Björk wants credit where credit is due

Earlier this week, Björk issued a statement that took the Icelandic publication The Reykjavik Grapevine to task for crediting Valgeir Sigurðsson with writing the arrangements on her 2001 album, Vespertine. The singer responded to the news item in a detailed statement that includes a list of the album’s credits. Björk wants to make the music press accountable for perpetuating the perception that men turn all the knobs in the production of electronic music.

Her full post appears on her website. The excerpt here gives one of four reasons why the misunderstanding around crediting continues to persist.

I´ll admit that one thing could confuse things: people have to use their ears and actually read the creditlist[sic] to get this information. all the music i have made: like for example string arrangements, synthbasslines [sic] or programming of electronic patterns, i never play myself live because i want to give 100% of myself into the singing i either ask the computers to play it or i get other musicians to play it. this could confuse things.

She also makes reference to a journalistic incident with M.I.A., the London-based Sri Lankan electro artist, citing Pitchfork Media’s insinuation that her musical partner at the time, Diplo, was responsible for her sophomore release, Kala.

So for everyone else that doesn’t bother to read the credits before opening their uneducated mouths and making career-breaking implications in the male-dominated arena of electronic music, consider yourselves warned: Björk has been known to get violent when provoked.