Björk facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Björk OTF
Björk performing in Paris during her Björk Orkestral show in 2022
Born	Björk Guðmundsdóttir (1965-11-21) 21 November 1965 (age 59) Reykjavík, Iceland
Occupation	Singer songwriter composer record producer actress
Years active	1977–present
Notable work	Discography songs recorded videography live performances
Spouse(s)	Þór Eldon (m. 1986; div. 1987)
Partner(s)	Matthew Barney (2002–2013)
Children	2
Parent(s)	Guðmundur Gunnarsson (father)
Awards	Full list
Musical career
Genres	Art pop avant-garde electronica experimental
Instruments	Vocals flute piano
Labels	One Little Independent Polydor Universal Elektra Atlantic Nonesuch Megaforce RED

Signature

Björk Guðmundsdóttir (born 21 November 1965), known simply as Björk, is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, and actress. She is famous for her unique voice and creative musical style. Her music blends different genres like electronic, pop, dance, and experimental sounds. Björk is considered a pioneer in electronic and experimental music.

Born and raised in Reykjavík, Iceland, Björk started her music journey at age 11. She became known worldwide as the lead singer of the alternative rock band the Sugarcubes when she was 21. After the band broke up in 1992, Björk became a successful solo artist. Her albums like Debut (1993), Post (1995), and Homogenic (1997) helped her gain fame. She often works with other artists and explores different multimedia projects. Her later albums include Vespertine (2001), Medúlla (2004), Biophilia (2011), and Fossora (2022).

Björk has sold over 40 million records globally, making her one of the best-selling alternative artists. Many of her albums have reached high positions on music charts. She has received many awards, including five BRIT Awards and 16 Grammy nominations. In 2015, Time magazine named her one of the 100 most influential people in the world.

In 2000, Björk starred in the film Dancer in the Dark. She won the Best Actress Award at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival for her role. She was also nominated for an Academy Award for Best Original Song for "I've Seen It All" from the film. Björk is also known for supporting environmental causes in Iceland. A special exhibition about her career was held at New York's Museum of Modern Art in 2015.

Life and Music Journey

Early Years and First Steps (1965–1984)

Björk was born in Reykjavík on 21 November 1965. Her mother was an activist, and her stepfather was a guitarist. At age six, Björk started studying classical piano and flute at a music school. After she sang a song at a school recital, her teachers sent a recording to Iceland's only radio station.

The recording was played nationally, and a record label offered Björk a contract. Her first album, Björk, was released in Iceland in December 1977 when she was 11.

As a teenager, Björk explored different music styles. She formed a punk band called Spit and Snot. Later, she joined a jazz fusion group called Exodus. In 1982, she co-founded Tappi Tíkarrass, a post-punk band. They released an EP and an album and were featured in a documentary about Icelandic rock music.

Björk then joined a gothic rock band called Kukl. They released their first single in 1983 and toured Europe. This made Kukl the first Icelandic band to play at the Roskilde Festival in Denmark.

The Sugarcubes (1985–1992)

After Kukl, Björk joined a new group that eventually became known as the Sugarcubes. They signed with One Little Indian record label. Their first English single, "Birthday", was released in 1987 and became a hit in the UK. The Sugarcubes also signed a deal in the United States and released their first album, Life's Too Good, in 1988. The album sold over one million copies worldwide.

Björk in a publicity photo with The Sugarcubes in 1988

The Sugarcubes toured North America and appeared on Saturday Night Live. During a break from the band, Björk started working on her own music. In 1990, she recorded Gling-Gló, an album of jazz songs, which became her best-selling album in Iceland. She also worked with the electronic music group 808 State, which sparked her interest in house music.

Björk decided to leave the Sugarcubes to focus on her solo career. They released one last album, Stick Around for Joy (1992), and went on a promotional tour. After a final show in Reykjavík, the Sugarcubes officially split up.

Solo Success: Debut and Post (1993–1996)

Björk moved to London to start her solo career. She worked with producer Nellee Hooper. Their first collaboration, "Human Behaviour", became her first international solo hit. The music video for the song, directed by Michel Gondry, was very popular on MTV.

Her first solo album for adults, Debut, was released in June 1993. It received great reviews and sold millions of copies. Debut showed Björk's transition from being in bands to becoming a solo artist. The album combined songs she had written since her teenage years with newer collaborations. It featured a mix of dance-oriented music with different instruments, including Bollywood-inspired strings and a saxophone ensemble.

At the 1994 Brit Awards, Björk won awards for Best International Female and Best International Newcomer. Her success led to collaborations with other artists, including Madonna for the song "Bedtime Story".

Post, her second solo album, was released in June 1995. Björk continued to explore different sounds, especially dance and techno music. The album also included trip hop and electronica influences. Post was highly praised and became a platinum-selling album in the US. It is considered one of her most diverse and emotionally rich albums.

During this time, Björk faced personal challenges, including an incident with a disturbed fan. She later said she was "very distressed" by it and that people should not get too involved in her personal life.

Homogenic and Dancer in the Dark (1997–2000)

Björk moved to Spain to record her album Homogenic, released in 1997. This album was more experimental and reflected the landscapes of Iceland. It combined lush strings with electronic beats. Homogenic was certified gold in the US. The album featured several music videos, including "All Is Full of Love", which was one of the first DVD singles released in the US. Björk started writing more personal songs, feeling she needed to "search for myself again."

In 1999, Björk was asked to create the music for the film Dancer in the Dark. The director, Lars von Trier, also convinced her to play the main character, Selma. She accepted, and the film premiered in 2000 at the 2000 Cannes Film Festival. Björk won the Best Actress Award for her performance. The film's soundtrack, Selmasongs, included a duet with Thom Yorke of Radiohead. The song "I've Seen It All" was nominated for an Academy Award. Björk famously wore her swan dress when performing the song at the 2001 Oscars.

Vespertine and Greatest Hits (2001–2003)

In 2001, Björk released Vespertine. This album featured chamber orchestras, choirs, and quiet vocals. It also used tiny beats made from everyday sounds. For this album, she worked with experimental musicians like Matmos. The lyrics explored very personal and vulnerable themes. A book of prose and photographs was released with the album. Björk went on the Vespertine World Tour, performing in theaters and opera houses for the best sound. Vespertine quickly became her fastest-selling album, selling two million copies by the end of 2001.

In 2002, a CD box set called Family Tree was released, featuring rare and unreleased songs. Also, Greatest Hits was released, with songs chosen by her fans. A DVD version included all her music videos. The video for her new single, "It's in Our Hands", showed a pregnant Björk. She gave birth to her daughter, Isadora, in October 2002.

Medúlla and Drawing Restraint 9 (2004–2006)

In August 2004, Björk released Medúlla. She initially planned for it to be an album made almost entirely of human voices. While most sounds are vocal, it also includes some electronic programming and instruments. Björk featured throat singer Tanya Tagaq, hip hop beatboxer Rahzel, and other vocalists and choirs. Medúlla became her highest-charting album in the US at the time.

In August 2004, Björk performed her song "Oceania" at the 2004 Summer Olympics opening ceremony in Athens. As she sang, her dress unfolded into a huge map of the world.

Björk DJing in 2006

In 2005, Björk worked with her partner Matthew Barney on the experimental art film Drawing Restraint 9. The film explored Japanese culture without dialogue. Björk and Barney both appeared in the film, and Björk created its soundtrack. Björk also appeared in the 2005 documentary Screaming Masterpiece, which looked at the Icelandic music scene.

In 2006, Björk re-released her first three solo albums and two soundtrack albums in a new box set called Surrounded. Her former band, the Sugarcubes, reunited for a special concert in Reykjavík in November 2006. The money raised went to their old record label, which supports Icelandic music.

Volta and Collaborations (2007–2010)

Björk's sixth studio album, Volta, was released on 1 May 2007. It featured collaborations with hip hop producer Timbaland, singer Anohni, and various musicians playing instruments like the kora and pipa. Volta became her first top 10 album in the US. The album's singles included "Earth Intruders" and "Innocence".

Björk then went on the 18-month Volta Tour, performing at many festivals around the world. She returned to Latin America, Australia, and New Zealand after many years.

In 2010, Björk received the Polar Music Prize, a major music award. She also collaborated with Dirty Projectors on an EP called Mount Wittenberg Orca to raise money for marine conservation. Björk continued to collaborate with other artists and performed at Alexander McQueen's memorial.

Biophilia and Vulnicura (2011–2016)

Björk performing at the Cirque en Chantier in Paris (February 2013)

Biophilia was released in 2011. This album project combined music with technology and themes of science and nature. It included an "app album" and educational programs for children. This was the start of the Biophilia Tour, which lasted for two years.

The first single from Biophilia, "Crystalline", was released in June 2011. The album was the first to be released as a series of interactive apps. The Biophilia education program offered workshops for schoolchildren, exploring the connection between music and science. In 2014, the Biophilia apps were added to the Museum of Modern Art's permanent collection.

Björk worked with producers Arca and the Haxan Cloak on her ninth studio album, Vulnicura. The album was released early in January 2015 after it was leaked online. Vulnicura is a very personal album about her breakup with her former partner, Matthew Barney. Björk described the breakup as "the most painful thing" she had experienced.

Björk on stage at New York City Center in 2015

New York's MoMA hosted a special exhibition about Björk's career from March to June 2015. It featured her instruments, videos, notebooks, and costumes. Videos for songs like "Black Lake" and "Stonemilker" (a 360-degree VR video) were also created for the album.

In 2016, Björk launched Björk Digital, a virtual reality exhibit showcasing her VR videos. This exhibit traveled around the world, including Sydney, Tokyo, and London. Björk even made history by featuring in the world's first virtual reality live stream broadcast on YouTube.

Utopia, Cornucopia, and Fossora (2017–present)

On 2 August 2017, Björk announced a new album. The lead single, "The Gate", was released in September 2017. Björk then announced the album title, Utopia.

Utopia was released on 24 November 2017. Björk described it as her "Tinder album" and said it was about "that search for utopia – and about being in love." She produced the album with Arca, calling their collaboration "the strongest musical relationship" she's had. Utopia was nominated for a Grammy Award.

Björk performing at the Eden Project in 2018

In 2018, Björk went on a short Utopia tour, playing at European music festivals. In November 2018, she announced a new concert production called Cornucopia. This show opened in May 2019 in New York and was described as her "most elaborate staged concert to date." The show then traveled to Mexico and Europe.

In 2020, Björk joined the cast of The Northman, a film co-written by her longtime collaborator Sjón. Her daughter Ísadóra also made her film debut in it.

In 2022, Björk announced her tenth studio album, Fossora, a Latin word meaning "digging." It was released on 30 September 2022. She also started a podcast called Björk: Sonic Symbolism, where she discusses the sounds and emotions of each of her albums.

In November 2023, Björk released the single "Oral", featuring Rosalía. This song was created to support the people of Seyðisfjörður in Iceland, who are campaigning against fish farming operations that threaten local ecosystems. The money from the song was donated to Aegis, an environmental organization Björk co-founded.

In 2024, Björk appeared on the cover of Vogue Scandinavia. Also, a newly discovered large butterfly species was named Pterourus bjorkae in her honor. In 2025, Cornucopia, a concert film of her show, premiered on Apple TV+.

Her Unique Style

Musical Style

Björk performing in Paris during her Björk Orkestral show in 2022

Over her long career, Björk has developed a very unique and experimental musical style. It includes elements of electronic, dance, trip hop, jazz, and classical music. Critics often find it hard to put her music into one specific genre because she constantly tries new things. Even though she sometimes calls herself a pop artist, she is known for her restless creativity.

In her podcast "Björk: Sonic Symbolism," she talks about her sound experiences and how her music has changed over time.

How Her Music Evolved

In her early bands, Björk explored different genres like punk rock, jazz fusion, and gothic rock. When she was with Tappi Tíkarrass, she was inspired by British new wave bands. Her 1990 jazz album Gling-Gló showed her singing in a classic jazz style. The Sugarcubes' music was described as avant-pop and alternative rock.

When Björk moved to London, she became interested in the city's underground club culture. This helped her find her own musical identity.

Her 1993 album Debut was one of the first albums to bring electronic music into mainstream pop. Björk loved dance music and used it as a base for her songs, calling it the "only pop music that is truly modern." The album reflected London's music scene, including the growing trip-hop style. It blended electronic pop, trip-hop, and world music.

The 1995 album Post is known for its diverse sounds. It's considered a classic Björk album because of its wide range of emotions. Post was influenced by Björk's new life in London and explored genres like industrial music, big-band jazz, and experimental music. She often combines electronic and acoustic instruments in her music.

Mark Bell contributed to much of Björk's material, including his co-production of Homogenic, until his death in 2014.

For her 1997 album Homogenic, Björk wanted to create a simpler, more focused record. It combined cool strings from the Icelandic String Octet with unique electronic beats and instruments like the accordion. Björk also used a traditional Icelandic singing method that blends speaking and singing.

On the 2001 album Vespertine, Björk continued to mix organic and electronic sounds. She used household sounds to create tiny beats and explored themes of intimacy. Unlike earlier albums, electronic sounds became more important, while acoustic sounds were used for special touches. Her vocals on Vespertine were often quiet whispers, making the songs feel very close and personal.

Björk's 2004 album, Medúlla, was almost entirely made with human voices. It drew influences from folk and medieval music. The album combined beatboxing, classical choirs, and different vocal sounds from Björk and guest artists.

Volta, released in 2007, included collaborations with R&B producer Timbaland. The album aimed for "effortless, primitive" beats. It combined a large brass ensemble with live and programmed drums and instruments from different cultures.

Biophilia (2011) showed Björk's more experimental side, with themes of science and nature. The album's songs explored natural phenomena and their impact on humans.

Her 2015 album, Vulnicura, focused on Björk's voice, orchestral strings, and electronic beats. This combination was also seen in Homogenic, as both albums dealt with themes of heartbreak and strength.

In 2017, Björk released Utopia, which brought back elements from her earlier works, mixing organic and electronic sounds. It's known as her "flute album" because of the strong presence of flutes. Björk and Arca worked closely on the album's production.

Influences

Björk says she is influenced by "everything," but she has mentioned Stockhausen, Kraftwerk, and Brian Eno as major influences. She also admires "confessional singer-songwriters" like Joni Mitchell and Kate Bush, who inspired her to write her own songs. Björk found it "very liberating" that Joni Mitchell created her own "female musical universe."

Early in her career, Björk cited Sir David Attenborough as a big musical influence, saying she connected with his desire to explore new and wild places. She also enjoys discovering new sounds she has never heard before.

Voice

Björk is a soprano singer with a wide vocal range. Her singing voice has been described as "elastic" and "somersaulting." She is praised for her unique vocal style and ability to scat.

NPR included Björk on its list of "50 Great Voices." MTV ranked her among the "22 Greatest Voices in Music." Rolling Stone magazine has also recognized her as one of the greatest singers and songwriters of all time, praising her voice as unique, fresh, and versatile.

Legacy

Many musicians from different genres admire Björk or say she has inspired them. These artists include Solange Knowles, Danny Brown, Beyonce, Travis Scott, SZA, Ellie Goulding, Missy Elliot, Mitski, AURORA, Kali Uchis, Prince, Maggie Rogers, Amy Lee, Poppy, Jeff Buckley, Hayley Williams of Paramore, Geddy Lee of Rush, and Caroline Polachek.

Personal Life

When forming the Sugarcubes, Björk was briefly married to guitarist Þór Eldon. They had a son, Sindri Eldon Þórsson, born in 1986. They divorced shortly after but continued to work together in the band.

Life in London and Spain

After the Sugarcubes broke up, Björk moved to London. She had relationships with DJ Goldie and musician Tricky in the 1990s. During this time, she became involved with the trip hop music scene. Björk also began working with fashion designer Alexander McQueen.

Björk grew tired of public life and the constant attention from the paparazzi in London. She moved to Spain, where she produced her album Homogenic (1997).

Privacy and Family

Björk prefers to keep her personal life private. She has had a few incidents with photographers who tried to take pictures of her and her family without permission.

In the late 1990s, Björk lived in New York and met artist Matthew Barney. They started a relationship and had a daughter, Ísadóra Bjarkardóttir Barney, in 2002. They worked together on Barney's art film Drawing Restraint 9, where Björk acted and contributed music. The couple broke up in 2013. Björk wrote her album Vulnicura about this breakup, describing it as a very painful experience. She now divides her time between the US and Iceland with her daughter.

Other Activities

Helping Others

After the tsunami in 2004, Björk started a project called Army of Me: Remixes and Covers. She asked fans and musicians to cover or remix her 1995 song "Army of Me" to raise money for a relief fund. The album raised a lot of money to help UNICEF's work with children affected by the tsunami. Björk visited Banda Aceh in 2006 to see UNICEF's work firsthand.

In July 2005, Björk performed at the Live 8 concert in Japan, which aimed to raise awareness about poverty.

Activism

Björk has always been supportive of different liberation movements. She has dedicated her song "Declare Independence" to Greenland and the Faroe Islands. She also dedicated the song to the people of Kosovo and Scotland when they were seeking independence.

Björk is very interested in environmental issues in Iceland. She has protested against the building of aluminium smelters in the country. She founded an organization called Náttúra, which promotes Icelandic nature and local industries. In 2008, she wrote an article about the Icelandic economy and suggested using natural resources responsibly. She also helped set up a fund to support sustainable industries in Iceland.

In 2014, Björk helped organize an event called Stopp, Let's Protect the Park. This event raised money and awareness for preserving Iceland's nature, including a concert where she performed. The money raised helped establish a national park.

In 2022, Björk mentioned that she moved back to Iceland partly because of gun violence in America.

Supporting New Artists

Throughout her career, Björk has often used her influence to help new artists.

She helped Iranian-born electronic producer Leila Arab by inviting her to play keyboards and mix live during her tours in the 1990s. This experience helped Leila start her own solo music career.

In 1998, Björk started her own small record label, Ear Records. She signed her friend Magga Stína, who released her debut album. Björk also invited Magga to perform as her opening act on the Homogenic tour.

In 2001, Björk discovered Canadian Inuit throat singer Tanya Tagaq and invited her to perform on her Vespertine world tour. Tagaq later collaborated on Björk's album Medúlla.

Björk has also promoted the work of Finnish multimedia artist Heidi Kilpeläinen (known as HK119), Icelandic musician Ólöf Arnalds, English artist Micachu, and Syrian vocalist Omar Souleyman. She often uses her website and interviews to highlight artists she admires.

Albums

Debut (1993)
Post (1995)
Homogenic (1997)
Vespertine (2001)
Medúlla (2004)
Volta (2007)
Biophilia (2011)
Vulnicura (2015)
Utopia (2017)
Fossora (2022)

Films

The Juniper Tree (1990)
Dancer in the Dark (2000)
Drawing Restraint 9 (2005)
The Northman (2022)

Tours

Debut tour (1993–1994)
Post tour (1995–1997)
Homogenic tour (1997–1999)
Vespertine world tour (2001)
Greatest Hits tour (2003)
Volta tour (2007–2008)
Biophilia tour (2011–2013)
Vulnicura tour (2015–2017)
Utopia tour (2018)
Cornucopia (2019–2023)
Björk Orkestral (2021–2023)

Awards

Björk at the 2001 Academy Awards, wearing her swan dress

On 26 April 1997, Björk received the Order of the Falcon, an important award in Iceland.

She is also a foreign member of the Royal Swedish Academy of Music.

Images for kids

Björk performing in Japan with the Sugarcubes in 1992