Almost nine years ago, I came home from my first trip to Iceland and wrote a song.
At the time, I did not think of it as anything more than a creative response to a place that had left a strong impression on me. I had traveled before. I had been inspired by other destinations. But Iceland was different. It stayed with me in a physical way. In my body, in my playing, and in the way ideas started to surface the moment I returned home.
That song became By The Sea.
When I recorded it, I originally titled the full video Sea. I recorded every part of it myself. The blue lights, the shadows, the close angles on the drums, all of it was intentional. I was not trying to document Iceland literally. I was trying to recreate the feeling it left behind. Cold light reflecting off metal and water. Space. Movement. Stillness mixed with intensity. A calm energy that never fully settles.
Looking back now, that video captures more than just a song. It captures the first creative shift that Iceland triggered for me.
A Place That Unlocks Creativity
That first trip unlocked something almost immediately. As soon as I got home, ideas poured out. By The Sea was one of the first pieces to come together, but it was far from the last. Iceland went on to shape a large portion of my album Coastal. The influence was direct and unmistakable.
Iceland did not just inspire a visit or a moment of reflection. It changed the way I approached music. The way I listened. The way I allowed space into my playing. The way I thought about atmosphere, patience, and restraint.
Before ever setting foot there, I had already been drawn to Iceland from afar. Watching Heima by Sigur Rós left a lasting impression on me years earlier. Listening to Björk, following the rise of Of Monsters and Men, and paying attention to the broader Icelandic music scene planted a seed long before I booked a flight.
But being there made it real.
More Than Landscapes
People often describe Iceland through its landscapes, and for good reason. Fire and ice. Glaciers and volcanoes. Geothermal steam rising out of the earth. Water everywhere, in all its forms. It is visually overwhelming in the best possible way.
But what has stayed with me over the years is not just what Iceland looks like. It is how people live there.
The folklore, the sagas, and the deep connection to storytelling feel embedded in everyday life. There is a cultural understanding that creativity matters, not as decoration, but as a way of making sense of a challenging environment. This is a society that has endured long winters, isolation, limited agricultural possibilities, plagues, and centuries of colonial rule. And yet, it continues to produce some of the most distinctive and globally influential art and music I have encountered.
That resilience shows up in subtle ways. In how people create without excess. In how they work with limitations rather than against them. In how darkness and silence are not treated as enemies, but as part of the cycle.
Every time I return to Iceland, I feel the same reminder. Creativity is not something you wait for. It is something you build. Often slowly. Often under imperfect conditions. And sometimes, especially under those conditions.
Why We Created the Iceland Creativity Retreat
I am sharing this story now because that same inspiration is what ultimately led us to create the Iceland Creativity Retreat through Musical Getaways.
This is not a typical tour. It is not about checking off landmarks or rushing from place to place. It is a small, intentional gathering designed for musicians, artists, and curious travelers who want to slow down and reconnect with what fuels their creative life.
Iceland has shaped my work for nearly a decade. It continues to influence how I think, write, and play. Creating a space where others can experience that same sense of perspective and inspiration felt like a natural extension of everything that began with that first trip.
The retreat is about observation, reflection, and conversation. About giving yourself time in a place that encourages those things without forcing them. Whether you come as a musician, a writer, a visual artist, or simply someone looking to reconnect with creativity in a broader sense, Iceland has a way of meeting you where you are.
Watch and Explore Further
You can find more about my music career on my website, chazchambers.com.
If you are curious about the Iceland Creativity Retreat and what we are building through Musical Getaways, you can explore the retreat here.
