For the first time, Bjork has written a smear album. She’s currently promoting Vulnicura, which is all about her broken heart after the end of her marriage. Bjork told The Guardian she had no choice but to let these feelings come out in a record: “There was nothing in my subconscious that would let me fast-forward and just write a disco song.” Fair enough. Sadly, this record has mussed up how Bjork and her ex, Matthew Barney, were peacefully managing the joint custody of their daughter. Now Matthew is suddenly suing for more time with 12-year-old Isadora. The specifics of the case aren’t available, but it sounds like Matthew’s upset about being dragged by Bjork.
I talked about Bjork a few months ago when she discussed how hard it is for women to take credit for their art. She made sense in that interview, but it was a snoozy story. Bjork is back with a more inflammatory interview in the spring issue of Gentlewoman magazine. Most of the discussion is normal artsy stuff. Then this happens:
“A lot of times, when I go to museums or galleries and there’s sound there, the speakers are rubbish or broken. So you have a place that’s the most super-duper visual standard in the universe, but there’s rubbish music with concert speakers, and one isn’t plugged in. Sound is the n***** of the world, man.” And then there were her new circumstances to consider. “For 13 years, I’ve been with my husband every day, and my children…” She trails off, but the implication is there: now she has time on her hands.”
[From Gentlewoman UK]
*Big sigh*
I’m going to take a wild stab and guess that Bjork is invoking John Lennon’s song, “Woman is the N***** of the World.” Yoko Ono coined the phrase in 1969, and then she and John wrote the song. Those two were attempting to draw comparisons between gender inequality and the oppression of black people, and … it’s not the same.
As for Bjork, she’s trying to sound like an artiste complaining about how the man just doesn’t appreciate music. She’s acting like the injustice of broken speakers are the same as racial inequality. Her statement is even more out-of-touch than the Lennon song. What’s even worse is that this isn’t the first time Bjork has said this stuff. In 2001, she told Spin magazine, “Audio is the n**** of the world.”
Unrelated: Bjork also wore a swan costume to the Oscars in 2001.
Photos courtesy of Getty & WENN
WTF??? Why do we (black people) have to be up in it?
Sigh.
Bahahahhahahahaahha. WORD.
LOL
I just spit out my coffee.
Wait, I can’t hear you audio jack not plugged in.
^/sarcasm^, joke
And Toody wins the thread.
So true! I’m not sure why she keeps trying to draw these parallels. It cheapens whatever Bjork is trying to say and frankly is part of why young women have distanced themselves from feminism.
I don’t think that’s even close to why young women have distanced themselves. They have grown up at a time where things are better (not the best, just better), so they don’t have any idea how bad it can be. When they face it, which sadly some of them will, then they’ll get it.
As for this idiot, she’s just an idiot trying to sell her music. I don’t care how she wraps up her marketing strategy, but its still marketing. Its the ‘say something stupid’ or ‘wear something outrageous’ way of getting your name out there.
I know right?!!! Leave us out of this please.
Preach.
Why doesn’t she say something she knows about – ‘sound is the woman of the world,’ or ‘sound is the bipolar crackpot who beats up other women, of the world.’ Seriously…she’s an ignorant offensive middleaged fool…no dear…you’re not edgy…nor do you have insight…you’re just a tool bing offensive.
Ahhh haaa haa haa!! I second this!!
LOOOOOOL my reaction exactly, don’t involve me in your pseudo-oppression honey!
Oh dear……
So bad speakers in a museum are the same as racial inequality. Righty ho then. Sheltered little life she must have led.
I’m going to take a stab in the dark and guess that Iceland suffers from the same ignorance of race relations and xenophobia as the rest of Europe. Ignorance is no excuse, but a lot of Europeans have had no education on race relations at all. They still think they can use those words and it makes them cool.
I am going to take a stab in the dark and guess that you Sara have never been to Europe?
I’m from Iceland and I would appreciate if you would stop thinking that Björk is speaking for the whole nation.
Never have I ever heard an Icelandic person drop the N word before except maybe when they’re singing to a Kanye song. And FYI we have had PLENTY of education, unlike a lot of Americans.
I don’t even know what she’s trying to say but watching her get dragged will be well worth it.
Those genetically predisposed with less melanin seem to be getting bolder and bolder, also, every since she attacked that photographer years ago—i haven’t liked her, there’s something ugly about her (personality only) that repels me.
She rubs me the wrong way ever since she said her son was “like an animal”. She didn’t feed him or checked on him, if he was hungry he looked for food, etc.
I’m sure not even animals do that to their offsrpings when they are small, Bjork’s kid was like 6 when she said that.
Really, was it necessary to use that word?
White lady trying to sound street. Wrong on every level.
She’s white?
Iceland has a heritage of both caucasoid and mongoloid ethnicities. She is quite striking looking IMO. Pity her brain doesn’t work better.
Yes. Cumpet’s way off, by the way. Icelanders are nordic and celtic, not mongoloid at all.
I don’t even think she is trying to sound street. I do think the may be paraphrasing the Ono/Lennon quote.
That said, again, WTF????
I swear sometimes that the world is obsessed with black people. From the Japanese with going in blackface and wearing so called ‘black styles ( braids, cornrows etc). Fraternities have ‘Cripmas’ parties. Blackface Halloween costumes. I don’t get it.
It’s like that Paul Mooney quote that I can’t say because I know it will be moderated.
Paul Mooney said everything with that quote and more. Simple and more and more true everyday. They want to hate you, align themselves with you when it benefits them, pluck little pieces of what makes you special away and mimic the beauty they can’t have.
Enter Iggy Azalea.
Say it again but louder!!!!!!!!!!!!! So true!!!!!!!
Someone put the quote below and I can agree with it. I guess people like the black media image and black culture, but not many actually take the time to think about the implications of what it really means to be black in this world. To the people who try it on, it is just a part of a fad.
The japanese don’t do blackface. I think you’re referring to ganguro, which is trying to exaggerate California/Hawaii tanning.
Asian cultures value light skin, ganguro is supposed to challenge that with the dark orange colour.
No they do blackface, repeatedly actually to the point it’s been reported on and discussed as to why Japan has such a problem understanding they’re not ‘paying homage’ but insulting an entire race.
Then there’s also the cultural subsection that seems to enjoy rap and hip hop culture and translates that into darkening their skin, braiding their hair, and adopting a ‘black’ attitude (essentially their words, they associate what they’re doing with being black).
Oh, please, the transparency is embarrassing to witness. Dropping the n-word is about the only way for her to make the news these days. You’re not irreverent, Bjorn, just irrelevant.
What a shame, I truly expected more from her, since I love her work.
Loved her earlier music.
Never knew she was such a tool.
Paul Mooney said “everybody wanna be an n-word, but nobody wanna be an n-word”
And he was dead right.
People wanna try on black, but have the benefit of being able to take it off when they feel like it.
See: Iggy Azalea.
Love that quote even though, it’s comedy but it rings a bit true. I agree that Black people are some of the most imitated, copied and admired people around. But we are also the most scrutinized, criticized and oppressed people around.
I also loved D.L. Hughly’s line that said. Everybody wants to be Black until the cops show up.
Subject change. A White cop in SC shot and killed an unarmed Black man as he was running away. As the man lay dying the cop added insult to injury by handcuffing him. Fortunately a bystander caught the murder (that’s what it was) on his cell phone recorder. The cop is in jail. But just think how that cop would have spun the story if not for the video evidence. If you Google this you can see the murder. I saw it on The Today Show but it’s all over the Internet.
Will not watch. Just as I did not watch those bros behead that poor goat, or that bro bite the head off a hamster, or the Iraqis hang Saddam Hussein, or that Duggar douche aim for that cat, or anything else that graphic and inhuman (yet ironically quintessentially human, as it were). It’s too much to bear–too much for my brain to process. I do not need to see it to believe it. I do not want to learn to be desensitized, as I will then be the problem.
He DID try to spin it before the video came out. He said the guy stole his taser and attacked him so he “defended” himself by shooting (emptying near half a clip into) him.
Which my first thought was how could you shoot someone if you’re being tased??? That’s the point of a taser, to disable. Anyway, it was a lie and I am so very glad someone got it on camera.
that was horrible. the guy was running away and the cop shot him in the back. no excuse for that..thank goodness someone videotaped it.
AND it looked to me that the cop actually attempted to use the taser, not the other way around like he tried to spin it. It was a traffic stop, the guy had a warrant for child support delinquency. No need for shots to have been fired. Yeah, he ran. Who knows what the officer said to him. And they had his address. They had his CAR for crying out loud. There was no need to shoot.
The age of media may accelerate civil rights. My son goes to a school where they ask the parents to -not- allow media during the school week. That’s ok for primary school aged children, but it’s a tool to improve the world.
So she’s an out of touch jacka- with an anger management problem. Got it.
not today, white people
Right, because it’s the entire Caucasian race that said this? Some of us have our sh*t together.
did you just pull a “not all white people”?
@ Kara the irony
LOL never f’ed with her, not gonna start right now!
I’m sure it’s difficult to not be able to put out the music you want to. Even more difficult than having to deal with police brutality every 48 hours. /sarcasm
Lolz tifzlan
Even if that’s how she feels she’s wrong. Musicians are worshipped more than a lot of professions. She sounding a bit kanye here.
Bjork is from Iceland, and does not have the cultural background to fully appreciate the incredible emotional freight that comes with the N-word. Therefore, she needs to STOP USING IT. Good grief. I really do not understand why white people feel the need to attempt “artfully” using / reclaiming slurs that they have never personally felt the sting of — it just comes across as insensitive, entitled, and extremely tone-deaf.
She has lived in England for a long time and probably the States since she was married to Matthew Barney. I think that she knows the baggage and just chose to go ahead and use the word anyway. What an *sshole.
What Renee said.
She divides her time between UK (she has a home in London), States (used to live their with Barney) and Iceland (also to see her son).
Plus she dated Goldie and Tricky. Two black men.
Trust, she’s FULLY aware what that word means, she is eccentric but not dumb. What she said was racist (and it’s not the first time).
I tend to disagree. I’m aware that Iceland hasn’t been her primary residence for a long time, but I think there’s a big difference between experiencing a culture as a (wealthy, privileged, insulated) adult and growing up living it from the inside. So, while I’m sure she’s not totally oblivious to the race relations history of the U.S. and UK, I think it’s very unlikely she has fully internalized just how loaded this terminology is. My British husband has lived in the U.S. for a decade, and he’s still astonished when I tell him things about racial attitudes in the part of Texas where I grew up.
But, all that said, it’s crass attention-seeking behavior, and it really makes me angry to hear such nonsense coming out of her mouth.
Urr, she’s been touring and experiences new cultures ever since her career kicked off. She was popular in the Sugarcubes well before she went solo and that’s early twenties. She’s three decades into her career now, she’s had plenty of time.
The thing that made Björk Björk was the fact that she took non-mainstream genres like electronic music successfully into mainstream. Her first albums had trip-hop roots and she worked together with black artists like Tricky (whom she dated) and others.
Around the time she dated Goldie, an obsessed fan sent a bomb (or something, the details escape me) to her and there was also footage in which he directed racist slurs against Goldie. This all happened in England in the 90s, she must have been blind and deaf to not know about racial issues. There is no way that these men did not have stories about racism. Especially Tricky who had a difficult childhood and has spoken out about racism.
She worked with PoC and often mixes different cultures (e.g. Japanese) in her music (most notable in Vespertine and Drawing Restraint). Björk is her music so the claim that she doesn’t know the cultural meaning behind the n-word just doesn’t work for me. I don’t buy it. The fact that this is the second time (I didn’t even know)
Because I’m a Bjork fan and she’s not American, I’m going to give her the benefit of the doubt and assume she means underappreciated and thus treated shabby.
Yeah it’s probably what she meant but I still can’t abide by white people who use the n-word. Ever. In any context. Under any circumstance.
Every white person should know better at this point.
That’s what gets me. Has she been living under a rock? Just shut up and stop using that word, ever. EVER. Make your “point” some other way. It’s not appropriate. It’s not ok. Ever. Ugh.
Exactly. If you don’t feel gross just saying that word in your head (much less out loud), then there’s something wrong with you.
Well, every country has their own ethnic slurs. In South Africa n-word is much less offensive than the word “k-ffir”. I don’t know if Americans know that term but it has deep racist roots in South Africa. If you add that many predominantly white countries (mostly eastern european) learn the n-word from American songs or movies, it is hard for them to grasp the connotation it has. I don’t know anything about Iceland though. Bjork probably wanted to make an edgy comment.
“If you add that many predominantly white countries (mostly eastern european) learn the n-word from American songs or movies, it is hard for them to grasp the connotation it has.”
Agree. And the use of the word by black people themselves has caused a bigger confusion.
And not just white countries. For example in Mexico, we dont have almost any African-American population (we are hardly white but the term for us is “mestizo” the mix of spanish and native people) and we speak another language, so the n-word has become known because we consume US’ pop culture. We know is offensive but when you hear all these black people (Jay Z, Kanye, comedians…) saying it, it’s not crazy to think as an outsider, it may not be that offensive.
The thing is, Bjork isn’t a 17 year old Icelandic girl in the suburbs listening to NWA on repeat. Like, she’s IN the industry. She’s BEEN places. She (should) knows.
So? She lived in the States and UK (she has homes there). More in the States than anything else as that’s where she and Barney where most of the time. They did projects there and Bjork always tours in the States too. She’s been exposed to other cultures throughout her whole life.
She’s even dated two black men so bye. I can’t with that lazy argument.
And I’m a Björk fan too. Well, was…As a black woman, I can’t condone this at all.
Benefit of the doubt?!?!? . Get the entire hell out!!!!!
A black man died recently after being shot by police and then having the police plant a taser on him and come up with a lie backed up by his partner to justify and explain the murder. The only thing that disputed the officer’s words and coroner’s reports was a man hiding out of sight and filming the whole exchange.
So this nonsense she’s spouting? Yeah I’m gonna say it’s ignorance from someone who’s lived comfortably and will never know the depths of that word. Which is exactly the same thing it was the last time another it isn’t and comfortable person tried to use another race as a scapegoat for their personal frustrations.
BUT WHAT ABOUT THE POLICE OFFICERS!?!?!?!?
😉
I’m probably one of a handful of WoC who actually like her music, and her latest album is pretty great, but she needs to educate herself. There is NO equal comparison to the struggles of black people in this country. If she doesn’t get that, she shouldn’t be using that word. Period.
+1
I wish people would stop comparing racism or rape to other things.
‘There is NO equal comparison to the struggles of black people in this country’
That just isn’t true, Yoko was on the money, Women are the biggest majority group on this planet yet the only one that has been systematically abused in EVERY culture and country – seeing as you want to play the hierarchy game…
its very American to get angry when people from another Culture don’t give your opinions and culture prescedence – and it would really help if a tonne of Black rappers didn’t keep using the word – either the word is OUT or its ok – you don’t get to tell people who gets to say a word and who doesn’t.
Check out your Constitution?
Marty was not making it a contest. You are. And it’s not helpful to the conversation and not smart. And yes, you have freedom of speech, as in you will not be arrested for saying things like this, but that doesn’t mean you have freedom from the consequences of what you say, or from people thinking you’re an a$$hole for saying it. To compare BROKEN SPEAKERS to the struggles of black people in the world is just plain ignorance.
Women as an entire gender were not enslaved. Black women were, but women as a whole were not. So no, not equivalent.
Wow you hit every mark on the wrong target.
1. It would help a ton if people educated themselves as to why some rappers use that word and what ‘reclaiming’ means. The majority of Black Americans will never work in a corporate office, never have millions of dollars, never even escape poverty and police brutality but will STILL face all the struggles and pain associated with simply being born one color vs. the other. So if those SAME people want to try and claim back 1 thing stolen from them and also give the verbal middle finger to the ruling party of this country then only THEY can individually decide whether they want to.
2. No it is not very ‘American’ to get mad when people don’t share your opinions. It’s very human. It’s also very human to rebuke and reject ignorance, especially when that same ignorance tries to align itself with another’s struggle in merely seeking its own benefit. Tell me how badly women suffered with a point by point comparison of even 1/10th of the horror Africans faced when they were unwillingly dragged to this country and forced to have their very bodies used against them till their dying day. It wasn’t easy being a woman, but a lot of women in turn ignored the plights of minorities so let’s not pretend we were all walking hand in hand.
3. Thanks for the tip on the Consitution, I’d suggest you check out a few documents yourself.
misstee: white feminism in a nutshell.
also: black rappers can use the N word because they are black, there are simply things whites dont have a right to do.
You both really need to get out of your superior attitude – slavery was NOT only occurring back on the Plantations in America – it goes on now, has gone on in other countries at many times – but as per usual you can only see it within your own narrow frame of reference – and I didn’t even mentioned her comment – I was talking about the referenced Yoko comment that she paraphrased.
There are many abuses that have taken place against women easily as despicable as American slavery.
And yes Marty was making it a contest – what cognitive dissonance is going on for you to fail to see he claimed NOTHING was or is more abusive that that suffered by black americans.
“slavery was NOT only occurring back on the Plantations in America – it goes on now, has gone on in other countries at many times”
^^And how does this negate all the points above?
So because slavery still occurs today, what happened to black folks in this country isn’t that bad? I don’t get your “logic”.
Ide give a long reply Kara but your comment just doesn’t justify the effort – dismissing a womans comment because she may be white? and you don’t think that’s bigoted? And NO its not ok to just throw around what is considered a massive slur just because of your skin colour either its offensive or it isn’t , its possible to reclaim a word but that isn’t whats happening there.
– Rap Culture hasn’t exactly got a great reputation considering it has normalised calling women bitches and Ho’s.
Why bother – you all sit here like a bunch of superior mean girls bullying everyone who comes on here who sees things differently – its like an echo chamber.
As a black woman this is a difficult conversation for me. Racism is real and not just in a passive fashion that you can “brush off” as right wing pundits keep suggesting. I was walking down a footpath recently and came across these white teens who were all clearly inebriated and they began to shout racial epithets at me. I was genuinely fearful for my safety. And everybody I told this to was not only appalled but wanted to do something about it. Now guess what, I have also been catcalled and whistled at, felt as though if I dont leave this area fast I could be at risk of rape but this situation isnt nearly as important I’m told. I’m advised to ignore them or dress differently or take it as a compliment.
A cousin of mine was telling me about his ex the other day and he ends the story with “b***ches be crazy”. So I asked him, how would he feel if some white guy told him a story about one messed up individual and then concluded with “n*** be crazy”. He was genuinely thrown. He had never thought about feminist grievances using the lens of oppression.
So I have no problem with people drawing analogies if it gets us progress. If it helps people begin to relate to the struggles of others, then bring it. What I would definitely have a problem with is turning it into a contest of who has it worse which I keep seeing regarding race and homosexuality. Olympics of oppression – no. Analogy to help people better relate – yes.
Misstee
You’re doing something people do during arguments called ‘moving the goal posts’ it’s essentially a tactic used when someone finds their initial points dismissed by facts and has to reposition the argument to try to ‘win’.
First your argument was how women had suffered so black people couldn’t just claim all the suffering – as if that’s a prize. Now it’s how other cultures and races have suffered slavery so black people shouldn’t act as if they’re the only ones suffering – thanks for the suggestion on how to view the reality of physically building up a country only to have it place its boot on your neck and refuse to let you claim any reward or even allow you sit at the same table as a white person for much of it’s history.
I’d ask you to list those many abuses, because this is just my personal hunch but I suspect you don’t have the facts to back up or conversely that you’re not quite informed on the level of atrocities that occurred. I’m a woman, I’m not on any level saying women didn’t suffer at all. But you’re essentially comparing someone with a badly broken ankle to someone who’s had both legs ripped off. There’s levels to everything and they’re not always equal.
Your comment gave me chills, Leona.
Thanks for sharing your POV so eloquently.
The problem is that I don’t see Misstee using the analogy as a way to relate in any form, but rather to draw division. She IS making it into a contest, which is just incredibly counterproductive.
.. and I think I do use my feelings about sexism and misogyny as a way to understand racism, but I also recognize that the experiences are different, and I don’t feel a need to equalize them. I’m ok with black folks having a painful experience with oppression that is uniquely their own- a history and a struggle that still continues today.
I just want to be empathetic and supportive, but try to balance that with not speaking on their behalf–which is hard for me, because I have a big mouth 😉
This reply is to Kara
Whenever someone uses the term “white feminism” it triggers the exact same feelings I get when I hear / read “reverse racism”, “MANsogyny” and “I believe in equality not feminism”. Please interpret that how you will.
Mistee
Rap culture as you put it is not some monolithic black man smacking his bitches on their asses and dancing next to a Mercedes. Do you mean popular hip hop and rap? Gangster rap? Or are you not sure because again you’ve never delved into the subject and merely only stood at a distance to give what little you gleamed from the surface a disapproving frown? Long story short rap is as crude or as eloquent as you want it to be. I will say one thing not lost in rap is the mincing of words, while it has the benefit of beats and music rap is still spoken word and in poetry sometimes you say the phrase that gets the point across without all the other adjectives to disguise it.
Again this all depends on what you listen to. I’ll also say sadly rap has its roots in the issues of Black American culture – which if you were interested is truly amazing to analyze. The relationship between two members of an oppressed group and what men felt they had to do and be to survive and how that sometimes shaped and damaged male-female relationships can be heartbreaking. These effects grow and change along history like a river shaped over time. But I will say this. I’m someone who tries
to give every genre a chance and finds something to enjoy in all of them, and it amuses me to no end how rap gets the blame for misogyny and genres like country or rock just ‘happen’ to get ignored when they’re telling women to hop in their car and drive the stick. I guess more metaphors make it acceptable.
I’ll just say that you’re on what’s essentially a forum. I don’t understand why people can’t handle spirited debate or expect others to simply ignore a comment they wanted to share. I don’t consider passionately replying to your comments to be bullying you. I do consider it a tad ironic you wanted to go with Yoko’s comment making sense but in the face of discussion you don’t want to becom involved – which was why others condemned her comment. Saying ANYTHING is the n-word of the world is going to bring out a lot of emotion and frustration from those people who are just n-words. Not sure what us female n-words are the blank of the world then. Guess we don’t get a catchy slogan.
Check out the Constitution? Why should we?
The First Amendment is not in play here.
Somebody needs to do some studying.
Wow, I left for school and came back to this! I just thought Mistee was trolling, if ever a troll there was.
Thank you ladies, you replied more level-headed and eloquently then I would have.
As a non-American who visits this site often I do think commenters sometimes struggle to imagine a cultural frame of reference that is not American. The n word is offensive because of its historical associations in your country. In my country, and presumably in Iceland where Bjork is from, the word has no history of use. It’s understood to be a nasty racist word that no one educated would ever use, but there are plenty of other slurs I would consider equally offensive. I understand that to many Americans the n word is the most offensive thing you could ever say out loud, but honestly, most people in the world don’t feel that way. I’m not defending Bjork, because she should have known better, I’m just saying it’s difficult for her to understand quite how offensive this word is to Americans, because she’s from a completely different cultural background and it’s always going to be sort of abstract to her.
This…isn’t surprising. From my (limited) experience, the North of Europe (Iceland, Scandinavia, etc.) all seem to have serious issues when it comes to racial sensitivity and the like. They grow up in fairly homogeneous societies, so they genuinely have no clue about racial diversity or the complexities it creates. My husband and I traveled to Sweden a while ago (my husband is Arab and is quite dark) and our daughter (who is mixed). The reception we got was…not great. Iceland was marginally better. It wasn’t hostility, per se, but the level of casual racism was shocking. It’s really a society that hasn’t gotten the exposure to racial issues that it needs.
I’m sure that she was referencing the John and Yoko song. But that song caused a lot of uproar when it came out and even Yoko now admits the phrasing was poor and she shouldn’t have done it. And it’s pretty crappy that it comes out today when the lead story on my news was a white cop getting tried for shooting a fleeing black man in the back. I mean, that kind of puts it in perspective, doesn’t it?
Bjork should know better. It’s not like she’s lived some isolated life in Iceland. She’s been around the world. It’s not like she doesn’t know black people. She dated Tricky ,black man. I think she would know what’s appropriate.
I took a flight from the States on my way to Europe on IcelandAir recently. I am a WOC and this was the first time in a LONG TIME that I experienced blatant racism. It shocked me. Multiple stewardesses on two separate flights refused to make eye contact and even turned their heads away from me when lining up to say good-bye. This happened twice. I even turned to see what they were looking at. Nothing.
One on flight, asking for water, or a drink I was ignored. Gave it to the two men beside me (I was by the window). I was shouting to be heard, even waving a bit (airplanes are loud). Ignored. But I am from NY. So I got up out of my seat. Climbed over the two sleepy gentlemen beside me, and confronted her. (I was thirsty). In my life, I no longer have any fricks to give. So I said to her. In her face. Eye contact. She she knew that I knew. “I was calling you. You ignored me.” Half hearted apology, quick turn away. But I got my tea darnit!
(ultimately racism, when not used to defend the killing of you, is meant to diminish and demean you. I stood up for myself, got my water. But will I go back to Iceland? No. I felt humiliated. I know these are first world problems. But I was so shocked I just wanted to share my painful scandinavian adventure.)
Thank you for sharing! As someone who has plans to trouble to places that are very monolithic and don’t have a lot of experience with minorities in prepping myself for the worst.
Like you though I’ve had to employ the ABW role too many times when someone wished to treat my kindness and politeness with ignorance merely because of the color of my skin. So I’m well prepared to get up and make myself known. There’s a time when you run outs of fcks.
i’m so sorry that happened to you. that’s terrible
I’m so sorry that happened to you. I can’t imagine how it feels. I’m fortunate in that I’m white (and pretty fair) so for me, Scandinavia wasn’t an issue. But I noticed so many people who would interact only with me instead of my husband (he’s fairly dark as Arab man go. In the states, he gets Naveen Andrews comparisons, so kind of like that). I noticed so many times a waiter or waitress would not address him, look at him, etc. But I have to say I did not notice it in Iceland – some looks, but nothing awful, luckily. Sweden was the worst of them. I actually had more than one person ask me, while out with my daughter (who is on the dark side, like her dad) is my daughter was a “little (Swedish version of the N-word)” Yes, really. And it took me aback – like how do you answer that?
I won’t say they are all that way, because I don’t know that. Would I ever want to go back? Never, not in my lifetime. I’m glad my daughter was too young to really appreciate that stuff.
Seriously, what is wrong with people??
I would agree with this, I’m a black woman and I used to live in Iceland. They do have issues with racial sensitivity. It’s a small country and has only recently (like in the last 10-15 years) begun to diversify in population. They get a lot of their info about black american culture from movies, tv, and radio, which gives them a totally skewed and inaccurate perception of what is acceptable. It’s not like they don’t know the n-word is a slur, but when you have no connection to its history and oppression, and you’re hearing Jay Z say it on the radio, what are you gonna do? I had a small kid, maybe 8 or 9 pass me on the street once and say “what up my n–?” Kid had no clue!
That said, I do think Bjork could be more aware of what she’s saying and where. Her comment in Iceland would not blink an eye but she should know by now not to say something like that here. My husband is Icelandic and says some questionable things sometimes, but I know he’s not coming from a place of malice, just ignorance and cultural insensitivity. He’s also learning quickly now that we’re living in the states that he should ask me if it’s okay to say something before he unintentionally offends someone.
She’s an idiot~that’s all I got.
Bjork is unhappy about something?? GTF out. Whatevs man. loved me some Sugarcubes back in the day. I mean way way waaaaay back.
She’s a privileged, middle aged white lady who takes yourself way too seriously. Just stop it.
I personally find it just a tad too much when artists go on about audio/sound quality just about anywhere. Leave the museum/ hospital/ restaurant and every other place that is not where you are going to perform. Your concert is fine, you can be grumpy about that. Be grumpy about your record being made on terrible sound. Because the quality thing is subjective. Plus, when one cannot afford all your high quality speakers/headphones then one makes do with what one has. This is like Kanye ranting. Utterly out of touch BS. Unless is your money you’re putting out, stfu.
Really, it’s about the stupidest complaint I’ve ever heard. Get a real problem.
It’s truly one of the oddest comparisons I’ve ever heard. I didn’t agree with the original Yoko quote but I at least understood the point she was trying to make. This though? Pure gtfo bs on Bjork’s part.
Leona for President!
Hear, hear!
People who appropriate the “N” word to push a completely unrelated issue like the quality of music in a museum, or the ever-charming Madonna who used it on an IG about her son’s boxing skills, are continuing it’s deplorable use for the most banal and self-serving of reasons. No matter in what context it’s used, it’s root is a horribly offensive racial epithet, and for Bjork to use it to represent a stupid pet peeve is unacceptable.
I used to love Bjork back in the day, but after the swan outfit and the reporter beatdown at the airport, I was convinced she has many loose screws. I consider her words rambling nonsense.
What about that court case though? It sounds like she is trying to punish the dad
I agree, they can easily do 50/50 co-parenting. She is being difficult not Barney.
The custody argument is reflecting bad on her. She acts like she’s over the separation but she clearly isn’t. Their daughter has expressed a need to see her father more, Björk IS trying to alienate that girl from her father otherwise the child wouldn’t feel the need to speak up. Barney highlights this saying she is 12 years old and intelligent. Björk will not get away with this. He might have been a dick husband but he seems like a good father who wants to be there for his child. I know Barney cheated on her with men and women but sheesh, don’t punish your child. Björk needs to deal.
I assumed she was a sensitive and perceptive soul but these events make me think she doesn’t have it all together anymore. Even her albums have been deteriorating slowly, only half of Vulnicura is listenable and she used to be self-aware and self-critical but this album lacks that. A break-up doesn’t just happen, what did she do? There is something in her personality that I think is not as easygoing as I originally thought it was. I used to think she was a cool artist but she seems more like the tortured artist cliché. I ain’t here for that…
Oh, no. No, no no.
I guess I must have become fairly accustomed to fellow creative types complaining about things they consider to be in their purview, no matter the setting or occasion (architects, lighting & set designers, painters, musicians, singers, urban planners, etc.) Those comments struck me as a not-uncommonly exaggerated & dramatic expression of frustration and sensitivity and, yes, even artistic sensibility.
There are also many creative types who NEVER do well when having to translate their thoughts into answers for an interview; it becomes cringingly obvious that the printed or spoken word – out of their usual usage of them in another art form – are NOT their forte, nor the best means of expressing themselves.
As for her use of the n-word, my first impression was that she meant it in the spirit of Ono’s quote, as well as another one I’ve always heard: “Everybody is somebody’s n-word.” I don’t believe for a nanosecond that – in what may have been her genuine if larger-than-life reaction to noise and sound – she actually understood just how obscene, injurious, inapplicable and ridiculous it would prove to so many other people and their own sensibilities.
As to whether or not she would care, that may remain to be seen. I wonder if she will attempt to issue a ‘clarification,’ apology or the like.
And not that it in any way excuses her ignorance or detestable lack of judgement, but in this interview, she impressed me as a person standing in the ruins of a relationship, probably afraid and striking out, not knowing how to process her own anger and confusion.
Just DO NOT use that word. Don’t. Not for shock value, not for street cred, not for ANYTHING.
Oh wow. I am a huge fan of her, and this is so incredibly disappointing. I’m really rethinking how I feel about her. I know in Europe they don’t totally understand American race relations and the terrible history of that word. But she is an educated, well traveled woman and should know better. Uhhhggg
Really Bjork?!
Sigh.
This complaint from a woman getting the full vanity artiste treatment at MOMA is beyond tone deaf takes the cake.
I’m leaving, tell Shane I don’t care. I don’t know, call the weekend guy. Well, you can figure it out because as of now I’m off-duty.
Leona where fo you live? It doesn’t sound very metropolitan! I’m a non American and where I live you would get sued for racial slurs. You keep bringing this up a lot, but there are parts of the world where you’re a minority if you’re white. I’ve experienced it.
Also I’ll take this seriously when black people stop saying it too
The thing is we don’t all use that word so don’t put us all in the same basket. I don’t use it, nobody in my family uses it and I try not to be friends with people that do. And is funny but Jews run a lot of things now a days so I don’t think you guys care one way or another about what’s eating black people.
I’ve never understood how this woman reached icon status and why people think she’s some kind of goddess. She has such a horrific voice and terrible stage presence, she’s just a non-entity, musically speaking.
The swan costume is embarrassing, but that brown dress (not Bjork’s look) is a freaking work of art!
Good one Des
Jews “run a lot of things ”
Please
Disappointed, tbh. Because she’s not stupid and was completely aware of what she was doing. TF would she do that tho? Bad move. That being said, probably won’t buy or listen to any of her new stuff.