us" was used for the American promotional trailer for [[Studio Ghibli]]'s film ''[[Arrietty|The Secret World of Arriety]]'' and was also included in ''[[FIFA 11]]'', the soundtrack by [[EA Sports]].

His song "Tornado" was featured in Henry Alex Rubin's 2012 film ''[[Disconnect (2012 film)|Disconnect]]''.

Jónsi also wrote the score for the 2012 [[Cameron Crowe]] film ''[[We Bought a Zoo]]''.

"Boy Lilikoi" and instrumental versions of "Tornado", "Sinking Friendships", and "Around Us" were all included in the 2011 documentary ''[[This Is What Love in Action Looks Like]]''.

Jónsi's song "Grow Till Tall" was used by the [[Bluecoats Drum and Bugle Corps]] in their 2017 competitive program ''Jagged Line.'' It was also featured in the trailer for the third installment of the ''[[The Divergent Series|Divergent]]'' series, ''[[The Divergent Series: Allegiant|Allegiant]]''.

In 2018, Jonsi contributed an original song titled "Who Are You Thinking Of?" to the soundtrack of the feature film ''[[Boy Erased]]''. He collaborated with [[Troye Sivan]] on the song "[[Revelation (Troye Sivan and Jónsi song)|Revelation]]", also included on the soundtrack.

===''How to Train Your Dragon'' franchise===
Jónsi recorded "Sticks and Stones" for the score to the 2010 film ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (2010 film)|How to Train Your Dragon]]'',<ref>{{cite web|last=Richardson|first=Matthew|date=3 March 2010|title=Jonsi Stars in New Documentary, Does Song For 'How To Train Your Dragon' (Video)|url=http://www.prefixmag.com/news/jonsi-stars-in-new-documentary-does-song-for-how-t/38194/|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110613201719/http://www.prefixmag.com/news/jonsi-stars-in-new-documentary-does-song-for-how-t/38194/|archive-date=13 June 2011|access-date=20 May 2010|website=Prefixmag.com}}</ref> for which [[DreamWorks Animation]] released a music video on 17 December 2010.<ref>{{cite web|url = https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXV2fCimTsE|title = Jonsi's "Sticks and Stones" Music Video|author = DreamWorks Animation|via = YouTube|date = 17 December 2010}}</ref> His song "Tornado" was featured in the arena show adaptation of this film. In 2014, Jónsi co-wrote the song "Where No One Goes" for the sequel, ''[[How to Train Your Dragon 2]]'', with the film's music composer [[John Powell (film composer)|John Powell]]. He also co-wrote the melody for "For the Dancing and Dreaming". Jónsi additionally wrote a rough demo (entitled "Mama's Boy") for the film, which was eventually replaced by "Flying with Mother". He wrote and performed the song "Together from Afar" for the final installment of the franchise, ''[[How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World]]'', in which he also provided the vocals for the track "The Hidden World".

===Dark Morph===
In 2019, it was announced that Jónsi and Swedish composer [[Carl Michael von Hausswolff]] had formed a new musical collaboration they were calling Dark Morph, and on 10 May 2019, they released their first album, also titled ''Dark Morph''. The project "promises to explore the ramifications of ongoing environmental collapse to the oceans and its inhabitants."<ref>{{cite web|last=Bote|first=Joshua|date=1 May 2019|title=Inspired By Environmental Crisis, Sigur Rós' Jónsi Announces New Duo Dark Morph|url=https://www.npr.org/2019/05/01/719098300/inspired-by-environmental-crisis-sigur-r-s-j-nsi-announces-new-duo-dark-morph|access-date=26 June 2019|publisher=NPR}}</ref> The album consists mainly of ambient sounds, often simulating the sounds of animals and nature, and contains very few actual melodies.

==Studio albums==

===''Riceboy Sleeps'' (2009)===
Jónsi and his ex-partner [[Alex Somers]] completed their first album together, ''[[Riceboy Sleeps (album)|Riceboy Sleeps]]'', under the name [[Jónsi & Alex]]. The instrumental album was recorded in Iceland, played solely on acoustic instruments, and mixed in Hawaii. The album features appearances by the Icelandic string quartet [[Amiina]] and the Kópavogsdætur choir.<ref>{{cite web |title=eighteen seconds before sunrise – sigur rós news |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/news/?m=20090417 |date=17 April 2009 |work=sigur-ros.co.uk |access-date=2 August 2009 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110606160613/http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/news/?m=20090417 |archive-date=6 June 2011 }}</ref>

The 68-minute album includes nine tracks and was released on 20 July 2009 on [[Parlophone Records]].<ref>{{cite web |title=sigur rós – press releases |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/media/press/riceboysleeps.php |work=sigur-ros.co.uk |access-date=2 August 2009}}</ref>

===''Go'' (2010)===
{{main|Go (Jónsi album)}}
[[File:Jónsi - Ferrara 22-07-2010.jpg|right|thumb|Jónsi live in Ferrara (22 July 2010)]]

A post that appeared on Jónsi's official site on 26 May 2009 stated that the artist was working on a solo album that would feature predominantly acoustic music and string arrangements from classical composer [[Nico Muhly]]. The album was set to be produced by [[Peter Katis]] ([[Interpol (band)|Interpol]], [[The National (band)|The National]], [[Tokyo Police Club]]).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/news/?p=1307 |title=jónsi recording solo album |date=26 May 2009 |access-date=9 June 2009}}</ref>

On 4 December 2009, a free MP3 of the track "Boy Lilikoi" was made available to mailing-list subscribers through the website. The MP3 announced the title of the album to be ''[[Go (Jónsi album)|Go]]'' and gave a worldwide release date of "the week of 5 April 2010" through [[Parlophone]] and [[XL Recordings]].

On 5 April 2010, as promised, the album was released in Iceland and the United Kingdom, with a worldwide release date of the following day. The album was sung mainly in English, marking a change from the majority of Jónsi's previous work, which was sung mainly in Icelandic and [[Vonlenska]]. The album charted at No. 20 on the UK album charts on 12 April 2010<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio1/chart/albums/|title=UK top 40 albums 12 APR 2010}}</ref> and reached No. 23 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]].

The ''Go'' limited-edition box set also included ''[[Go Quiet]]'', a 45-minute film, directed by [[Dean DeBlois]] (director of the Sigur Rós concert film ''[[Heima]]''), that features all nine songs from the album performed acoustically at home in Reykjavík, over New Year 2010.

Jónsi went on tour with his album ''[[Go (Jónsi album)|Go]]'' on 6 April 2010. The tour did not include any venues within Jónsi's home country of Iceland. The artist's touring band included Alex Somers on guitar, sound effects, and keyboards; Thorvaldur Thór Thorvaldsson on drums; [[Stórsveit Nix Noltes|Ólafur Björn Ólafsson]] on keyboards; and [[klive|Úlfur Hansson]] on bass and [[monome]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Tour Diary No. 2|url=http://jonsi.com/news/tour-diary-2|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160803113854/http://jonsi.com/news/tour-diary-2|archive-date=3 August 2016|access-date=26 May 2010|website=jonsi.com}}</ref>

=== ''Shiver'' (2020) ===
Jónsi went a decade without releasing any solo material. On 3 April 2020, Jónsi took to Instagram to announce that he was releasing music later that month,<ref>{{Cite web|title=Jónsi on Instagram: "🎹I'm releasing new music later this month 🎹 follow me on @spotify and @youtube for updates via the link in my bio"|url=https://www.instagram.com/p/B-e-ljMhEA4/ |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/iarchive/s/instagram/B-e-ljMhEA4 |archive-date=26 December 2021 |url-access=registration|access-date=10 August 2020|website=Instagram|language=en}}{{cbignore}}</ref> which would be the lead single, "Exhale", to his second studio album, ''[[Shiver (Jónsi album)|Shiver]]'', with an accompanying music video directed by Jónsi and [[Giovanni Ribisi]].<ref>{{Cite web|last=Tan|first=Emily|date=23 April 2020|title=Jónsi Makes Epic Return With 'Exhale' Video|url=https://www.spin.com/2020/04/jonsi-makes-epic-returns-with-exhale-video/|access-date=10 August 2020|website=Spin (magazine)}}</ref>

The album was made in collaboration with English music producer, singer and head of record label [[PC Music]], [[A. G. Cook]]. Jónsi had no expectation for his and Cook's initial meeting, but the more they talked, the more he realized they might be perfect collaborators.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Shiver, by Jónsi|url=https://jonsi.bandcamp.com/album/shiver|access-date=10 August 2020|website=Jónsi}}</ref>

Jónsi released another single, "Swill", for the album on 24 June 2020, with an accompanying music video directed by Barnaby Roper.<ref>{{Cite web|last=Ewing|first=Jerry|date=25 June 2020|title=Sigur Rós frontman Jónsi releases video for new single Swill|url=https://www.loudersound.com/news/sigur-ros-frontman-jonsi-releases-video-for-new-single-swill|access-date=10 August 2020|website=Prog Magazine|language=en}}</ref>

==Collaborations==
Jónsi makes a guest appearance under the alias 'Frakkur' on track 13, "Skyscraper Heart", on ''Hi-Camp Meets Lo-Fi – Explosion Picture Score'' by Dip (1999)<br>
Jónsi provides vocal material on three collaborations with The [[Hafler Trio]]:<br>
''Exactly As I Say'' (2004 CD; a separate limited edition of 111 copies also exists containing DVD and 5.1 surround sound)<br>
''Exactly As I Am'' (2005 Double CD)<br>
''Exactly As I Do'' (2005 Double CD)<br>
Jónsi makes a guest appearance on [[Tiësto]]'s track "Kaleidoscope"<ref>{{cite web|last=Dombal|first=Ryan|date=4 August 2009|title=Sigur Rós's Jónsi, Bloc Party's Kele Okereke on New Tiësto Album|url=http://pitchfork.com/news/36120-sigur-ross-jonsi-bloc-partys-kele-okereke-on-new-tiesto-album/|access-date=29 February 2012|work=Pitchfork}}</ref> on his [[Kaleidoscope (Tiësto album)|album of the same name]], which was released on 6 October 2009.<br>
Jónsi appears on the album ''[[In a Safe Place]]'' by [[The Album Leaf]], on the song "Over the Pond".

In 2018, Jónsi collaborated with [[Troye Sivan]] on the song "[[Revelation (Troye Sivan and Jónsi song)|Revelation]]" from the ''[[Boy Erased]]'' soundtrack.<ref>{{cite web|last=Arcand|first=Rob|date=19 October 2018|title=Jónsi and Troye Sivan – 'Revelation'|url=https://www.spin.com/2018/10/jonsi-sigur-ros-troye-sivan-revelation/|access-date=20 October 2018|work=Spin (magazine)}}</ref>

==Languages==
[[File:Jonsi.jpg|thumb|Jónsi at [[UCLA]], playing to promote ''Heima'']]
Jónsi's first language is [[Icelandic language|Icelandic]]. He also speaks English, according to the official Sigur Rós website:<ref name="interview">{{cite web |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/|title=Sigur Rós Official Site |access-date=12 May 2007}}</ref>
{{blockquote|On the first three Sigur Rós albums (Von, Von Brigði, Ágætis Byrjun), Jónsi sang most songs in Icelandic but two of them ("Von" and "Olsen Olsen") were sung in '[[Hopelandic]]'. All of the vocals on ( ) are in Hopelandic. Hopelandic (''Vonlenska'' in Icelandic) is the 'invented language' in which Jónsi sings before lyrics are written to the vocals. It is not an actual language by definition (no vocabulary, grammar, etc.), but rather a form of gibberish vocals that fit to the music and act as another instrument. Jónsi likens it to what singers sometimes do when they've decided on the melody, but haven't written the lyrics yet. Many languages were considered to be used on ( ), including English, but they decided on Hopelandic. Hopelandic (Vonlenska) got its name (from a journalist, not Jónsi himself) from the first song which Jónsi sang on, "Hope" (Von).<ref>{{cite web |url=http://gorillavsbear.net/2007/10/sigur-ros-vs-npr.html |archive-url=https://archive.today/20120713234343/http://gorillavsbear.net/2007/10/sigur-ros-vs-npr.html |url-status=dead |archive-date=2012-07-13 |title=sigur ros vs. NPR |publisher=gorillavsbear.net |date=2007-10-12 |access-date=2012-02-29 }}</ref>}}

==Instruments==
Like a few other players of the [[bowed guitar]], Jónsi plays mainly variations of the [[Gibson Les Paul|Les Paul]].<ref name="soundonsound">{{cite web|url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=16846#pid323341|title=Sound on Sound on Sigur Ros Official Site|access-date=25 March 2008|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090709062804/http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/board/viewthread.php?tid=16846#pid323341|archive-date=9 July 2009}}</ref> He also plays Ibanez Les Paul copies, model PF200. The first Ibanez used to be his main instrument during the Bee Spiders era all through ''Ágætis Byrjun''. It was largely refinished and decorated (as can be seen in ''Ágúst Jakobsson's'' documentary ''Popp í Reykjavík''<ref name="Popp í Reykjavík">{{cite web |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/band/disco/poppimg.php|title=Popp í Reykjavík Stills on Sigur Ros Official Site|access-date=9 June 2010}}</ref>). That particular instrument got stolen and broken but was on display in the [[Reykjavík Art Museum]] in the summer of 2003.<ref name="Morgunbladid">{{cite web|date=14 June 2003|title=Óformleg klippimynd af Smekkleysu|url=http://www.mbl.is/mm/gagnasafn/grein.html?grein_id=736520|access-date=9 June 2010|website=mbl.is|language=is}}</ref> During the recordings of ''[[Takk...]]'', Jónsi bought another PF200 to replace the Les Paul. Since the summer of 2006, Jónsi has been using a guitar that was made on the road by his then guitar tech Dan Johnson. The guitar is usually referred to as "The Bird", after the band's bird designs seen on previous album artwork that adorn the neck and frets of the guitar. "The Bird" is based on the body of the Ibanez PF200. The artist has also been seen playing a variety of other instruments such as the piano, acoustic guitar, electric bass guitar, harmonium, mellotron, baritone ukulele, and the banjo.

==Activism==
In 2003, he was escorted off the premises while protesting against [[Kárahnjúkar Hydropower Plant]] in Iceland.<ref name="sigur-ros.co.uk">{{cite web |url=http://www.sigur-ros.co.uk/news/?m=200301 |title=Sigur Rós Official Site |date= January 2003|access-date=19 November 2008}}</ref>

Jónsi is a vegetarian. He states that he "didn't go vegetarian because of the animals" but became gradually more concerned for their welfare.<ref name="veget">{{cite web |url=http://www.vivaactivists.org.uk/celebs/interview-sigur-ros.php|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101108064901/http://www.vivaactivists.org.uk/celebs/interview-sigur-ros.php|archive-date=8 November 2010 |title=Tonight, I sing for the animals|first1=Fiona |last1=Galbraith|first2=Kate|last2=Montgomery |publisher=[[Viva! (organisation)|Viva! Activists]]|access-date=14 June 2016}}</ref> Jónsi elaborated that he would find it difficult to date someone who eats meat, saying "I just love animals and I do not want to kill them, cook them or eat them so it'd be hard for me to watch anyone do that."<ref name="veget"/> He briefly followed a [[raw food]] diet, although he no longer practices this as he felt it hindered his social life and he was "getting antisocial" when on tour.<ref name="gigwise.com">{{cite web|url=http://www.gigwise.com/features/72800/sigur-ros-interview-we-always-knew-wed-get-back-together|title=Sigur Ros interview: 'We always knew we'd get back together'|access-date=14 June 2016|date=7 May 2012|first=Michael |last=Baggs|website=[[Gigwise]]}}</ref>

==Visual arts==
Alongside his visual art collaboration with [[Alex Somers]], he has also exhibited his own artwork. Jónsi has exhibited at the Los Angeles branch of [[Tanya Bonakdar Gallery]] in late 2019 and again in 2023, as well as their New York branch in 2021.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.tanyabonakdargallery.com/exhibitions/jonsi/installations |title=November 16, 2019 – January 9, 2020 – - Jónsi – - Exhibitions – Tanya Bonakdar Gallery |work=tanyabonadkargallery.com |publisher=[[Tanya Bonakdar Gallery]] |access-date=20 December 2019 |archive-date=22 November 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191122014403/http://www.tanyabonakdargallery.com/exhibitions/jonsi/installations |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tanyabonakdargallery.com/exhibitions/753-jonsi-vox-tanya-bonakdar-gallery-los-angeles |title=November 11, 2023 – February 3, 2024 – - Jónsi – - Exhibitions – Tanya Bonakdar Gallery |work=tanyabonadkargallery.com |publisher=[[Tanya Bonakdar Gallery]]}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.tanyabonakdargallery.com/exhibitions/614-jonsi-obsidian-tanya-bonakdar-gallery-new-york |title=October 30 – December 17, 2021 – - Jónsi – - Exhibitions – Tanya Bonakdar Gallery |work=tanyabonadkargallery.com |publisher=[[Tanya Bonadkar Gallery]]}}</ref>

He also exhibited a large-scale experiential artwork titled ''FLÓÐ'' at the [[National Nordic Museum]] in early 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=FLÓÐ Opens This Week |url=https://nordicmuseum.org/news/fl-opens-this-week |website=National Nordic Museum |access-date=3 April 2023}}</ref> ''Jónsi: Hrafntinna (Obsidian)'' was exhibited at the [[Art Gallery of Ontario]] (AGO), Toronto in 2022 as well as the [[Museum of Old and New Art]], Tasmania, Australia in 2023.<ref>{{cite web |title=JÓNSI: HRAFNTINNA (OBSIDIAN) |url=https://ago.ca/exhibitions/jonsi-hrafntinna-obsidian |website=Art Gallery of Ontario |access-date=11 November 2023}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=JÓNSI: HRAFNTINNA (OBSIDIAN) |url=https://mona.net.au/museum/exhibitions/hrafntinna-obsidian |website=Museum of Old and New |access-date=11 November 2023}}</ref>

Jónsi founded Fischersund, a perfumery and art collective with his sisters Inga, Lilja and Sigurros in 2017, and together they launched their debut exhibition ''Faux Flora'', a multi-sensory experience at the National Nordic Museum in 2024 through to 2025.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fischersund: Faux Flora |url=https://nordicmuseum.org/exhibitions/faux-flora |website=National Nordic Museum |access-date=1 June 2025}}</ref>

== Personal life ==
Jónsi is [[coming out|openly]] [[homosexuality|gay]].<ref name="economist">{{cite news |date=14 June 2001 |title=Icelandic rock |newspaper=[[The Economist]] |url=http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_GVVSVD |url-status=live |access-date=2 December 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080514050501/http://www.economist.com/books/displaystory.cfm?story_id=E1_GVVSVD |archive-date=14 May 2008}}</ref><ref name="price">{{Cite news |last=Price |first=Simon |date=17 July 2005 |title=At last! The populist person's thinking band |periodical=[[The Independent on Sunday]] |url=https://www.questia.com/read/1P2-1956425/rock-pop-at-last-the-populist-person-s-thinking |url-status=dead |access-date=27 May 2013 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131004222913/https://www.questia.com/read/1P2-1956425/rock-pop-at-last-the-populist-person-s-thinking |archive-date=4 October 2013}}</ref> He began a relationship with fellow musician [[Alex Somers]] in 2003 and released an art collaboration with him. They announced their separation in 2019, after having been together for 16 years and remain close friends.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Albertson |first=Jasmine |date=17 October 2019 |title=Jónsi and Alex Somers on Waking Up Riceboy Sleeps, Trading Glaciers for Sunny Beaches and Working Together Post-Breakup |url=https://www.kexp.org/read/2019/10/17/jonsi-and-alex-somers-waking-riceboy-sleeps-trading-glaciers-sunny-beaches-and-working-together-post-breakup/ |access-date=18 August 2020 |website=kexp.org}}</ref>

He is blind in his right eye from birth as a result of a broken optic nerve from the brain.<ref name="economist" /><ref name="price" />

==Discography==
{{see also|Sigur Rós discography}}

===Albums===

====Studio albums====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="2"| Title
! rowspan="2" style="width:200px;"| Album details
! colspan="10"| Peak chart positions
|-
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[ARIA Charts|AUS]]<br /><ref name="AUS">{{cite Ryan|page=149}}</ref>
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[Ultratop|BEL]]<br /><ref name="Charts">{{cite web |url=https://italiancharts.com/showitem.asp?interpret=J%F3nsi&titel=Go&cat=a |title=Discography Sigur Rós |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[Syndicat National de l'Édition Phonographique|FRA]]<br /><ref name="FRA">{{cite web |url=https://lescharts.com/showinterpret.asp?interpret=J%F3nsi |title=Discographie Jónsi |access-date=8 May 2020 |website=LesCharts.com}}</ref>
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[GfK Entertainment Charts|GER]]<br /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.offiziellecharts.de/suche?artistId=Jónsi|title=Discographie von Jónsi|publisher=GfK Entertainment|access-date=9 October 2020}}</ref>
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[Federazione Industria Musicale Italiana|ITA]]<br /><ref name="Charts" />
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[Dutch Album Top 100|NLD]]<br /><ref name="Charts" />
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[Sverigetopplistan|SWE]]<br /><ref name="Charts" />
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[Swiss Hitparade|SWI]]<br /><ref name="Charts" />
!style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| [[UK Albums Chart|UK]]<br /><ref name="UK">{{cite web |url=https://www.officialcharts.com/artist/6179/jonsi/ |title=Jonsi {{!}} full Official Chart History |access-date=8 May 2020 |publisher=[[Official Charts Company]] }}</ref>
!style="width:3em;font-size:75%;"| [[Billboard 200|US]]<br /><ref name="US">{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/artist/jonsi/chart-history/tlp/ |title=Jónsi Chart History: Billboard 200 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=8 May 2020}}</ref>
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Go (Jónsi album)|Go]]''
|
* Released: 5 April 2010
* Label: XL Recordings, Parlophone
* Formats: CD
| style="text-align:center;"| 64
| style="text-align:center;"| 6
| style="text-align:center;"| 86
| style="text-align:center;"| 100
| style="text-align:center;"| 74
| style="text-align:center;"| 84
| style="text-align:center;"| 35
| style="text-align:center;"| 31
| style="text-align:center;"| 20
| style="text-align:center;"| 23
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Shiver (Jónsi album)|Shiver]]''
|
* Released: 2 October 2020
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: Vinyl, CD, digital download
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| style="text-align:center;"| 88
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|-
! scope="row"| ''Obsidian''
|
* Released: 30 October 2021
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: Digital download
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|-
! scope="row"| ''First Light''
|
* Scheduled: 30 August 2024
* Label: Myndstream, Lakeshore Records
* Formats: Digital download
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|}

====Collaborative albums====
=====Jónsi and Alex (with Alex Somers)=====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1" style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Riceboy Sleeps (album)|Riceboy Sleeps]]''
|
* Released: 20 July 2009
* Label: XL Recordings, Krunk
* Formats: CD, digital download, vinyl
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[Lost & Found (Jonsi & Alex album)|Lost & Found]]''
|
* Released: 11 October 2019
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: Digital download
|}

=====Dark Morph (with Carl Michael von Hausswolff)=====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1" style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''Dark Morph''
|
* Released: 10 May 2019
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: CD, digital download
|-
! scope="row"| ''Dark Morph II''
|
* Released: 1 May 2020
* Label: Pomperipossa Records
* Formats: Digital download, vinyl
|}

=====Other collaborative albums=====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1" style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''Sounds of Fischer Vol. 1''<br /><small>(with [[Sin Fang]], [[Alex Somers]] and Kjartan Holm)</small>
|
* Released: 16 September 2022
* Label: INNI
* Formats: digital download
|-
|}

====Soundtrack albums====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1" style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
! scope="row"| ''[[We Bought a Zoo#Soundtrack|We Bought a Zoo]]''
|
* Released: 9 December 2011
* Label: Twentieth Century Fox Film Corporation
* Formats: Digital download
|-
! scope="row"|  ''Manhattan''<br /><small>(with [[Alex Somers]], [[Jeff Russo]] and [[Zoë Keating]])</small>
|
* Released: 5 February 2016
* Label: Lakeshore Records
* Formats: Digital download
|-
! scope="row"| ''Tom Clancy's Without Remorse''
|
* Released: 29 April 2021
* Label: Paramount Music
* Formats: Digital download
|-
|}

====Live albums====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1" style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
| ''[[Go Live (Jónsi album)|Go Live]]''
|
* Released: 14 December 2010
* Label: Parlophone, Krunk
* Formats: CD, digital download
|}

====Compilation albums====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|-
! rowspan="1"| Title
! rowspan="1" style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
| ''2000 - 2004''<br /> <small>(as Frakkur)</small>
|
* Released: 23 November 2018
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: CD, vinyl, digital download
|}

====Film albums====
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! style="width:200px;"| Album details
|-
| ''[[Go Quiet]]''
|
* Released: 2010
* Formats: DVD
|-
|}

===Extended plays===
{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Title
! style="width:200px;"| Details
|-
| ''All Animals''<br /><small>(as [[Jónsi & Alex]] with [[Alex Somers]])</small>
|
* Released: 20 July 2009
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: Digital, CD, Vinyl
|-
| ''[[Go Do]]''
|
* Released: 22 March 2010
* Label: [[Parlophone]], [[EMI]], Krunk
* Formats: Digital, CD, Vinyl
|-
| ''[[Go Out]]''
|
* Remixes EP
* Released: 16 April 2011
* Label: EMI, Krunk
* Formats: Digital, Vinyl
|-
| ''11.16/12.21.2019''
|
* Released: November 2021
* Label: Krunk
* Formats: Vinyl
|-
|}

===Singles===
====As lead artist====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! Title
! Year
! Album
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Go Do]]"
| rowspan="2"| 2010
| rowspan="2"| ''[[Go (Jónsi album)|Go]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Animal Arithmetic]]"
|-
! scope="row"| "[[Revelation (Troye Sivan and Jónsi song)|Revelation]]" <br /><small>(with [[Troye Sivan]])</small>
| rowspan="2"| 2018
| ''[[Boy Erased]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "TB2" <br /><small>(as Frakkur)</small>
| ''2000 - 2004''
|-
! scope="row"| "Together From Afar"
| 2019
| ''[[How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "Dark Wave" <br /><small>(as Dark Morph with [[Carl Michael von Hausswolff]])</small>
| rowspan="7"| 2020
| ''Dark Morph II''
|-
! scope="row"| "Exhale"
| rowspan="2"| ''[[Shiver (Jónsi album)|Shiver]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "Swill"
|-
! scope="row"| "Evol Lamina" <br /><small>(with [[Gyða Valtýsdóttir]])</small>
| ''Epicycle II''
|-
! scope="row"| "Cannibal" <br /><small>(featuring [[Elizabeth Fraser]])</small>
| ''Shiver''
|-
! scope="row"| "Cul de sac" <br /><small>(with [[Hundred Waters|Trayer Tryon]] and [[Alex Somers]] featuring [[Moses Sumney]], [[Julianna Barwick]] and Nicole Miglis)</small>
| ''New Forever''
|-
! scope="row"| "Salt Licorice" <br /><small>(featuring [[Robyn]])</small>
| rowspan="2"| ''Shiver''
|-
! scope="row"| "Mold"
| 2021
|-
! scope="row"| "Beitilyng" <br /><small>(with [[Sin Fang]], [[Alex Somers]] and Kjartan Holm)</small>
| rowspan="3"| 2022
| rowspan="2"| ''Sounds of Fischer Vol. 1''
|-
! scope="row"| "Birki" <br /><small>(with [[Sin Fang]], [[Alex Somers]] and Kjartan Holm)</small>
|-
! scope="row"| "Bakgarðar" <br /><small>(with Kjartan Holm and [[Sin Fang]])</small>
| {{n/a|Non-album single}}
|-
|}

====As featured artist====
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" border="1"
|-
! Title
! Year
! Album
|-
! scope="row"| "Kaleidoscope" <br /><small>([[Tiësto]] featuring Jónsi)</small>
| 2009
| ''[[Kaleidoscope (Tiësto album)|Kaleidoscope]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "Candyland" <br /><small>([[Sin Fang]] featuring Jónsi)</small>
| 2016
| ''Spaceland''
|-
! scope="row"| "In Light" <br /><small>([[Julianna Barwick]] featuring Jónsi)</small>
| 2020
| ''[[Healing Is a Miracle]]''
|-
! scope="row"| "Carry On" <br /><small>([[Mykki Blanco]] featuring Jónsi)</small>
| 2022
| ''Stay Close To Music''
|-
! scope="row"| "LOOK AT YOU" <br /><small>([[Skrillex]] featuring Jónsi)</small>
| 2025
| ''[[Fuck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!!|Fuck U Skrillex You Think Ur Andy Warhol but Ur Not!! <3]]''
|}

===Other appearances===
{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;"
|-
! scope="col" | Song
! scope="col" | Artist
! scope="col" | Year
! scope="col" | Album
|-
! scope="row" | "Skyscraper Heart" <small>(credited as 'Frakkur')</small>
| Dip
| 1999
| ''Hi-Camp Meets Lo-Fi: Explosion Picture Score''
|-
! scope="row" | "Over the Pond" <small>(uncredited vocals)</small>
| [[The Album Leaf]]
| 2004
| ''[[In a Safe Place]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "Ammælisstrákur" <small>(credited as 'Frakkur')</small>
| Various
| 2006
| ''[[Kitchen Motors Family Album]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "Kaleidoscope"
| [[Tiësto]]
| 2009
| ''[[Kaleidoscope (Tiësto album)|Kaleidoscope]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "Sticks & Stones"
| Various
| 2010
| ''[[How to Train Your Dragon (2010 soundtrack)|How to Train Your Dragon: Music from the Motion Picture]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "Where No One Goes"
| Various
| 2014
| ''[[How to Train Your Dragon 2]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "For the Dancing and Dreaming" (melody-writer)
| Various
| 2014
| ''[[How to Train Your Dragon 2]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "Simple Gifts"
| [[Danny Elfman]]
| 2017
| ''[[The Circle (2017 film)|The Circle]] (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)''
|-
! scope="row"| "Revelation"<br>{{small|(with [[Troye Sivan]])}}
| Daniel Bensi
| 2018
| ''[[Boy Erased]] (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)''
|-
! scope="row"| "Who Are You Thinking Of?"
| Daniel Bensi
| 2018
| ''[[Boy Erased]] (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)''
|-
! scope="row" | "The Hidden World"<br>"Together from Afar"<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://twitter.com/DWAnimation/status/1081276679224360960|title=John Powell just announced the tracklisting to How To Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World soundtrack. Pre-order the album next Friday! #HowToTrainYourDragonpic.twitter.com/1F8GelgfhD|last=Animation|first=DreamWorks|date=4 January 2019|website=@DWAnimation|access-date=5 January 2019}}</ref>{{Primary source inline|date=December 2019}}
| Various
| 2019
|''[[How to Train Your Dragon: The Hidden World]]''
|-
! scope="row" | "One Life"<br>{{small|([[Mark Ronson]] featuring [[Diana Gordon]] and Jónsi)}}
| [[Mark Ronson]]
| 2021
|''Watch the Sound (Original Soundtrack)''
|-
! scope="row" | "Oil + Honey" {{small|(co-production and additional vocals)}}
|[[Hayden Dunham|Hyd]]
|2022
|''[[Clearing (Hyd album)|Clearing]]''
|-
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [http://jonsi.com Official site]
* {{IMDb title|1743706}}

{{Sigur_Rós}}
<!-- PLEASE NOTE, ICELANDIC NAMES GO THE OTHER WAY. DO NOT CHANGE THIS TO 'Birgisson, Jon Thor' -->
{{Annie Award for Music in a Feature Production}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Jonsi}}
[[Category:1975 births]]
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