Artists who make a difference: Bjork | Virgin Artists who make a difference: Bjork Wait a Sec! Need a last minute gift? We've got the perfect idea for you! Take a look x In the mainstream world, Icelandic sensation Bjork is often called many things: quirky, kooky, bizarre. But over a flourishing career that has spanned three decades, the off-beat singer has proved on many occasions that it's certainly okay to be different... From her recent foray into virtual reality music videos, to her unrelenting love of technology in her work - this is the story of how Bjork embraced the futuristic side of music. Often praised as one of the most unique voices in music, Bjork is a lady of many palettes: a multi-instrumentalist, inventor, actress, producer, and a figure of gargantuan influence, often inspiring new artists to walk in her footsteps.

Always a fan of innovative ways of making her music both visually and audibly, Bjork's three decade long career has always challenged the norms: from her love of experimental electronica, to her philanthrophy, voiced by her war cry: "Declare Independence." She was only 11 when she released her first, self-titled album in 1977, and it would be decades later, after a spell in Icelandic trio The Sugarcubes, that the singer would truly come into her own. After all, Bjork had hardly ever been conventional. Image from gettyimages Embracing the joys of not fitting in Growing up, Bjork was influenced by sci-fi, Scandinavian punk and fairytales: and was never afraid to embed her interests into her work. As such, when her ascent into mainstream pop music culture began, critics were quick to call her up on her quirks. One particularly famous incident (that we're sure you all remember) had the artist appearing at the 73rd Academy Awards dressed as a swan; now an iconic moment in red carpet history. Why?

Well, for one, she was nominated in her heartbreaking role in the 2000 drama Dancer in the Dark (A film so devastating, that Bjork vowed never to act again) - and as for the swan? Bjork admitted she wanted to take such a hugely watched pedestal and make a statement. In an interview with Spin , Bjork explained it was a reaction to the oddness of the film & fashion industry : "It was a joke. I find Hollywood dress sense very alienating. Obviously, I was sticking my tongue out at it. The weirdest thing is that everybody actually thought I was trying to fit in, but had got it wrong. Does it look like I am trying to fit in with you? No. I didn't realise how sacred Hollywood is." Getting things down to a science Swan dresses aside, fashion wasn't the only area where Bjork enjoyed experimenting. From her first (adult) album Debut back in 2003, the singer often embraced technology in her music: evident from her songs which have dipped into trip-hop, to alternative beats, to of course a deep, unrelenting love of electronica, which would shape her musical shadow for the future records to come.

Bjork has always confessed to be 'nerdy' with her work - and often fused themes of nature and science simultaneously. Bjork's love of science fiction has also bled into her music videos, with the likes of Michel Gondry (director of Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind) to Chris Cunningham (known for his abstract visual work with Aphex Twin) working with her to achieve her visions of the future. In an interview with Dazed Digital , Bjork was keen to discuss the innovations of science, and her passion for environmental technology, and a greener future. "Solar power, wind power, the way forward is to collaborate with nature - it's the only way we are going to get to the other end of the 21st century." Image from gettyimages Technology has always enhanced Bjork's musical journey - and the singer often infuses new inventions into her work. One of her videos with Michel Gondry (Human Nature) influenced the director so much, he ended up making a full feature-length sci-fi based on the ideas from the video. Music is being abused so much. There are so many things with no emotion, no feeling, and without craft - it’s a tool of power.

And I’ve always felt that it was my role to do the other thing. To keep it emotional. Bjork's latest trick has seen a foray into virtual reality; a phenomenon which has begun to enchant tech-a-holics on a whole new scale, thanks to the developments of virtual reality giants Oculus Rift. For her project, a song called Stonemilker, Bjork invited fans to immerse in a different kind of music video experience. Using headsets, the viewer is put on a beach, complete with a 360 degree view, to observe the setting of a break-up Bjork had many years ago, which serves as the catalyst for the song. The project, reportedly, was so intimate that it had many fans in tears by the end. Speaking to The Guardian , Bjork explained: "That location has a beautiful 360 panoramic view which matches the cyclical fugue like movement in the song. If the song has a shape it is sort of like a circle that just goes on forever.” For many musicians who seek more intimacy with their fans - perhaps Bjork has opened up a whole new layer of music videos...

Declaring independence So Bjork's music often serves as a window into the impossible, from sci-fi fantasy, to helping gain catharsis for certain political tensions. Bjork's biggest political comment came from the 2008 track 'Declare Independence', an intense dance-anthem celebrating self-sufficiency. At numerous gigs, Bjork sparked controversy for dedicating Declare Independence to countries of relevance, such as Kosovo declaring independence from Serbia, in the same year as the track's release. This led to a mysterious cancellation of Bjork playing EXIT Festival, a festival hosted by Serbia. In China, Bjork also got into trouble for shouting "Tibet! Tibet! Raise your flags!" - a reference to the ongoing struggles of human rights for Tibetans. The outcry led to China threatening to ban Bjork from future concerts. In a statement straight afterwards, Bjork addressed the thin line between pop & politics. "I would like to put importance on that I am not a politician, I am first and last a musician and as such I feel my duty to try to express the whole range of human emotions. The urge for declaring independence is just one of them but an important one we all feel at some times in our lives.

This song was written more with the personal in mind but the fact that it has translated to its broadest meaning, the struggle of a suppressed nation, gives me much pleasure. I would like to wish all individuals and nations good luck in their battle for independence." Image from gettyimages From pop artist to mentor: Bjork & influencing a new generation In her later years, Bjork has gone from singer to producer - often introducing new recording artists to her craft. Often taking protege's under her wing with her parent record label One Little Indian Records, the singer has discovered numerous voices around the world. True to form, Bjork's discoveries have dug up the weird & wonderful, such as her signing of Inuit throat singer Tagaq, who uses a unique phenomenon of singing to emulate the harmonies of two singers. Check her video below to see what we mean! Bjork's relationship with humanity and the fantastical has often been a complex journey for her fans, but despite her love of technology, Bjork always claims she uses it to embrace the nature of music rather than the robotic side. "Music is being abused so much. There are so many things with no emotion, no feeling, and without craft— it’s a tool of power.

And I’ve always felt that it was my role to do the other thing. To keep it emotional." - Interview with Pitchfork And that truly is what makes Bjork stand out from other musicians: not her unique sense of dress, or her inimitable singing style, but a full acceptance of who she is as a pop star, an emotional performer, who always tries to inject humanity into a changing world of technology. As she once said: Bjork on Feeling Like an Alien, Child Stardom in Iceland, 'Vulnicura' - Rolling Stone Related: Bjork Surprise Releases New Album 'Vulnicura' Has the album cured your heartbreak? I can't begin to describe how much better I feel, just physically. Obviously, life is not that black and white. Something will happen to me in five years, and it might come back to life. But I am out of that emergency stage, when you feel like a space alien, just possessed. What did you get out of writing about the breakup? You even date the songs, so we know what you felt when. It was a survival mechanism. I thought, all the way to the last day [of the relationship], that everything would be fine.

Maybe that's why it was such a shock to me. At first, I was just going to put the songs together and not say anything. But putting the months on — it felt right. It would justify being that full of self-pity [laughs]. When people listen to these lyrics, I can go, "It was only two months after the breakup. I was a teenage mess!" Did you sing love songs in the Sugarcubes? There were all these poets in the band. It was more about word jokes. "Deus" [on 1988's Life's Too Good] was sugary pop about God, which was ridiculous. There were personal songs. [The 1987 hit] "Birthday" is about being in that magic world with a newborn. We loved turning the lyrics on their head. But when I started my solo albums, it was fresh terrain for me. Did music and art run in your family? My grandmother was quite artistic. When her children left home, she went to art school and learned how to be an abstract painter. At Christmas, she would have a party. People played bingo. The person who won got a painting. She passed away, but we still do it.

I won this year's painting! You were 12 when you released your first album in Iceland. Did you sense that you were on a path? I was a little pushed by my mom. I'm not sure she was aware of what psychological work it is to be a public figure at 12. The magic of the studio was the best bit. I kind of wished it would never have to come out, that I'd just make album after album. The guys who recorded me wanted to do another one, but I said, "No, I want to start bands with kids my age." Did any female singer-songwriters from the Seventies inspire you as a teenager? I loved Joni Mitchell. I never heard her folk records. But I learned [1976's] Hejira and [1977's] Don Juan's Reckless Daughter by heart when I was 15. She was creating her own universe; she wasn't a guest in a man's world. And it was her chord progressions. I liked music that was modal, more chromatic. There is more room for the singer to improvise. When you had the throat operation, were you afraid you might lose your voice for good?

I couldn't speak for three weeks. My daughter and I made notes for each other — it became like a game. But the album was a new beginning. The chorus in "Lionsong" — I was in this forest outside Reykjavík, warming up, opening my throat like a bird. It was cathartic — you realize the tension that built up, because you were protecting that part of you. Are you prepared to relive your breakup when you perform the new songs live? I know I have to do it. If I could have skipped these heartbreak feelings, just go to the next bus stop, I would have been like, "Yes, please!" But there were no two ways about it. Don’t Miss a Story Sign up for our newsletter to receive breaking news directly in your inbox. We may use your e-mail address to send you the newsletter and offers that may interest you, on behalf of Rolling Stone and its partners. For more information please read our Privacy Policy How we use your email address Trending Ranked on a scale from 1 to 10, the trending score reflects the number of users reading a story in real time. What is this?

Björk - Singer - Biography.com Singer Björk is an Icelandic singer-songwriter and founding member of the band the Sugarcubes. She went on to a strong solo career with songs like "I've Seen It All" and "Human Behaviour," as well as acting success. IN THESE GROUPS Famous Singers quotes “If I had 500 years, I could collaborate with a lot of people. But I think another side of me is really, really loyal and really precious about collaboration. I don't think you should even go into it unless you think it's the absolute right thing to do, and that you have equal things to give each other.” Björk Synopsis Born on November 21, 1965, in Reykjavik, Iceland, Björk founded the band the Sugarcubes in 1986 before striking out on her own to a hugely successful solo career in 1993.

She's known for such albums as Debut, Post, Vespertine, Medúlla, Volta and Biophilia, and for songs like "I've Seen It All," "Human Behaviour" and "Big Time Sensuality." In 2000, Björk appeared in the critically acclaimed film Dancer in the Dark, which she also scored. She won the prize for best actress at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination for her performance in the film. Early Life Famed singer-songwriter and actress Björk was born Björk Guðmundsdóttir on November 21, 1965, in Reykjavik, Iceland. Having grown up in a highly musical household, Björk released her first album, a compilation of traditional Icelandic folk songs, when she was only 11 years old. Early Career Throughout her teen years, Björk sang with a series of anarchist punk bands, among them KUKL, with other members including Einar Örn, Siggi Baldursson and Einar Melax.

With several of her fellow KUKL bandmates, in 1986, Björk formed the pop group the Sugarcubes, joined by Magga Örnólfsdóttir, Bragi Ólafsson and guitarist Thór Eldon. That same year, Björk and Eldon married and (on June 8, 1986) welcomed their first child, son Síndri Eldon Thórsson. The couple divorced in 1987. The Sugarcubes released their full-length debut, Life's Too Good, in 1988, winning a cult following in both the United States and United Kingdom. The group's final album, 1992's It's It, was a collection of dance remixes of earlier material—a result of Björk's fascination with the genre.) Successful Solo Career In 1993, Björk released her first solo album as an adult, aptly named Debut, which featured two Top 20 singles, Human Behaviour and Big Time Sensuality, and sold nearly 3 million copies worldwide.

After relocating to London, England, Björk released 1995's Post, which outsold her first album thanks to innovative collaborations with techno gurus Graham Massey, Howie B and Tricky. In 2000, the diminutive Icelandic pop star appeared on the big screen, in the critically acclaimed film Dancer in the Dark by Danish director Lars von Trier. Though it was rumored that tension had grown between the director and his star, who also scored the film, Björk went on to win the prize for best actress at the Cannes Film Festival and a Golden Globe nomination (best actress) for her performance. Björk garnered further acclaim in early 2001, when she and von Trier were nominated for an Academy Award (best song) for "I've Seen It All." She made fashion history when she wore her infamous "swan dress" while performing the song at the Academy Awards that same year. It was also in 2001 that Björk released her first album in four years, Vespertine.

Björk went on to build her career as a solo artist with the release of Medúlla (2004), Volta (2007) and Biophilia (2011), each album including its own unique aesthetic and message. In 2004, Björk performed "Oceania," a single from Medúlla, at the Summer Olympic Games in Athens, Greece. At the 55th Annual Grammy Awards in 2013, Biophilia—featuring songs like "Moon," "Dark Matter" and "Hollow"—took home the award for best recording package, also receiving a nomination for best alternative album. Around this same time, Björk was added to the lineup of the 2013 Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival in Manchester, Tennessee, alongside the likes of d Billy Idol. Personal Life Following her short-lived marriage to Thór Eldon, Björk was romantically involved with several other members of the music industry, including U.K. artists Goldie and Tricky (of Massive Attack).

Then, in 2000, she met Matthew Barney—the artist responsible for the Cremaster project—in New York while promoting Dancer in the Dark. The two soon began dating and remain together today. The couple had a child, daughter Isadora Bjarkardottir Barney, on October 3, 2002, and later worked together on the film Drawing Restraint 9 (2005). They reside in New York City. Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. If you see something that doesn't look right, contact us ! Citation Information Björk - IMDb IMDb Soundtrack | Composer | Actress Born in 1965 in the Icelandic capital city of Reykjavik, the daughter of Gudmundur Gunnarsson (an electrician) and Hildur Hauksdóttir who divorced before her second birthday, Björk grew up in a hippie-type community with her mother and her seven siblings. She started to study classical music at the age of 5 and released her first album in 1977 (...

See full bio » Born: Share this page: Related News a list of 38 people created 13 Mar 2012 a list of 36 people created 25 Jun 2014 a list of 25 people created 03 Feb 2015 a list of 23 people created 16 Jul 2015 a list of 25 people created 3 months ago Do you have a demo reel? Add it to your IMDbPage How Much Have You Seen? How much of Björk's work have you seen? User Polls Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 15 wins & 28 nominations. See more awards » Known For L'Europe des écrivains (TV Series documentary) (performer - 1 episode, 2015) (writer - 1 episode, 2015) - L'Islande (2015) ...

(performer: "Mutual Core") / (writer: "Mutual Core" - as Björk Gudmundsdottir) 2013-2015 My Mad Fat Diary (TV Series) (performer - 2 episodes) - Rewind (2015) ... (performer: "Army of Me" - uncredited) - Touched (2013) ... (performer: "It's Oh So Quiet" - uncredited) 2015 Back in Time for Dinner (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - The 1990s (2015) ... (performer: "Human Behaviour" - uncredited) 2015 Björk: Lionsong (Video short) (performer: "Lionsong") / (producer: "Lionsong") / (writer: "Lionsong") - 2014: Day 9, Part 1 (2014) ...

(performer: "It's Oh So Quiet" - uncredited) 2014 Dafabet Masters (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) 2013 Never Mind the Buzzcocks (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode #27.4 (2013) ... (performer: "Pagan Poetry" - uncredited) 2012 CSI: Miami (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Habeas Corpse (2012) ... (performer: "Headphones") 2012 Arbitrage (performer: "I See Who You Are" - as Bjork) / (writer: "I See Who You Are" - as Bjork) 2011 EastEnders (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode dated 29 April 2011 (2011) ...

(performer: "It's Oh So Quiet" - uncredited) 2011 Sucker Punch (performer: "ARMY OF ME") / (writer: "ARMY OF ME" - as Björk Guðmundsdóttir) - Top 8 Perform (2009) ... (performer: "Innocence") / (writer: "Innocence") 2010 Boy Wonder (performer: "Human Behavior") / (writer: "Human Behavior") 2010 Moomins and the Comet Chase ("The Comet Song") / (performer: "The Comet Chase Song") / (writer: "The Comet Chase Song") - The Chinese Grand Prix (2010) ... (performer: "It's Oh So Quiet") 2009 Flashforward (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Black Swan (2009) ...

(performer: "It's Oh So Quiet" - uncredited) 2009 Madonna: Celebration - The Video Collection (Video) (writer: "Bedtime Story") 2008 Skins (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Chris (2008) ... (performer: "I see who you are" - uncredited) Saturday Night Live (TV Series) (performer - 2 episodes, 1997 - 2007) (writer - 1 episode, 2007) - Scarlett Johansson/Björk (2007) ... (performer: "Earth Intruders", "Wanderlust" - uncredited) / (writer: "Earth Intruders", "Wanderlust" - uncredited) 2006 Torvill & Dean's Dancing on Ice (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Episode #1.2 (2006) ...

(performer: "It's Oh So Quiet") 2006 Huldufólk 102 (Documentary) (performer: "One Day (Wood & Metal Version)") / (writer: "One Day (Wood & Metal Version)") 2006 Coachella (Video documentary) (performer: "All Is Full of Love" - as Bjork) / (writer: "All Is Full of Love" - as Bjork) 2005 The Work of Director Mark Romanek (Video documentary) (writer: "Bedtime Story") 2005 Drawing Restraint 9 ("Gratitude", "Pearl", "Ambergris March", "Bath", "Shimenawa", "Storm", "Cetacea") / (arranger: "Hunter Vessel", "Vessel Shimenawa") / (lyrics: "Cetacea") / (music: "Cetacea") / (performer: "Shimenawa") / (producer: "Gratitude", "Pearl", "Ambergris March", "Bath", "Hunter Vessel", "Shimenawa", "Vessel Shimenawa", "Storm", "

Holographic Entrypoint", "Antarctic Return") / (writer: "Gratitude", "Pearl", "Ambergris March", "Bath", "Hunter Vessel", "Shimenawa", "Vessel Shimenawa", "Storm", "Cetacea", "Antarctic Return") 2005 Screaming Masterpiece (Documentary) ("Oceania", "Pluto") / (lyrics: "All is Full of Love", "Pluto") / (performer: "All is Full of Love", "Oceania", "Pluto") 2004 Idol (TV Series) (writer - 1 episode) - Out with a Whimper (2002) ...

("Human Behavior", uncredited) S.P.U.N.G (TV Series) (lyrics - 1 episode, 2002) (music - 1 episode, 2002) (performer - 1 episode, 2002) - It's Better to Burn Out Than to Fade Away (2002) ... (lyrics: "One Day") / (music: "One Day") / (performer: "One Day") 2001 Die WIB-Schaukel (TV Series documentary) (performer: "It's Oh So Quiet") 2001 Gilmore Girls (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - The Bracebridge Dinner (2001) ...

(performer: "Human Behaviour") 2001 The 73rd Annual Academy Awards (TV Special) (performer: "I've Seen It All") / (writer: "I've Seen It All") 2000 CKY2K (Video documentary) (performer: "Hyper Ballad") 2000 Dancer in the Dark (arranger: "CVALDA", "I'VE SEEN IT ALL", "SMITH & WESSON", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 1", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 2", "107 STEPS", "NEW WORLD (OVERTURE)") / (performer: "CVALDA", "I'VE SEEN IT ALL", "SMITH & WESSON", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 1", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 2", "107 STEPS", "NEXT TO LAST SONG", "NEW WORLD (OVERTURE)", "MY FAVOURITE THINGS", "SO LONG, FAREWELL", "CLIMB EVERY MOUNTAIN") / (producer: "OVERTURE", "CVAL

DA", "I'VE SEEN IT ALL", "SMITH & WESSON", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 1", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 2", "107 STEPS", "NEW WORLD (OVERTURE)") / (writer: "OVERTURE", "CVALDA", "I'VE SEEN IT ALL", "SMITH & WESSON", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 1", "IN THE MUSICALS, PART 2", "107 STEPS", "NEXT TO LAST SONG", "NEW WORLD (OVERTURE)") 1999 Madonna: The Video Collection 93:99 (Video) (writer: "Bedtime Story" - as Bjork) 1999 Stigmata (performer: "All Is Full of Love") / (writer: "All Is Full of Love" - as Bjork Gudmundsdottir) 1999/I Black & White (performer: "Volochi Papers") / (writer: "Volochi Papers") 1999 Being John Malkovich (performer: "Amphibian")

 / (producer: "Amphibian") / (writer: "Amphibian") 1999 The Mod Squad (performer: "Alarm Call" - as Bjork) / (writer: "Alarm Call" - as Bjork Gudmundsdottir) - 75th Edition (1998) ...

(performer: "So Broken") 1998 Free Tibet (Documentary) (as B. Gudmundsdottir, "Hyper-ballad", "Army of Me") / (performer: "Hyper-ballad", "Army of Me") 1998 Those Who Love Me Can Take the Train (performer: "All Is Full of Love") 1997 She's So Lovely (performer: "It's Oh So Quiet" (1948) - as Bjork) 1997 Underwater Iceland (Documentary) (performer: "Visur Vatnsend-rosu") 1996 Brit Awards 1996 (TV Special) (performer: "It's Oh So Quiet") 1996 Anton (performer: "Nu flyver Anton") / (writer: "Nu flyver Anton") 1995 Björk: It's Oh So Quiet (Video short) (performer: "It's Oh So Quiet") / (producer: "It's Oh So Quiet") - Episode dated 4 May 1995 (1995) ...

(performer: "Army of Me") 1995 Le garçu (as B. Gudmundsdottir, "YOU'VE BEEN FLIRTING AGAIN", "HUMAN BEHAVIOUR") 1993-1995 Beavis and Butt-Head (TV Series) (performer - 3 episodes) - Steamroller (1995) ... (performer: "Army of Me") - Dream On (1995) ... (performer: "Big Time Sensuality") - Closing Time (1993) ... (performer: "Human Behavior") 1995 RockVideo Monthly (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode) - Alternative Edition: July 1995 (1995) ...

(performer: "Army of Me") 1995 Tank Girl (performer: "Army of Me" - as Bjork Gudmundsdottir) / (performer: "Big Time Sensuality" - as Bjork) / (writer: "Army of Me", "Big Time Sensuality" - as Bjork Gudmundsdottir) 1995 Butterfly Kiss (lyrics: "There's More To Life Than This" - as Bjork Gudmundsdottir) / (music: "There's More To Life Than This" - as Bjork Gudmundsdottir) / (performer: "There's More To Life Than This") 1995 Brit Awards 1995 (TV Special) (writer: "Bedtime Story") 1994 Ready to Wear (performer: - as Björk Gudmundsdottir) / (performer: "Ruby Baby") 1994 Léon: The Professional (performer: "Venus As A Boy") / (writer: "Venus As A Boy" - as B.

Gudmundsdottir) Dead at 21 (TV Series) (performer - 1 episode, 1994) (writer - 1 episode, 1994) - Pilot Episode (1994) ... (performer: "Human Behaviour") / (writer: "Human Behaviour") Björk | New Music And Songs | Björk About Björk Björk first came to prominence as one of the lead vocalists of the avant pop Icelandic sextet the Sugarcubes, but when she launched a solo career after the group's 1992 demise, she quickly eclipsed her old band's popularity. Instead of following in the Sugarcubes' arty guitar rock pretensions, Björk immersed herself in dance and club culture, working with many of the biggest names in the genre, including Nellee Hooper, Underworld, and Tricky. Debut, her first solo effort (except for an Icelandic-only smash released when she was just 11 years old), not only established her new artistic direction, but it became an international hit, making her one of the most unlikely stars of the '90s.

Though the title of Debut implied that it was Björk's first-ever solo project, she had actually been a professional vocalist since she was a child. When she was in elementary school in Reykjavik, she studied classical piano and, eventually, her teachers submitted a tape of her singing Tina Charles' "I Love to Love" to Iceland's Radio One. After "I Love to Love" was aired, a record label called Falkkin offered Björk a record contract. At the age of 11, her eponymous first album was released; the record contained covers of several pop songs, including the Beatles' "Fool on the Hill," and boasted artwork from her mother and guitar work from her stepfather. Björk became a hit within Iceland and was not released in any other country. Björk's musical tastes were changed by the punk revolution of the late '70s; in 1979, she formed a post-punk group called Exodus and, in the following year, she sang in Jam 80.

In 1981, Björk and Exodus bassist Jakob Magnusson formed Tappi Tikarrass, which released an EP, Bitid Fast I Vitid, on Spor later that year; it was followed by the full-length Miranda in 1983. Following Tappi Tikarrass, she formed the goth-tinged post-punk group KUKL with Einar Orn Benediktsson. KUKL released two albums, The Eye (1984) and Holidays in Europe (1986), on Crass Records before the band metamorphosed into the Sugarcubes in the summer of 1986. The Sugarcubes became one of the rare Icelandic bands to break out of their native country when their debut album, Life's Too Good, became a British and American hit in 1988. For the next four years, the group maintained a successful cult following in the U.K. and the U.S. while they were stars within Iceland. During 1990, Björk recorded a set of jazz standards and originals with an Icelandic bebop group called Trio Gudmundar Ingolfssonar.

The album, Gling-Gló, was released only in Iceland. By 1992, tensions between Björk and Einar had grown substantially, which resulted in the band splitting apart. Following the breakup of the group, Björk moved to London, where she began pursuing a dance-oriented solo career. The previous year, she had sung on 808 State's "Ooops," which sparked her interest in club and house music. Björk struck up a working relationship with Nellee Hooper, a producer who had formerly worked with Soul II Soul and Massive Attack. The first result of their partnership was "Human Behaviour," which was released in June of 1993. "Human Behaviour" became a Top 40 hit in the U.K., setting the stage for the surprising number three debut of the full-length album, Debut. Throughout 1993, Björk had hit U.K. singles -- including "Venus as a Boy," "Big Time Sensuality," and the non-LP "Play Dead," a collaboration with David Arnold taken from the film Young Americans -- as well as modern rock radio hits in the U.S., and in both countries she earned rave reviews.

At the end of the year, NME magazine named Debut the album of the year, while she won International Female Solo Artist and Newcomer at the BRIT Awards; Debut went gold in the U.S. and platinum in the U.K. During 1994, Björk was relatively quiet as she recorded her second album with Nellee Hooper, Tricky, 808 State's Graham Massey, and Howie B of Mo' Wax Records; she also released a remix EP, co-wrote Madonna's "Bedtime Stories," and performed on MTV Unplugged that same year. "Army of Me," the first single from Björk's forthcoming album, was released as a teaser single in the spring of 1995; it debuted at number ten in the U.K. and became a moderate alternative rock hit in the U.S. Post, her second album, was released in June of 1995 to positive reviews; it peaked at number two in the U.K. and number 32 in the U.S. Post matched its predecessor in terms of sales and praise, going gold in the U.S. and helping her earn her second BRIT Award for Best International Female Artist.

Post yielded the British hit singles "Isobel" (number 23), "It's Oh So Quiet" (number four), and "Hyperballad" (number eight), yet her singles failed to make much headway on American radio or MTV. Late in 1996, Björk released Telegram, an album comprising radical remixes of the entire Post album, in the U.K.; Telegram was released in America in January 1997. Homogenic, her most experimental studio effort to date, followed later that same year and spawned many remix releases in the next few years to follow. In the spring of 2000, she was named Best Actress by jurors at the Cannes Film Festival for her work in Lars Von Trier's Palme d'Or-winning Dancer in the Dark. Selmasongs, her score for the film, reunited Björk with her Homogenic collaborator Mark Bell and arrived in the fall of 2000, just in time for Dancer in the Dark's U.S. release. The full-length follow-up, Vespertine, was released one year later. She released a Greatest Hits collection and the Family Tree box set late in 2002.

After performing a few dates in 2003, Björk geared up for a busy 2004, which included the release of her all-vocals and vocal samples-based album Medúlla and a performance of one of its songs, "Oceania," at the 2004 Summer Olympics in Athens, Greece. The soundtrack to Drawing Restraint 9, a film by multimedia artist Matthew Barney, arrived in 2005 and also featured contributions from Will Oldham. Released in 2007, Volta returned to the more playful, percussive side of Björk's music and included collaborations with Timbaland, Toumani Diabaté, Antony Hegarty, and an all-female Icelandic choir. Her tour supporting the album was a lavish affair, as chronicled in the 2009 set Voltaic, which was released in sets ranging from a CD/DVD to limited multi-disc and vinyl editions. While she was touring the world in support of Volta, Björk began work on her most ambitious project to date: Biophilia, an interactive exploration of humanity's relationships to sound and the universe that would also educate listeners/viewers about music theory and science.

Initially envisioned as a musical house, then an IMAX film directed by Michel Gondry, Biophilia -- which took shape with the help of engineers, scientists, and video game designers -- was eventually released as a suite of apps for the iPad and iPhone. The album, which was also released on CD, arrived in October 2011. Bastards, a collection of Biophilia remixes, was released in Europe in late 2012 and in the U.S. in early 2013. Around that time, Björk launched a Kickstarter campaign to fund translating the Biophilia app for Android and Windows 8 platforms. Though the campaign was canceled after ten days, the app was translated to Android in July 2013. That month, she also appeared in When Björk Met Attenborough, a BBC Channel 4 documentary with Sir David Attenborough and scientist Oliver Sacks that related Biophilia to humanity's relationship with music. In 2014, Björk contributed vocals to Death Grips' album Niggas on the Moon. She also continued the Biophilia project with a live concert film, Biophilia Live.

Filmed at London's Alexandra Palace and featuring spectacular visuals, it was released theatrically and in DVD and Blu-Ray sets that also included the live audio on CD. Late that year, it was announced that producers Arca and the Haxan Cloak collaborated on her upcoming album. Vulnicura, which traced the aftermath of Björk's relationship with Matthew Barney and harked back to the sounds of Vespertine and Homogenic, arrived in January 2015 after it was leaked ahead of its scheduled March release date. An acoustic version of the album, Vulnicura Strings, arrived at the end of 2015 and featured the viola organista, a keyboard-driven string instrument designed by Leonardo da Vinci. That year, Vulnicura Live, which featured Björk's favorite performances of the album's songs as well as some chosen from her other albums, was given a limited release; wider distribution followed in 2016.

~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi Bjork Pictures, News, Gossip & Rumours - AskMen AskMen Messages You have no messages Notifications You have no notifications Bjork Bjork The most popular musician to come out of Iceland, Bjork's career has soared from her Kukl and The Sugarcubes days, to become a tremendously successful solo artist who has sold more than 15 million albums worldwide. Appeal She looks more like a kindergarten teacher than a smoking-hot diva, a la Jennifer Lopez . At AskMen.com, we were unanimous in our approval of her long, straight hair look, but sexy? Bjork doesn't market herself that way. Although we can't help but wonder how creative she can get in private... Success For the first 10 years of her solo career, while Bjork was extremely popular in Europe, she only had a cult following in the U.S. That all changed at the turn of the century when she starred in the film Dancer in the Dark (2000). She won a ton of awards, went to the Oscars in a swan dress, and suddenly Bjork was in every American tabloid.

Bjork Biography Bjork Gudmundsdottir was born November 21, 1965, in Reykjavik, Iceland. The road to becoming Iceland's most well-known musician does not come without hard work. Young Bjork started her musical training by studying the flute, piano and voice. She was no stranger to rock music; her stepfather was also a member of a rock band in Iceland. bjork forms kukl Before becoming a solo act -- a phenomenally successful solo act, one might add -- Bjork was the vocalist for several bands throughout her career. In 1977, Bjork recorded her first album. Her self-titled debut included a tribute to Iceland's greatest landscape artist, Johannes S. Kjarval. Two years later, the eccentric 13 year old became a member of two other bands: an all-girl punk rock band called Spit and Snot, and Exodus. Exodus actually made an appearance on Icelandic television. Bitio fast I vitio, Exodus's first album, was released in 1981. Bjork next formed a new group called Kukl (Icelandic for "witch").

She put all her creative energy in the new band, and together they released two albums. Kukl went on a European tour before calling it quits in 1986. bjork forms the sugarcubes While 1986 marked the end for Kukl, it marked a new beginning for Bjork and her husband, guitarist Thor Eldon, who saw the birth of their son Sindri that same year. 1986 also saw the birth of The Sugarcubes, a new band formed by Bjork, her husband and several Kukl members. In 1987, the success of the band's first single, "Birthday," took effect and The Sugarcubes landed a record deal with Elektra. While their debut album, Life's Too Good (1988), was a huge critical success in both Europe and the U.S., Here Today Tomorrow Next Week (1989) did not do as well. Between the band's second album and Stick Around For Joy (1992), Bjork recorded Gling Glo, a collection of popular jazz tunes.

In 1992, the single "Hit," off the album Stick Around For Joy was a huge success, but unfortunately, The Sugarcubes did not stick around for more joy and broke up that year. bjork becomes a solo artist It wasn't difficult for Bjork to pursue a successful solo career, since she was undeniably the star of The Sugarcubes. On her own, after breaking up with her husband, Bjork moved to London with her son in 1993 and was ready to begin her solo career. Bjork's appropriately titled solo album, Debut, was a huge commercial hit, and also marked a departure from her post-punk rock scene, as Bjork opted to delve into a style that was influenced by the British dance scene. With the success of the album and the single "Human Behaviour," Bjork's success had crossed the Atlantic to the United States. Two years later, Bjork's sophomore solo album, Post was released, but did not see the same success as Debut. Telegram, which featured remixed or rerecorded versions of Post's tracks, was released in 1997.

bjork tries her hand at acting Bjork took home the Best Actress award at the 53rd Cannes Film Festival for her role in the musical Dancer in the Dark (2000). Playing a factory worker in the film, she also wrote and performed the film's score. She decided that acting wasn't her thing and went on to record the album Vespertine (2001). It was Bjork's fastest-selling album yet, as it sold more than two million copies in its first year. After giving birth to her second child in 2002, Bjork took some time off. She began working on Medulla (2004) a year later, and this marked one of her most innovative works, as it is completely voice-based. That's right: No instruments were used for this record. Any drum-like noises were made by beatboxers or Bjork's voice. After releasing coffee table books, CD box sets and a number of remixes, Bjork completed her next full-length album, Volta, in 2007. It was written and produced entirely by Bjork herself, although she did call up Timbaland to ask for his advice on certain tracks.

One thing is for sure: We haven't seen the last of this eccentric singer. What else do you need to know? Show comments Berserk Bjork: Singer 'attacks' photographer at airport | Daily Mail Online Berserk Bjork: Singer 'attacks' photographer at airport Last updated at 16:03 14 January 2008 Icelandic singer and songwriter Bjork allegedly attacked a newspaper photographer shortly after she arrived at New Zealand's Auckland International Airport, according to reports. Bjork, who is in the northern city of Auckland to perform at the Big Day Out concert on Friday, tore New Zealand Herald photographer Glenn Jeffrey's shirt in half after he photographed her arriving at the airport early Sunday. Jeffrey, a news photographer of 25 years, said Bjork was accompanied by a man who asked him not take photos. "I took a couple of pictures... and as I turned and walked away she came up behind me, grabbed the back of my black skivvy and tore it," he said after the alleged incident. "As she did this she fell over, she fell to the ground," he said.

"At no stage did I touch her or speak with her." Bjork said nothing during the incident, but her male companion was saying, "B, don't do this, B, don't do this," Jeffrey said. Jeffrey spoke with Auckland police about the incident later Sunday, and Monday said he had not made a formal complaint about the matter but was seeking legal advice. Auckland Airport police sergeant Rob Cabusao said police had been called to an incident involving Bjork and her companion in the arrival area. "Attending staff went to the arrival area ... where a male and a female were behind the counter of the coffee shop where they weren't supposed to be," he said. "One of them turned out to be Bjork." "They were escorted out of the area to a waiting car," he said. "No one came to us complaining of an assault and there were no witnesses [to the incident] who approached us," Cabusao said. "If there is a complaint, it will be investigated." Auckland Central police senior sergeant Campbell Moore said police were "not proactively pursuing the incident without a complaint being laid." Bjork or a spokesperson were not immediately available to discuss on the report. Publicists in London and Los Angeles could not be reached for comment.

Bjork, Joni Mitchell Reign Over Walden Woods Benefit - MTV mtv LOS ANGELES -- In a million years no one could have guessed the contemporary female singer with whom songwriting legend Joni Mitchell would choose to share the stage for her return to live performing after a much-too- long break of 15 years. But there she was in all her barefoot glory. Eccentric Icelandic pixie Bjork's duet with the original lady singer/songwriter was, without a question, the highlight of Thursday night's gloriously classy Walden Woods benefit -- "Stormy Weather '98." In the elegantly old-fashioned downtown Wiltern Theater, these music heroes of two generations tackled the Cole Porter standard "What Is This Thing Called Love?" as if they'd been performing together for years, alternating verses and dance moves. Shoobedooing and bebopping as if it never went out of style, the two totally contrasting performers (the bouncy, unpredictable Bjork and the regal Mitchell) had the seats shaking and heads bobbing for a good view. And what a view, with Bjork dressed -- stockings and all -- in white and Mitchell dazzling in green.

In introducing Mitchell, Bjork stammered: "These people who organized this are spoiling me. I have the great pleasure of introducing the most 'gorgeousest' woman." Event organizer Don Henley was probably beaming backstage. The ex-Eagle organized the event for the upkeep of the once-threatened land where 20th century author Henry David Thoreau spent much of his time writing in Concord, Mass. Through his benefit concerts, Henley's been supporting the conservation of Walden Woods since 1990, raising tens of thousands of dollars for the cause. But never has he landed such a coup -- 10 major female contemporary musical artists willing to eschew their usual backing musicians in favor of the 66-piece El Nino Orchestra. The saying goes "If you build it, they will come." And they came -- 500 strong, including musicians James Taylor, Sting and wife Trudie Styler, ex-Eagles Glenn Frey, Timothy B.

Schmidt and Don Felder, Fleetwood Mac founder/drummer Mick Fleetwood and Bush singer Gavin Rossdale, there to see his sweetheart, No Doubt-singer Gwen Stefani, join the other ladies in performing jazz and pop standards of the '30s, '40s and '50s. "I thought Bjork was brilliant," Rossdale said. "And, of course, Gwen ... and oh, yes, Stevie [Nicks]," he continued effusively. "I loved Joni, I never saw her in person before." With a tiny bow perched atop her head, Bjork had already wowed the crowd by taking a less traditional turn on the tunes she picked than her more famous co-stars for the evening, who included such big names as Nicks, Sheryl Crow and Grammy-winner Shawn Colvin. The ex-Sugarcube lead singer Bjork squealed her way through Billie Holiday's "Gloomy Sunday," while prancing around the stage like a schoolgirl in a class musical. She squeezed and released her left hand frantically throughout the number, which she followed with "The Love That Went Out of Style," accompanied only by a harpist.

Only actress/singer Sandra Bernhard, visibly pregnant but typically irreverent, set such a bizarre scene, when she infused the lyrics to "Is That All There Is?" with an exaggerated high pitch vocal and comic anecdotes. The theatrics of Bernhard and Bjork contrasted with more conventional spots by "Best New Artist" Grammy-winner Paula Cole, country singer Trisha Yearwood and the bluesy rocker Crow, who, though comparatively immobile, showed that she had real chops by ripping into "Ain't Nobody's Business If I Do" as she shimmied in a revealing, low-cut black gown. Soul crooner Natalie Cole, after her rendition of "They Can't Take That Away From Me," expressed the wonder that many were feeling about such a collection of talent when she said "This is nice, isn't it?

It's really cool to see Sheryl Crow sing 'Good Morning Heartache.' " Cole, who has built a career on such romantic ballads, moved effortlessly through George Gershwin's "Our Love Is Most fans might not have recognized the night's first singer, Stefani, who has sold millions of records with ska-rockers No Doubt, as she lit into the Andrew Sisters' "I Can Dream, Can't I?" and the torch song "Almost Blue" dressed in a green satin, sequined gown and a bobbed, little-girl hairdo. The normally aggressive performer, however, maintained an edginess as she crafted the standard around her guttural vocal style and tough-girl swagger. Fleetwood Mac chanteuse Nicks, the lady in red (not black for once), drew screams of approval from the suit-and-tie audience before she even opened her mouth. And she didn't disappoint, earning the night's only standing ovation. She soothed with "When Sunny Gets Blue" and belted "At Last" -- at points flirting with a blues-rock feel -- as her cascading blond hair fell over her face. "Stevie did great," bandmate Fleetwood boasted after the show.

Nine-months pregnant, Colvin mocked the traditional lounge performance with a faux drink and an ashtray at her side. She became a saloon singer as she leaned into a stool singing "One For The Road." Her smoky vocals and long, white gloves suited the classic perfectly. And then there was Mitchell. In closing the night, the icon, her normally straight blond hair set in curls, didn't have to stray far from some of the jazz stylings she used on classic '70s albums such as The Hissing of Summer Lawns. When she covered the old Lena Horne favorite "Stormy Weather," it was easy to forget that Mitchell made her name as a hippie folk-singer. Henley and musical director Larry Klein (L.A. session player and Mitchell's ex-husband) made sure the night was full of such contradictions. Their effort was not lost on their peers. "It was great. It was absolutely brilliant," said sensitive singer/songwriter Taylor, as he left the theater with Sting.

"It was so good, it's hard to say who was the best, really." Maybe it was tough to pick the best performance, but seeing and hearing Mitchell Bjork: A Celestial Voice : NPR Audio is no longer available Joga Audio is no longer available Bjork , as widely known for her eccentric outfits and behavior as she is for her voice, is easily the most famous Icelander in the world. There's something celestial about that voice, as if it comes from a fantastic and colorful utopian world. Bjork compares her voice to her country, describing it as stark. "Like in Iceland," she says. "You have the lava, almost no trees, almost no animals and almost no people, so things are very stripped down. It's very naked." The singer's relationship to sound is abstract. Her voice is both powerful and visceral, but like her music, she can't quite explain it. Sometimes, it's challenging to listen to, but there are moments of beauty and transcendence in each of her songs. Thom Yorke , lead singer of Radiohead , says he wept the first time he heard "Unravel" from her 1997 album Homogenic.

And Alex Ross, a music critic for The New Yorker, counts Bjork among the most gifted vocalists alive. "This is somehow a voice that comes in from the north, that crosses vast spaces, that does have something ancient — something very old in the grain of it," Ross says. "I cannot think of another voice like it in classical music, in pop music. It's instantly recognizable. You hear one or two notes from it and you know it's Bjork." Article continues after sponsorship At 11, Bjork Gudmundsdottir was already a star in Iceland when she recorded a children's record in 1977. She remembers singing on the schoolbus on field trips. "I'd be in the back and people would drive back and be sleepy, and they'd ask me to sing," she says. "My mom [complained] that she couldn't take me to a bus when I was 3 or 4 years old, because I would stand up on a chair and sing songs for everyone." Americans first caught wind of Bjork in 1987, when she scored a cult hit with "Birthday," with a band called The Sugarcubes.

It wasn't until 1992 that she broke out as an international superstar with the release of her solo album, Debut. Hear The Story On 'All Things Considered' Bjork: A Celestial Voice Embed Embed <iframe src="" width="100%" height="290" frameborder="0" scrolling="no" title="NPR embedded audio player"> Finding Home Bjork's music instantly filled clubs across Europe and the U.S. Debut showcased her vocal range and her quirky sensibility — lyrics about pitch-dark forests and tiny sparks that live within them and landscapes that evoked her own version of Grimm's fairy-tale world. Her words were inspired by her childhood adventures in Iceland walking among lava fields, and she still finds inspiration in nature today. "I would walk alone and walk alone back," she says. "It would be basically about my spatial location, locating myself spatially and sonically and spiritually, and that's why I've always had to be kind of by nature when I'm writing." With her voice, Bjork can shout, she can growl, and she can even spew utter gibberish, but it works.

She uses the spaces in her melodies to ad lib, and allows her emotions to lead her. Her voice, the singer says, is like a home to her. "Maybe that's without being conscious of it," she says. "When I walked outside as a kid and [sang], I was kind of sonically establishing being territorial and, 'OK, this is my home.' And singing quietly when I was next to the lava and then when I'd get up in a hill, the chorus would come and I'd sing louder. So I think it's my home." Through Bjork's music, she allows us inside that home, too. Related NPR Stories

Question: From which country does the singer Bjork come?
Answer: ICELAND