New York City FC: Gudmundur Thórarinsson inspires through music

New York City FC’s Gudmundur Thórarinsson is not just an athlete, but a singer as well. He is using music to inspire fans during the pandemic.

When Gudmundur Thórarinsson first came to New York City FC, many of his teammates did not realize they were getting more than a fellow player. Born in Iceland, he is a singer in his homeland and competed in Iceland’s annual Songvakeppnin competition, which ‘determines their representative for the Eurovision Song Contest’. But before the season started, his singing talent came to light during his initiation. Gudmundur, or also known as Gudi, shocked his teammates with his rendition of ‘So Sick’ from Ne-Yo.

According to MLSsoccer.com, Gudi had been around music his entire life. He focused on becoming a professional in both sport and singing. However, he said as his athletic career came into fruition, he neglected his music and focused on football instead. But now, Gudi understands the athletic part of his life will not last forever. And so, in the last few years, he has increased his focus on music, especially in his free time.

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Therefore, when the pandemic brought life to a halt, Gudi used the time to work on his music.  He ended up writing a song, seeking to inspire individuals, especially New Yorkers, that ‘good times are coming soon’.  The lyrics captured the mood of the pandemic and highlighted the longing to see one another and the want of resuming normalcy. But the song also took a positive outlook, implying people will be together again.

Since the song was posted, it has been shared throughout news outlets and Major League Soccer, sparking interviews about the lyrics. In an interview with Ian Joy, Gudi told the YES Network commentator how he has been trying to write more music over the last few years. When Joy asked him what was going through his mind when writing this particular song, the Icelandic player said:

"“I guess it’s a feeling that I just get from the situation that we are all in now, and this has been really challenging. It’s been a long time where you are basically just staying at home and not able to do the things that you want to do. So, it’s obviously hard for everybody, so I think that was the feeling that I got into this song and the lyrics and just wanted to try and spread out some positive things.”"

Furthermore, the New York City FC star’s use of music to spread positivity led him to be a guest on MLS Idle: Soccer’s Hidden Talents.  Since he has some success as a singer in Iceland, and even had a number one song there in 2019, Gudi did not compete. He was able to share his song, though, and expressed the significance it has to him.

The 28-year-old likes to be around other people and told the MLS Idle hosts how he has been struggling himself through the pandemic since he cannot have the same human connection. “I have been going through tough times these last two months,” he said. “We need human connection. We need to be together. And that’s like how we build our life, our society.”

These beliefs, and his own emotional experiences through the quarantine, led Gudi to write this song.  His aim is to inspire and bring hope to others has turned him into a fan favorite, despite having only been in New York for a few months and having not played a professional minute.

It is unknown whether Gudi will be a star for the Pigeons on the pitch, but off it, he has captured the hearts of many and has inspired New York City FC and MLS fans.