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Image via Björk
“The fact I’m a woman and I can do what I do, it’s kind of unique, really,” Björk said at the launch of her virtual reality digital exhibition in Australia.
Explaining her frustration with an industry she believes holds strong sexist tendencies, the Icelandic singer-songwriter specifically voiced her concerns about music journalism, which she sees as unfairly geared towards masculine tastes.
“I’ve been really lucky. But I have been hitting walls,” she explained. “What’s really macho, for example, is music journalism. It’s really like a boys’ club. They like music that is… well, a lot of it is for boys.”
Her dissatisfaction isn’t confined to the music industry, however. Discussing her acting experience in the 2000 film Dancer in the Dark, Björk addressed inequalities between men and women when it comes to personal career control and attitudes towards aging.
“I couldn’t believe what it’s like for actresses,” she said. “It’s just a nightmare how they’re treated. They have so little say in their career or roles they play as they get older. Guys can get older, but not women.”
Known for her progressive take on music and performance, she also took the time to explain that “I actually think a lot about my music is quite conservative. People think I’m taking the piss, but I think I have my voice and that’s it.”
If you missed it, watch the video for “Mouth Mantra” (which was filmed inside her actual mouth) from her 2015 album Vulnicura below.
