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.

View image | gettyimages.com

View image | gettyimages.com

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