Bjork Axed From EXIT After Kosovo Protest
The Icelandic star has been axed from Serbia's EXIT festival after dedicating the song 'Declare Independence' to Kosovo while Chinese authorities are upset after she played the song for Tibet.
The song was dedicate to Kosovo on two occasions when Bjork played in Japan last week. Her dedication so enraged officials that her appearance at this year's EXIT festival in Serbia has been cancelled.
Organisers of the festival warned the singer that her scheduled appearance would be cancelled if she persisted in raising the issue of Kosova during her concerts. A letter from festival organiser Bojan Boscovic, General Manager of the Exit Festival, said:
"We hope Bjork does not relate to Kosovo on other concerts here in Europe, nor in her interviews, because if she does we need to cancel the concert; if this happens, we may as well look for some other artist, or see what is available.”
Clearly, the warning had little effect on the singer.
Bjork further incurred the ire of Chinese officials when 'Declare Independence' was then dedicated in Shanghai to the plight of Tibet. A number of state-approved blogs declared their extreme displeasure.
Sina.com said: "This woman really makes people throw up" while the Danwei site ran a posting that declared: "Those who put on the show should be severely fined and not allowed to bring this kind of trash in for performances."
Bjork has remained defiant in the face of criticism from the two nation states. Writing on her website, the singer said:
“I have been asked by many for a statement after dedicating my song 'Declare Independence' to both Kosovo and Tibet on different occasions. I would like to put importance on that I am not a politician, I am first and last a musician and as such I feel my duty to try to express the whole range of human emotions.
“The urge for declaring independence is just one of them but an important one we all feel at some times in our lives. This song was written more with the personal in mind but the fact that it has translated to its broadest meaning, the struggle of a suppressed nation, gives me much pleasure.
“I would like to wish all individuals and nations good luck in their battle for independence. Justice!”
Tagged as Björk, Cancellation, Festivals
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