SAN FRANCISCO — Listening to Laufey is a lot like spending Sundays in the city. Her music is a walk down a quiet street in the afternoon sun; unhurried and taking in the moment, you can’t help but get a little nostalgic. Her glowing blend of classical, jazz and mid-century pop is a reset from the rushed tempos of everyday life. It’s no wonder that when Laufey kicked off her North American tour at The Fillmore on Sunday, she offered attendees an escape into another time.

The Icelandic singer-songwriter has gained worldwide acclaim for her modern take on golden-age sounds (in case her sold-out tours didn’t make that clear). Nostalgia is the new wave, and while the likes of “Y2K pop punk” and “Tumblr indie sleaze” rise, fall and repeat at rapid rates, Laufey forges a path that defies today’s microgenres and the 20-year trend cycle.

On Sunday, Laufey leaned into her classical training and lifelong love for jazz to deliver soft sentiments with a sophisticated touch. But don’t underestimate the power of a slowburn—she’s just as viral as her gen Z contemporaries, having earned the biggest jazz album debut in Spotify history with 2023’s Bewitched, as well as being the platform’s most-streamed jazz artist.

“I grew up in a classical world,” singer -songwriter Laufey Lín Jónsdóttir said. She shared the pressures of being perfect in a more traditional music setting, and how it took some time to open up creatively with her own music. “I was making up my own thing, and you guys have given me the space to do that, so thank you so much.”

Laufey kicked off the first of two San Francisco shows with Piero Piccioni’s “Amore mio aiutami” as her walk-up song. Her red Gibson Hummingbird semi-hollowbody in hand, she took the stage in a gray cardigan and white pleated skirt.

Even though Laufey was on the road to support her latest release, she opened with a few cuts off debut record Everything I Know About Love. On “Fragile,” her hushed vocals and bossa-nova-style strums matched the song’s cautious lyrics about being romantically vulnerable for the first time. Then, “Valentine” touched on the more playful side of young love and even had the crowd swooning and singing bebop.

She spent her first few songs with just a few lights shining on her, but once “Dreamer” kicked in, a starlit scene appeared behind her.

Laufey echoed the greats like Chet Baker and Astrud Gilberto, especially on songs like “Second Best” and breakthrough single “From The Start.” Her vocals were rich, warm and sultry.

She has a fondness for orchestral timbres, which listeners got a taste of on Bewitched, and was brought to life with her band. The group included an upright bass player, string quartet, drummer and Adam Melchor (who opened the show) on guitar. Laufey switched between a few guitars, a cello and a baby grand piano. Together, they filled the Fillmore with jazz club vibes fit for the historic venue.

On “Beautiful Stranger,” Laufey made a seamless transition from her guitar to a cello, on which she delivered a snappy solo.

She moved onto the piano for her next segment, playing gorgeous live arrangements of “Promise,” “Like The Movies” and Bewitched reprise “Nocturne.”

While understated, her sound evoked a spectrum of undeniable emotions. She didn’t have to belt to let you know when she was longing, lonely or lovestruck; she sang it all with a poetic spark. And her melodies either flowed in harmony with her vocals or punctuated verses for a theatrical effect.

Other songs that made the first night’s set included “Falling Behind,” “Promise” and jazz standard “I Wish You Love.” Her jazz chops also shined through with a few improvised solos to transition between songs. Laufey also held out some notes, which made it more difficult for fans singing along, but were gorgeously ad libbed nonetheless.

Attendees didn’t have to be jazz aficionados to appreciate Laufey and her music. In fact, that’s kind of what puts the musician in a league of her own. She introduced her songs with relatable stories about loves that got away, meet-cutes and the growing pains of young adulthood. At the heart of it all, she’s just navigating her twenties, much like a majority of her fans. Her renowned sound just happens to be a gateway to a genre once uncharted for younger generations, but who are now keen to explore it.

Laufey also performed “Best Friend,” which she wrote for her twin sister, Junia. And for her encore, she ended with “Magnolia” and “Love Flew Away,” her duet with Melchor.

Adam Melchor started off the night with a captivating set of folk songs. He took the stage under a sole spotlight with an acoustic guitar in hand, setting the scene for somber songs like “Moon In The Morning.”

While his songwriting stayed on the poignant side, the anecdotes that came with each cut showed off his sense of humor.

He talked about his sister finding love and followed with a self-deprecating joke about his own love life. And before “itsjustmyheart,” he poked fun about a recent breakup and played it coy when he mentioned that a tree destroyed his ex’s car in the following days. He then seamlessly segued into the opening verse: “When the tree fell on your car and made your windshield fall apart…” It was a hit with the crowd.

He also debuted “Peach,” a haunting tune that kicked off with a gorgeous falsetto. To close the set, Melchor performed fan favorite “Real Estate.”

Follow Chloe Catajan at Instagram.com/riannachloe.