Icelandic artist Glóey’s new single “Holy” is an a cappella masterpiece that’s right up there with Björk’s “Hidden Place” and Todd Rundgren’s aptly titled album A Cappella.
The pulsing, powerful harmonies are the perfect vehicle for Glóey’s heartfelt lyrics about trans identity: “I don’t see how your body can be / anything other than holy.”
“I have always been fascinated by faith and the idea of what is holy,” says Glóey. “I was fascinated by prayers as a child, but lost my faith when I first came out as queer in my teenage years. It wasn’t until I discovered non-binary identity, queer love, and my trans community that I realised what is truly holy in my life. It is simply incomprehensible to me that something so beautiful can be seen as dangerous or unholy. The first two verses of the song touch on various aspects of queerness, polyamory, and being trans, questioning how these can be anything but holy.”
Somebody should play “Holy” for Björk and let her know that there’s another breathtaking vocalist on the rise in Iceland.
Listen to “Holy” below, or find it on the streaming services.
Follow Glóey on Instagram.
