Björk has said she remains hopeful for the future of the planet, claiming that “biology always wins”.
During a new interview with Paper, the Icelandic singer-songwriter explained that she was “very excited about 2025” despite the ongoing threats to Earth.
“There have always been apocalypses,” she told the publication. “We had Noah and the flood, we’ve had plagues. There’s always been this narrative, and now I think it’s about being active and being part of the solution.
“And also to have the courage to imagine a future and be in it, to be it. To inspire your work locally in your community or however you think you can make a difference. It is important.”
Björk has long been an advocate for environmental causes, and previewed her new climate-focused Cornucopia concert film last September as part of Climate Week 2024. The project is due to arrive on Apple TV this Friday (January 24).
The artist went on to tell Paper that she found it difficult to watch some “post-apocalyptic shows or films”, adding: “It’s like you’ve just given up – the nihilism, the self-pity, it’s like it’s cool to give up [Laughs]. I don’t think it’s cool to give up.”
She continued: “So it’s about figuring out how we can keep humanity and soul in the future worlds we’re building, where nature and technology can collaborate. But I think it is possible. I think with imagination, biology can take it, biology will be fine. Biology always wins.”
Björk acknowledged that humans were currently “facing a very difficult situation” collectively, but said she believed that we would “overcome it”. “For me, it’s more about taking it for what it is,” she explained.
“We have to write climate accords that we can reach. We have to keep tweaking it until we get it right. And I’m hoping the next generation, when they take over, they’ll think about it in a different way and come up with different solutions, green ways of living.”
She described the new Cornucopia film as “a statement”, telling the outlet: “It’s about saying no to all the films being made today that are post-apocalyptic. It’s about all the self-pity of civilisation, of the slow-mo Titanic crashing, and the self-destructive element of Western civilization, the narcissism in it.
“It’s all about watching a slow-mo narrative we’re not a part of. It’s very US, UK, European-centered, white, male – and thankfully, you know, there are so many other narratives.”
She went on: “When the concert opens, it is like a sci-fi fantasy, but then it is a sobering moment when the Manifesto runs by. Where I’m actually like, ‘Snap out of it!’ and talk about the Paris Climate Accord. It’s like, if we think of whatever climate accord we’re trying to reach as completely unreachable, then we’ll never be able to meet these goals.”
Speaking to NME in 2022, Björk touched on the positive impact young people were having: “Gen Z-ers are really radical, and I’m relieved that the environment is a priority for them – I’m up for it! When I read the news, most of it won’t matter in 20 years. The only thing that really matters is how we deal with the environment.”
The singer has previously worked with Greta Thunberg on the environmental manifesto speech that played during Björk’s 2019 ‘Cornucopia’ tour. In 2022, the pair appeared in conversation together on the World Review podcast where they discussed climate change, greenwashing, politics and more.
She also told NME in her 2022 interview that she was confident in future leaders taking action on the climate, and standing up for women and gender minorities.
“There’s been a huge change, and it’s really hard to explain to people who are younger than me,” she said. “Just to see all the US female rappers now; that would never have happened in the ‘80s.”
The following year, Björk released a song with Rosalia to help fight open-pen salmon farming in her native Iceland.
As Consequence notes, one of new US President Donald Trump’s first actions upon returning to the White House was signing an order to withdraw from the Paris Climate Accords for a second time.
In other news, Björk has spoken about how her tours have changed in recent years so she “can actually have a life”.
