Björk has been around for so long that we often take her for granted. She has been a singular force in music for over three decades now. Since her solo debut in 1993, Björk’s unique voice, avant-garde music and eccentric spirit has shaped and reshaped how we perceive her.
Did you know Björk is a worthy political and environmental activist? There are of course those who will disagree. However, many others share the opinion that activism is central to who she is as a person and an artist. In 2023, Björk said “We are the canary in the coalmine,” in relation to her environmental activism. “It’s our job to have our sensors, our antennae, out all the time, and read how we feel in our environment and be aware. We pick up this emergency – and we want to act on it.”
Some of Björk’s overtly environmental tracks include Náttúra (with Radiohead’s Thom Yorke), a song about the exploitation of Iceland’s natural resources by heavy industry. On Earth Intruders, Björk takes a swipe at humanity, and the politically corrupt forces wreaking havoc upon Earth’s ecological systems. Even songs like Arpeggio, which was performed as a spoken-word, live-piece during Björk’s Cornucopia tour, states very clearly that our only way to survive is to tackle the multitude of environmental challenges ahead of us.
In 2025, National Geographic named Björk as one of the honorees on its inaugural “National Geographic 33” list as a global trailblazer and “changemaker”. From her protests against industrial fish farming and the return of commercial whaling in Iceland to voicing solidarity with Greenlanders’ right to self-determination, Björk has proven to be a prickly thorn in many politicians’ sides. More recently this year she issued a fiery statement in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s careless push to annex Greenland. She wrote: “[To] go from one cruel coloniser to another is too brutal to even imagine.”
Musically, Björk’s most overtly political song about rebellion and defiance, Declare Independence from her 2007 album Volta, has stirred controversy over the years, especially during concerts across cities around the world. “Damn colonists / Ignore their patronising,” Björk instructs. “Tear off their blindfolds/ Open their eyes.”
Originally written and dedicated with Greenland and the Faroe Islands in mind, Björk has since adapted her nation-building lyrics to show support for oppressed cultures and peoples seeking independence. With instructions like “Start your own currency. Make your own stamp. Protect your language,” Björk has for instance dedicated the song in support of Kosovo independence in 2008. However, her more memorable Tibet outburst that same year in Shanghai, China caused a much bigger stir with its geopolitical fallout and government bans. Even Scotland’s push for independence in 2014 received Björk’s blessing: “Scotland! Scotland! Scotland! Declare independence! Don’t let them do that to you!”
In short, Declare Independence is deceptively simple, disguising its heartfelt call for independence behind a raw, industrial punk-infused electronic riff. Still to this day it remains one of Björk’s most experimental avant-garde songs. Even her music video feels like Doof Warrior from Mad Max invaded her set. While it might not rank amongst her best tracks, it is nonetheless an important political and personal anthem in Björk’s catalogue.
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