Bono discusses the genius of Björk: “It went straight to my heart”
In 2017, U2 frontman Bono asserted that modern music has become “very girly”. Most people would read that and likely furrow their brows in confusion, but the comments he shared elsewhere – particularly when discussing female artists – show that no one is more confused and astounded by the talent in the industry than the man himself.
In fact, Bono might have claimed that the current music landscape holds no space for expressing young, male anger, but he also explained the appeal of rock ‘n’ roll, implying that the moment it loses its anger, it’s over. He told Rolling Stone: “In the end, what is rock ‘n’ roll? Rage is at the heart of it. Some great rock’ n’ roll tends to have that, which is why The Who were such a great band. Or Pearl Jam. Eddie [Vedder] has that rage.”
Bono’s evidently misconstrued ideas of what it means to create great rock music coasts the line between endearing musical sensibilities and perpetuated gender stereotypes – to be masculine, you must be angry. The moment rock loses its fire, it becomes “girly”. Overtly misogynistic implications aside, the singer does enjoy some music created by women, especially when it leans into the more innovative and business-leaning sides of the art.
One such artist that continues to captivate his attention is Icelandic connoisseur Björk. In the same feature that saw him commenting on rock’s loss of appetite, he said: “Björk [is] really one of my absolute favourite singers.”
He added: “She used to say, ‘In Iceland, you know, we see musicians, artists, like carpenter or plumber.’ And I was like, that’s exactly how I see it. I see songs as kind of solutions to problems. I can’t explain that, but it means I cannot – as a lot of artists do – look down on business.”
There’s no denying Björk’s obvious talent – she’s actually one of the few artists who can take the most fundamentally unspoken aspects of human existence and transform them into poetry, all while making significant commentaries on what it means to remain in close contact with the natural world and our most spiritual selves. Bono’s appreciation likely connects to this very thread, which also happens to hold up a mirror to corporate impacts, like industrialisation and the loss of our basic instincts.
In Bono’s view, the singer possesses the rare ability to conceptualise such seemingly difficult simplicities. “Joy is the hardest thing to put across,” the musician explains. “Whether you’re a painter, filmmaker – whatever you do. It’s easy to paint with black; it’s easy to be angry. But the ecstasy in her voice is unusual.” Bono may believe in finding appropriate levels of freedom to express outlets for rage, but Björk softens his view on musical excellence.
“She has a voice like that ice pick,” he added, recalling the moment The Sugarcubes would perform on the same bill as U2. “I could always seem to hear that voice. [It] could travel through metal and concrete and glass. It just went straight to my heart.” Without knowing the profound subject matter at the heart of Björk’s music, her voice is a mesmerising conduit into her world, beckoning you to explore what it means to experience the purest manifestation of art.
