For this special edition of Two Beats Ahead Live! in Reykjavik, Michael speaks with Lóa Hjálmtýsdóttir at Iceland Innovation Week. Lóa is a Reykjavík-based visual artist, illustrator, and entrepreneur, known for her creative studio Lóaboratorium. Her work spans comics, visual art and design objects that often feature playful, character-driven stories. In addition to her visual art and product design, Lóa is a founding member of the electro-pop band FM Belfast, where her energy and creativity come to life on stage. In this short episode we talked about Lóa’s “accidental” careers, how the disruption of Covid was a catalyst for her entrepreneurship, and the supportive creative community in Reykjavík. We also discussed the joys of toys! See Loa's work here.

In this 10th episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael speaks with Jóel Pálsson, acclaimed saxophonist and cofounder of Farmers Market, an Icelandic design company and clothing brand. A five time recipient of Iceland’s Jazz Album of the Year, he has  performed in concerts and festivals in Europe, America, Canada and China and appeared on over 150 albums with various artists and groups. He is also a graduate of Berklee College of Music. Their discussion weaves together the similarities of jazz and fashion retail. They discuss taking inspiration from the past, finding an authentic voice, and working with trusted collaborators. They also discuss connecting with audiences, staying committed to iteration and the value of setting constraints to unlock creativity. 

In this episode, Michael interviews Haraldur “Halli” Thorleifsson, an entrepreneur, designer, musician, and philanthropist. Halli founded Ueno, a design agency that worked with Google, Uber, Airbnb, and many others and was acquired by Twitter in 2021. A musician before becoming a designer, he put music on hold until 2023 when he launched his project Önnu Jónu Son. Since selling his business, he’s launched a program to build wheelchair-accessible ramps across Iceland, opened and closed a restaurant, and launched a podcast. Halli has spoken previously about traumas that have formed him, from losing his mother during his childhood, to being confined to a wheelchair as an adult, and his struggle with alcoholism. He also made headlines when Elon Musk erroneously fired him from Twitter and then had to walk it back publicly. So I didn’t want to lead with any of these things because they have been well documented—though we did occasionally refer to them. In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live! I went deep with Halli about his identity as a creator—how did he understand the connection between design and songwriting? Why has he taken up drawing? Why did he design and open his restaurant, Anna Jóna, and then close it in the course of a year? Our conversation covers these topics, as well as how Halli is letting go of perfection and embracing a beginner’s mind. We also discussed the chemistry of collaborating and how the early days of Ueno bore a remarkable resemblance to the making of his album, The Radio Won't Let Me Sleep. 

For the eighth Two Beats Ahead Live!, author R. Michael Hendrix interviews Siggi Baldursson, the renowned drummer and music executive, best known as a founding member of The Sugarcubes. He plays a key role in promoting Icelandic music globally, recently as managing director of ÚTÓN (Iceland Music), where he helped launch initiatives like the Icelandic Music Export Fund and the Record in Iceland program. In this episode, Siggi discusses the connection between the growth of tourism in Iceland and its impact on Icelandic music. He shares that the Sugarcubes began as a joke, albeit one that “blew up in our face!” He tells about the importance of communities as creative incubators and how Smekkleysa became this for him and his friends in the 80’s. He expands on this for other creative communities in Iceland and how relationships built in a small locale have a trust that encourages weirdness and collaboration. He also shares how the lack of knowing how to do things can actually be the secret to doing something exciting and new, which was especially important to the early post-punk scene in Reykjavik. Finally he shares about the changing nature of the music business and how new innovations are helping artist find audiences.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews musician and carpenter, Klemens Hannigan, best known as a member of techno performance art project HATARI, and an accomplished solo artist and sculptor. They discuss the parallels of songwriting and woodworking and the differences between art and design in both practices. They delve into why they appreciate limitations and frameworks, and how identities or brands create boundaries and opportunities for world building. Klemens discusses owning his personal contradictions as tensions and why the goal of an entrepreneur is to do something you burn for. They also discuss what is next for HATARI.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews Melkorka Magnúsdóttir, a choreographer, member of synth pop duo, Milkywhale, and cofounder of Iceland Innovation Week, a platform that celebrates and promotes innovation, startups, and entrepreneurial activities. They discuss the rigidness of business culture and how play and joy are necessary characteristics of innovation, a practice which requires belief in positive possibilities. Melkorka explains how this optimism shows up in the choreography of Iceland Innovation Week’s “OK, Bye Climate Theater,” and why she loves the enthusiasm of “intrapreneurs,” whom she sees as artist archetypes. They also cover her new project, Hverfa and the value of reframing the world through children’s eyes in order to rediscover everyday experiences.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews accomplished Icelandic fine artist and photographer, Lilja Birgisdöttir, co-founder of Fischersund Perfumery and Art Collective. LIlja takes us on an intimate scent journey through the collective's shop and explains how this multi-sensory experience emerged from a desire to collaborate with her siblings, the most well-known being Jónsi, the singer of atmospheric post-rock band, Sigur Rós. We discuss how pursuing personal passions results in universally relatable art and how this pursuit can also be a platform for growing a business. She shares how the experience design of Fischersund is a a gentle counterpoint to modern, aggressive retail experiences and why she values creativity and connection. We also touch on the science of embodied cognition—understanding the world through our five senses—and how the collective's latest exhibition, Faux Flora, has been a means of personal artistic growth through collaboration.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews renowned Icelandic choreographer, artist, and designer Sigga Soffia, founder of Eldblóm Elixir. Sigga Sofia shares how her clear understanding of “designing moments” has led to a connected career, from dancer to fireworks designer to gardener to spirits entrepreneur. She discusses the unpredictable nature of Icelandic weather and how it has been key to her building resilience and confidence as a creator, and how her own year-long battle with cancer deepened her commitment to honesty, joy and art.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews critically acclaimed composer, producer and musician, Valgeir Sigurðsson, co-founder of the Bedroom Community record label and owner of Greenhouse Studios. Valgeir talks about his pursuit of “complementary differences” among his collaborators and his instinct to find interesting creative opportunities where categories blur. He shares the origin of his label as well as his new music project, Isabelle Lewis, a fusion of electronic and contemporary classical music.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews íris Thorarins, a musician and composer who is also the co-CEO of TÝRA, a project management and consulting firm that fosters innovation and creative thinking. Íris shares her own music career journey to embracing mistakes, the value of collaboration, and the self-revelatory power of improvisation. She also tells stories from her business, from supporting elections to empowering women with menopause, and how she manages the pendulum swing between strategy and creative thinking.

In this episode of Two Beats Ahead Live!, Michael Hendrix interviews Pan Thorarensen, an ambient musician, founder of the Extreme Chill Festival and owner of Space Odyssey Experimental Music Space. Pan talks about seeking connections, seeking surprises and the value of building community through creating opportunities for others. He shares the origin of the festival and how improvisational music has taught him that he needs to occasionally have bad days.