SEASON 2, EPISODE 9
Björk breaks her silence

It’s difficult to believe that the artist who wrote Utopia… didn’t always identify as a feminist.

 

[clip from “Tabula Rasa” -- “It is time: For us women to rise and not just take it lying down / It is time: The world is listening”]

 

But it’s true. In the early ‘90s, Bjork was reluctant to align herself with feminist idols. She thought they griped too much.

 

In an interview with Icelandic Magazine, she said, “My mother was a very active feminist and she raised me thinking that we had complained enough, and it was time to start doing things. So, I went out and did things. Made sure that I wasn‘t complaining.”

 

That “show not tell” attitude carried Bjork through the first 15 years of her solo career. When artists like Courtney Love and Kathleen Hanna spoke out about feminist issues, Bjork was tight-lipped. She refused to talk politics; for her, it was all about the music.

 

But even though Bjork didn’t “talk the talk”, she tried to “walk the walk.” 

 

She mentored female musicians like Leila Arab and Ólöf Arnalds. For the Vespertine tour, she hired a choir of Inuit women. For the Volta tour, she enlisted an all-female brass band. And when it came time to master Utopia, she specifically requested female engineers.

 

Bjork gave female musicians opportunities that just weren’t offered at the time — which helped them advance in male-dominated spheres.

 

Then, everything changed. Bjork gave birth to her daughter, Isadora. 

 

Her life — and music — would never be the same.

 

In this episode, we’ll explore Bjork’s feminist journey through three generations of women. We’ll start with her mother’s feminist roots, examine Bjork’s rebellion against those values, and conclude with her feminist awakening through Isadora. 

 

And through it all, we’ll discover why Bjork finally broke her silence.

 

***

 

Bjork grew up with her mother and stepfather on a commune with fellow bohemians. Needless to say, she grew up without traditional Western gender roles. 

 

Bjork referred to the commune as a “world where women ruled”... inside of a country that she also described as matriarchal.

 

Her mother Hildur was a staunch feminist. According to Bjork, she wouldn’t even enter the kitchen.

 

She said, “My mother had a strong father who was really sexist, who beat her down. Her solution was to give me all the freedom she couldn’t have. She let me do whatever I wanted — probably more so because I was a girl.”

 

As a result, Bjork’s early idols weren’t princesses or actresses. They were scientists like Albert Einstein and David Attenborough. In the music world, she looked to Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush — women who created their own spaces in the music industry.

 

In a 2008 interview with The Lipster, Bjork said “When I was young, a lot of women just fronted men-universes – they were just the berry on top. And Joni Mitchell, seeing people like her play on TV - they weren’t anti-men, but the music they made was a woman’s world. An universe. And... just the fact that it was possible... was inspirational for me."

 

When Bjork joined the Icelandic punk scene in the early 80s, she was surrounded by female musicians. Because of punk’s “anyone can do it” philosophy, more women than ever were playing in bands, so Bjork grew up thinking girls could do anything guys could do.

 

She also believed that women didn’t have to choose between motherhood and a career.

 

In a 2015 interview with Dazed Digital, she reflected, “I always felt that true feminism was to be able to do both – to have your job and a family… If you’re just going with what works for your job or your family but not vice versa, then you’re losing as a human being.”

 

And she did do both. In 1986 she gave birth to her son Sindri... and continued touring in The Sugarcubes.

 

Still, despite practicing feminism in her own way, Bjork never really spoke up about women’s issues. This was largely a reaction to her mother’s overbearing version of feminism.

 

In an interview with Drowned in Sound, she said, “My mum’s generation, the hippies, were quite radical when it came to those things, and I felt that for my generation the best thing we could do for women was just to go and get things done instead of pointing your finger forever. I think it’s better for me to focus my energy on just getting things done.” 

 

In the 90’s, she shied away from writing feminist anthems like Destiny’s Child and the Riot Grrrl bands did. For Bjork, it didn’t seem like being a woman was a defining part of identity. Instead, it was an inconvenience.

​

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

And the male writers dominating music journalism... ate it up. 

 

One writer in Paper Magazine wrote, “Unlike many of today’s female acts, Björk doesn’t strum and whine about her man walking out the door, she jumps in her tank, throws it in gear and hunts the dude down… Maybe it’s all that clean Icelandic air, but Björk’s brand of feminism sure seems like more fun than that of her melodramatic Lilith sisters.” 

 

Reading this quote now is super cringe. These “Lilith sisters” he references are the performers at Lilith Fair in the late 90s. Sarah McLachlan started the tour because radio stations and concert promoters had refused to headline two female artists. So she started a traveling festival of female musicians. 

 

Considering that Bjork’s brand of feminism at the time was “let’s just not talk about it,” this writer’s comments show that outspoken feminists were still not welcome in the music industry.

 

***

 

In 2002, Bjork gave birth to her daughter Isadora.

 

And something inside her changed.

 

She began to see the world through her daughter’s eyes. When she took Isadora to the toy store, she saw rows of princess characters whose entire life mission was to find Prince Charming. 

 

Here’s what she said in an interview with The Observer: “And I’m like, wait a minute— it’s 2005! We’ve fought so hard to have a say, and not just live through our partners, and yet you’re still seeing two-year-old girls with this message pushed at them that the only important thing is to find this amazing dress so that the guy will want you. It’s something my mum pointed out to me when I was little— so much that I almost threw up—but she’s right.’” 

 

Bjork realized all on her own how far feminism still had to go.

 

She added, “In the past I always wanted to change the subject. But I think now it’s time to bring up all these issues… I’m up for doing the dirty work!’” 

 

A few years after that statement, Bjork released her sixth studio album, Volta. 

 

With singles like “Earth Intruders” and “Declare Independence,” Volta follows up the subtle politics of Medulla with brash anthems. 

 

The lyrics of “Earth Intruders,” for example, reference economic inequality and war, while “Declare Independence” is a half-joking, half-serious command to the people of Greenland to throw off Danish rule.

 

It feels like an album that’s directly commenting on the day’s politics. So when Bjork said that a major inspiration for this record was the birth of her daughter, I was taken aback. 

 

Bjork told The Lipster: “When I started to make Volta, I wanted to make a record that was about people finding the roots of everything in the world. For me, that meant going down into the roots as a female, and taking the stand in 2008. It’s funny, but it was the first time for me to take the idea of being a woman on.” 

 

So Volta is a way for Bjork to reconnect with her female identity.

 

And while the feminist message is subtler on this album, I do hear it in songs like “I See Who You Are." The song is a message to her daughter Isadora about becoming a woman... and the bond they’ll always share between them.

 

I also hear that feminist influence in “Pneumonia.” Bjork wrote this song when she was ill with pneumonia in 2007. It’s also inspired by the movie Pan’s Labyrinth. 

 

Here’s what she said about the song: “There is a physical sadness to wheezing away with that disease. That, coupled with the determination of the little girl in that film to believe in her imagination, whatever it took, even though no one believed her, struck a chord with me.” 

 

During the Volta tour, Bjork also invited an all-female brass band to bring these songs to life. 

 

So even if feminism wasn’t an overt theme on the record, it does feel like the dawn of a new era. Because Bjork was finally speaking up about these issues.

 

***

 

Although Volta marked a turning point in Bjork’s feminist journey, it wasn’t until Vulnicura that she brought feminist issues to the forefront. And this culminated in one of her most personal and groundbreaking interviews to date. 

 

Titled “The Invisible Woman,” the article delves into the heartbreak behind Vulnicura but also Bjork’s place in the world as a female producer.

 

The interviewer Jessica Hopper brings up Vulnicura’s misunderstood production credits. Several outlets reported that Arca was the sole-producer, when she was the co-producer with Bjork. For context, this article was written before Arca came out as a trans woman, so at the time it seemed like yet another case of the man in the room getting credit.

 

Bjork replied, “I didn’t want to talk about that kind of thing for 10 years, but then I thought, 'You’re a coward if you don’t stand up. Not for you, but for women. Say something.' … 

 

If whatever I’m saying to you now helps women, I’m up for saying it. For example, I did 80% of the beats on Vespertine, and it took me three years to work on that album because it was all microbeats—it was like doing a huge embroidery piece. Matmos came in the last two weeks and added percussion on top of the songs, but they didn’t do any of the main parts, and they are credited everywhere as having done the whole album.”

 

Bjork goes on to say that other female artists don’t get credit for their work, partly because producing is behind-the-scenes.

 

She said, “When I met M.I.A., she was moaning about this, and I told her, ‘Just photograph yourself in front of the mixing desk in the studio, and people will go, "Oh, OK! A woman with a tool, like a man with a guitar."' Not that I’ve done that much myself, but sometimes you’re better at giving people advice than doing it yourself. I remember seeing a photo of Missy Elliott at the mixing desk in the studio and being like, a-ha!”

 

Inspired by this suggestion, young female musicians started documenting their work in the studio. According to The Observer, they created a website to share pictures of themselves next to technical equipment. I haven’t been able to find this website, but if you know anything about it, please send it my way!

 

In response to this wave, Bjork vowed to talk about feminist issues even more. And she did.

 

***

 

In 2017, she added her voice to the #MeToo campaign by opening up about her experience with a “Danish director.” Although she didn’t specify, everyone assumed she was talking about Lars von Trier, the director of Dancer in the Dark.

 

Here’s an excerpt: “in the spirit of #metoo i would like to lend women around the world a hand with a more detailed description of my experience with a danish director . it feels extremely difficult to come out with something of this nature into the public , especially when immediately ridiculed by offenders . i fully sympathise with everyone who hesitates , even for years . but i feel it is the right time especially now when it could make a change.”

 

She then shared how this director sexually harassed her and made up stories about her to deflect from his own wrongdoing. 

 

This, by the way, is where the rumor about Bjork ripping her shirt and eating it on the set of Dancer in the Dark started. 

 

I love her response to that one. She wrote, “i have never eaten a shirt . not sure that is even possible.”

 

A few months later, Bjork explained why she finally spoke up.

 

​

​

​

​

​

​

 

 

 

There’s a common thread here that explains why Bjork decides to intervene. In each case, she says something to help someone else. Or, to help women more broadly. 

 

Bjork has enough street cred that the obstacles that block young female artists aren’t a problem for her. Think about it: she can collaborate with anyone and record in any studio. 

 

So, for her, speaking out about a mistaken production credit feels like “moaning.” She’s complaining about some personal snub.

 

Interestingly enough, she called her mother’s feminism the same thing: “moaning.” It turns people off.

 

But once Bjork realized that her influence could help other women, she broke her silence. She said something for them.

 

***

 

Now, just because Bjork has become more outspoken about feminist issues, that doesn’t mean she’s going to keep talking that way. 

 

In an interview with The Talks, Bjork explained, “If you always express yourself in the same way all your life it might lose some of its potential or dynamite… So maybe feminism should sometimes be hidden, like "the pleasure is all mine,” the generous self-sacrificial quality of mothers… But then all of a sudden I write a blunt #MeToo on Facebook just to counter it, to give it some polarity ? Like a romantic choir song and then a punk tune straight after.” 

 

As with her music, we learn to expect the unexpected with Bjork. Just because Utopia was a matriarchal music dome... that doesn’t mean her next album will be that way. 

 

You might think not speaking up all the time, especially with a platform as huge as Bjork’s, is disappointing. Or even irresponsible.

 

But Bjork’s position is incredibly pragmatic. She understands that people on the fence can get turned off by aggression. Her decision to be subtle... makes her bold statements that much more impactful. 

 

After all, part of what made that Pitchfork article, “The Invisible Woman,” so groundbreaking was that up until then Bjork had been mostly quiet on feminist issues. She’d toss in a comment during an interview. She’d give indirect cues in her music. She’d make opportunities for female musicians. But she wouldn’t make a big deal about it.

 

Because most of all, Bjork leads by doing. And sometimes that’s more impactful.

 

For me, I worry that once I have kids, that’ll be the end of podcasting for me. I'll have to choose between motherhood and a career.

 

But Bjork found a way to do both. To be a musical superstar and a supportive mother. Two of my favorite images of Bjork are: (1) when she’s rocking out in the audience as her son Sindri performs with his band. And (2) when she’s dancing around in the “It’s In Our Hands” music video while pregnant with Isadora. She’s not making a big deal about either of these actions. You can tell this is just who she is.

 

So even though Bjork got more attention for talking about feminism than living it, I think her example is most impactful.

 

***

 

As Bjork enters her mid 50’s, I believe she’ll continue that quiet rebellion

 

Here’s a clue from her interview with Crack Magazine in 2016:

 

“There are not that many women to look up to. There’s Louise Bourgeois, or Joni Mitchell. There’s not that many who say something different when they’re 40 or 50, and when they’re 60 it’s something else, and when they’re 70 it’s something completely different. So it’s a territory that’s really unmapped... And it is surprising, the energy from the patriarchy, feeling the pressure of the difference between men and women. That when you hit a certain age, you’re meant to just go home and be quiet. It’s a rebellion to continue to do what you do.”

 

Simply by being herself, a middle-aged woman who continues to produce innovative music, Bjork challenges our expectations. 

 

She hasn’t retired early or retreated into obscurity. She still asserts her influence in the music scene. She blazes a trail for female artists in their 40s and 50s who otherwise might think their career is at its end.

 

But if we can count on one thing from Bjork, she's sure to defy the patriarchy in a way that keeps surprising us.