From Iceland — Happy Birthday, Björk!

Happy Birthday, Björk!

Published November 21, 2013

Larissa Kyzer

In honor of Björk’s 48th birthday, we’ve collected some of our favorite interview moments and encounters with the singer, as well as some of her own Favorite Things.
And so, in rough chronological order:
The Sugarcubes perform live in Akureyri, 1989
Björk rocks a pixie cut as she and the band perform Dear Plastic, Eat the Menu, and Speed is the Key, with some backstage moments interspersed.


Björk is interviewed on a Finnish TV show, 1996
“Do you feel like you have a responsibility as a pop star?”
“No.”
“Nothing? You are a big idol for many young people.”
“That’s their problem.”


Björk shows off her house (and Reykjavík) on MTV Cribs (year undetermined)


“I found some boxes of old tiles that hadn’t been used and spent some brilliant, summery, red winey evenings breaking them into pieces, and then puzzling them back on [to the wall].”
Björk Dissects Her TV, While Narrating (year undetermined)


Björk Declares Instruments to be “so over” (2004)
Björk attacks a reporter in Bangkok, 2006
In her defense, the woman had apparently been stalking her.


Björk asks crowd to help her sing “Happy Birthday (in Icelandic) to one of her dancers during a concert, 2008


Björk Guest DJs for NPR, 2009
“All Songs Considered” invited Björk to pick one song by another artist which she admires and write about it. Instead, she picked six songs, and talked about each on air. Her set list includes songs by Omar Souleyman, Ólöf Arnalds, and the Pokrovsky Ensemble.
Björk Curates Her Favorite TED Talks, 2011
Her favorite topics include a mushroom burial suit, growing your own clothes, and a virtual choir.
Björk Changes Mind About Instruments; Invents New One, 2012

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