Barði Jóhannsson (born 10 September 1975) is an Icelandic musician, composer, writer, TV show host (of the surrealist Icelandic TV show Konfekt), clothing designer and film director. He is mostly known for his work with the groups Bang Gang, Lady & Bird (a side project with Keren Ann) and Starwalker, a collaboration with Jean-Benoît Dunckel.[1]
In addition to these musical outlets, Barði has been involved in a number of other audio-visual projects. Most significantly, he has written music for commercials and for the National Theatre of Iceland and Centre Dramatique d'Orleans (Museum of the Sea by Marie Darrieussecq). He has appeared at the Festival Aix En Provence and he co-produced and co-directed short films.
Barði has also written scores for movies and documentaries, such as Haxan (performed by the Bulgarian symphony orchestra) and Óskar Jónasson’s Reykjavik Rotterdam (2009), which won Best Original Film Score at the Icelandic Edda Film awards and was nominated for the Scandinavian Film Music Awards at Giff Film Festival (2010). He wrote the score for the film Would You Rather with Daniel Hunt, directed by David Guy Levy; and the score for the French film The Finishers directed by Nils Tavernier.
Barði has worked with many artists during his career. His co-writing credits include artists such as : Keren Ann, Anthony Gonzales (M83), JB Dunckel (AIR, Tomorrow's World), Daniel Hunt (Ladytron), Helen Marnie (Ladytron), Phoebe Killdeer (Nouvelle Vague), Sia Furler, Anggun and many more.
Early life
Barði started playing music at a young age, he studied the piano and guitar and had a track included on a children's album. He met the singer and musician Esther Talia Casey in his teens. She became the lead singer on the first album of his most notorious band, Bang Gang. Barði and his friend Henrik Baldvin Björnsson started Bang Gang, initially making surf rock music. Two years later, in 1996, Barði took the name for his own project.
Lady & Bird is a collaboration between Keren Ann Zeidel and Barði Jóhannsson. They have released two albums and played special concerts with the Iceland Symphony Orchestra in Haskolabio (Reykjavík), Orchestre Lamoureux in Salle Pleyel (Paris) and a choir and harpist at the American Church in Paris. In 2011, Lady & Bird had a premier of their first opera, Red Waters in the French opera house Opéra de Rouen Normandie.
Starwalker
Starwalker is an electro-pop supergroup of the electro-pop icons, Jean-Benoit Dunckel (Air, Tomorrow’s World) and the Icelandic composer Bardi Johannsson (Bang Gang, Lady & Bird). The title Starwalker – suitably spatial and curious – is an umbrella term for the duo’s new work together. Their singles include "Bad Weather", "Blue Hawaii" and "Losers Can Win EP".[1] A full-length self-titled album was released in April 2016.[2]
Eleven Men Out (in collaboration with Minus) by Róbert Douglas (2005)
Haxan (from 1920), by Benjamin Christiansen (2006) – New score for the silent movie
Reykjavík-Rotterdam by Óskar Jónasson (2009) – Winner of the Icelandic Edda Film awards for the best original film score (2009) – Nomination for the Scandinavian Film Music Awards at Giff Film Festival (2010)
Would You Rather (in collaboration with Daniel Hunt) by David Guy Levy (2012)
