Björk << byerk >> (1965-…) is an Icelandic singer, songwriter, musician, and actress. She is known for her childlike singing voice, unusual costumes, and bold music videos.
Björk Gudmundsdóttir was born on Nov. 21, 1965, in Reykjavik, Iceland. She began taking lessons in flute and piano at age 5. Her first album, Björk, was released in 1977, when she was 11 years old. It featured traditional Icelandic folk songs and international hit songs translated into Icelandic. As a teenager, Björk was in several punk rock bands. Punk rock tends to have a fast, loud sound and a rebellious attitude.
In 1986, Björk helped form a band called the Sugarcubes. The group had an international hit with its first single, “Birthday.” The Sugarcubes’ critically acclaimed first album, Life’s Too Good (1988), was also an international success. The group’s other studio albums were Here Today, Tomorrow Next Week! (1989) and Stick Around for Joy (1992). The latter album featured the group’s biggest hit single, “Hit.” The Sugarcubes disbanded in 1992.
In 1993, Björk released Debut, her first solo album as an adult. The album became a worldwide hit. It featured the hit singles “Human Behaviour” and “Big Time Sensuality.” Björk’s next studio album, Post (1995), was also a worldwide hit. It featured the hit singles “Army of Me,” “Hyperballad,” and “It’s Oh So Quiet.” In 2011, she released Biophilia, the first iPad application album. In addition to recorded music, Biophilia features touch-screen interactive games, visuals, and musical tools. Björk’s other studio albums are Homogenic (1997), Vespertine (2001), Medúlla (2004), Volta (2007), Vulnicura (2015), Utopia (2017), and Fossora (2022). She has also performed on recordings by other performers.
As an actress, Björk made her motion-picture debut in the fantasy drama The Juniper Tree (1990), based on one of the Grimm’s fairy tales. In 2000, she starred in the melodrama Dancer in the Dark as a factory worker with a hereditary disease that causes blindness. Her performance in the film won critical praise. Björk composed the music for the film’s soundtrack. In 2022, she acted in the action drama epic The Northman.
See also Glennie, Evelyn.
