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March 04, 2008

Watch: Bjork declares independence for Tibet at China concert...

The Daily Swarm | Read Full Story >

UPDATE: The Lipster:

“When I said “Tibet, Tibet”, I whispered it three times. There was no fuss in the room. It happened afterwards on websites. It shows more than anything that China has become the next superpower in the world. And the issue is: how are they going to deal with Western moral issues like freedom of speech? China said, ‘It’s obvious Björk planned a trip to China with the purpose of political propaganda gathering… and I was like, no! It’s not true! It’s a question of [them] sensationalising it.”

But Björk was desperate to point out that she wasn’t a political spokesperson. “Perhaps after what’s happened, people will find that difficult to believe. But I’m still working from an emotional core, and my songs come from private and personal experiences. Even songs like Declare Independence for me are about humanity.”

She added: “I stand by what I said, but I think what I should do is make more music, go in the studio and make more songs, have that connection to people.”

UPDATE: BBC:

China is to impose stricter rules on foreign rock and pop stars after singer Bjork caused controversy by shouting “Tibet, Tibet” at a Shanghai concert.
Her cry followed a powerful performance of her song Declare Independence.

Talk of Tibetan independence is considered taboo in China, which has ruled the territory since 1951.

China’s culture ministry said the outburst “broke Chinese law and hurt Chinese people’s feelings” and pledged to “further tighten controls”.

The ministry said: “We will further tighten controls on foreign artists performing in China in order to prevent similar cases from happening in the future.

“We shall never tolerate any attempt to separate Tibet from China and will no longer welcome any artists who deliberately do this.”

Variety:

Icelandic warbler Bjork has ruffled feathers in China after she cried out “Tibet! Tibet!” at the end of a performance of “Declare Independence” during her concert in Shanghai.

Local media had flagged the gig, her first in China, as “Bjork’s Shanghai Surprise,” and the diminutive pop star certainly lived up to the billing.

Sunday’s incident was not reported on state media, but it did prompt outraged responses on bulletin boards and blogs.

It is just such outbursts that the Chinese government is hoping to avoid at August’s Olympic Games in Beijing.

Pitchfork:

Once again, a recap: At a concert in Tokyo, as previously reported, Björk dedicated “Declare Independence” to newly independent Kosovo, leading to friction between the artist and organizers of Serbia’s EXIT Festival (more on that below). In Shanghai this past weekend, according to various reports, Björk dedicated the same song to Tibet, whose struggle for independence from China is well documented. (The Guardian has video of it here.)

Here’s what Björk had to say on the matter:

“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!”


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24 Comments

#1 darma says:

Fantastic we need more like her

#2 thaksin says:

if only all the musicians/entertainers/activists took the time and effort to study chinese history spanning over 5000 years, perhaps they might save themselves from the embarrassment of being totally ignorant and self serving in their crusade for 'justice' for tibet.

for starters most of these people have never even been to tibet so how do they know anything let alone history, the development over the decades and the increase in wealth, living standards and freedom from poverty that has occurred to the indigenous peoples of the region from as recently as the early 1980s.

there has not been any denials made by the chinese government in the importance of tibet as part of one-china policy and it is in their interest to protect their sovereignty by any means necessary. this is part of the human condition. the means are never all just and it has occurred the world over.

but equally the propaganda and brainwashing conducted by the western media upon the peoples in that hemisphere concerning tibet and xinjiang are fuelled by ulterior motives, too numerous to mention here.

so for some musician who is obviously not well educated enough about the world, to come about as a political commentator/activist in to a sovereign state and carry out such an action, displays only a lack of respect for the people of that sovereignty and the state itself. this of course is all the more inappropriate because it is based on a lack of knowledge and done with a financial receipt to perform from those whom she insult while being a guest in their country.

a brief stint at a chinese prison cell would have been deserving and perhaps if indeed it had been so, it would have done this performer some good, for her to have a little solitary time to contemplate her actions which may actually help her to mature a little. that way she could teach her children something of value and perhaps deliver better discourse within art and perhaps become a real artist of the responsible type.

people need to consider whether such actions if carried out in washington over alaskan independence to a separate state of an inuit nation or in jerusalem, for the independence of gaza as part of the palestinian nation would go down so well or be tolerated by the authorities without any consequences.

#3 a common chinese says:

She's almost a madwoman !Oh ,No.A rabid dog!

#4 Erkinuyghur says:

I see her wearing a top from Uyghur Etles, tibetan skiert.
Uyghurs are like Tibets fighting for indepandance since 1955 from the Chinese Regime. Millions of Uyghurs are still siving in Exile in Kazakista, Uzbekistan, US and Europe.
Free Ugyhurs !!!
Free Tibet!!!!
I am going to respect Bjork for this forever!
She wasnt afraid of loosing her fans like the other Pop stars. She is the real FREEDOM TO ME!!!

#5 2RealEstateMidgets says:

She compounded the outrage she had incurred by then accusing Chinese officials of playing a joke by putting "pee-pee" in her Coke. On further inspection, it was revealed that it was actually only Vanilla Coke. So sorry.

#6 McKilla DaNilla says:

If Bjork took the time to study 5000 years of chinese history, she wouldn't be bjork, she'd be BJORING. It's like my favorite Clinton, George, said: "it ain't what you know, it's what you feel, don't worry about being right, just be for real."

#7 thaksin says:

it is precisely morons who are ignorant about facts and are self indulgent about their feelings that result in acts which carry no value nor create examination nor discourse worthy of thought.

to teach you mckilla nilla a lesson which you and bjork don't seem to have learnt in school: learn the facts before you open your yap.

otherwise what comes out is garbage like the typical bum on the street; you can smell the stench before he even open his mouth to greet you with the rotten breath.

that is truly boring, sad and a waste of life.

#8 I don't know... says:

...or care what's been posted in the comments above me. But I just wanted to say I love this crazy woman. She could break into my house any day and impregnate my dog.

#9 question says:

thaksin, and i mean this in the nicest possible way, but your missive in #2 sounds a lot like many statements made by the chinese government. do you work for them, by any chance? your rhetoric seems so well thought out, yet slanted in a particular way not often found on music blogs. Having an ideological slant isn't a bad thing-we all have them-but I am curious as to the root of yours.

#10 thaksin says:

interesting that the opinion made by the brilliant mind of 'i don't know' who took the time to tell us about his/her emotional world and connection to the thoughtless performer would equate to his/her animal fetishism.

question:

we are all socialised to form an ideology. to turn your question back to you, what is yours based upon? if it has no bearing on facts (as in taking in all the facts and question, where are you getting all your facts?) then what use is there to voice your opinion?

if it is purely driven by emotions resulting in the need to express or fight in a crusade then the action we are discussing seem all the more foolish and ignorant as it ultimately goes to show the lack of knowledge and respect for one's own intellect.

do yourself some justice and do some in depth research before questioning. in this case, ignorance is not bliss.

#11 question says:

Um, thaksin, i didn't actually form/state an opinion. furthermore, i already stated that ideology is socialized. yours, however, sounds "official," so i wanted to know if indeed it is. in the western media, we mostly hear criticism of tibet's occupation by china, so i am curious as to the root of yours. i am fully open to your opinion, and want to be informed by something that might change/enhance my opinions. as for bjork's outburst, it seems sincere and based in something (bjork has performed at tibetan freedom concerts, and has done research on the issues at hand), but her expression of it is about as subtle as grooverider bringing pot to dubai (and obviously very incendiary in this context). so i understand both points; the truth is, you didn't really address my question (not that you have to).

#12 Bill says:

Don't you guys think this young naive icelandic girl a little bit overacting? DOes she know very much about Tibet, a mysterious and isolated place as reported by western media?

As a Chinese and fan, I favor her voice but not her word. Stay in China longer, learn more about different races here and then give your comment, and that is something called responsibility.

#13 are you serious says:

So because Bjork spoke her mind, she should be locked up in solitary confinement, which in turn makes her a better parent, and a responsible artist? Do you even realize that what you typed is ridiculous, thaksin, or did you let your (gasp) emotions get to you?

#14 It blows my mind... says:

...that the chinese government reads the daily swarm!

#15 Steven Patrick Morrissey says:

a citizen of the western hemispehere speaks their mind and the chinese government cries foul and is cracking down? ...shocker...

#16 thaksin says:

I'm retarded

#17 sum yung guy says:

China needs to get out of Sudan also. why does the Olympic committee even consider this place?

#18 BjorkBjoner says:

I love her. I saw her at Coachella. she gave me a big bjoner

#19 Thanks Bill says:

you're wanted back at the ministry of propaganda - western media division, Pronto. Boss Lee found the porn on your computer

#20 Confused says:

thaksin,

You keep talking about the facts and history of the region changing my or anyone else's opinion, but you haven't even presented a single fact. You just keep getting more riled up about this.

Question is right. You sound like just an angry, calculated statement.

#21 Thirteenburn says:

Too bad they didn't take her into custody right after the show and had her shot.

The music world would be a whole lot better off without this broad screetching and squalling and calling it music. If what she does is considered music, then my cat is the next big thing and will make me richer than my wildest dreams!!

On behalf of the Chinese music fans, I say "Thanks one Hell of a lot you Icelandic bitch!!" You just royally fucked a whole lot of Chinese music fans who will now never again get to see any top notch, first class AMERICAN rock and roll, probably ever again. You also screwed it up for any of the musicians and bands who were planning on playing there in the future.

Everybody knows what's going on. I realize that there are only two television stations, maybe one or two more radio stations and one newspaper in your shitty and really cold country, but here in the rest of the world, we all know what's happening in China. Obviously you don't have a fucking clue, or you would have kept your fucking mouth shut. You didn't need to add your two cents worth, that actually did absolutely NOTHING in the end, except of course, again, fuck a whole lot of people out of seeing any really good music in the future. Thank God it was only the 12 or 14 people that came to your shitty shows who heard you, or you probably WOULD have been executed.

I hope you're proud of yourself. Now; I would suggest you shut the fuck up, go back to your Yert in the middle of the big nowhere that they call Iceland, and go back to yawling shrilly into your four track, just like how all of your other albums sound.

Cheers!!

#22 'Nuff Said says:

I Concur.

#23 enderandpeter says:

Good God! So many Bjork-haters! Listen to the album Post, for Christ's sake. Bjork is a better musician than any of us here could ever aspire to be.

As far as her comments, first of all, I agree with musicians boycotting performing in China. Though this may deny the Chinese good music, the current trade restrictions don't seem to have too great of an effect on influencing any kind of human rights reform.

Secondly, Tibet is it's own country and Chinese officials embarrass themselves by only showing footage on Chinese TV of Tibetans being violent while one has to resort to Western media to see soldiers chase monks through the street. As much as the leaders there insist that everything is going smooth and we can bring on over the Olympics when we're ready, it is obvious that things are not going according to plan.

thaksin, Tibet has been in need of reform, only not the kind that China has in store for it. Tibet had slavery, indeed, and intense social stratification between the priestly class and everyone else. Do you really think Bjork is unaware of this? You are quick to assume so. Indeed Chinese reform brought hospitals, infrastructure, and better health conditions in general. However, they provide this at a cruel price.

I agree that the Western media often portrays too rosy of a picture of Tibetan history. To tell you the truth, we in the US still do that here concerning Native American life back in the day. Of course, even they engaged in brutality towards other people and their environment. Still, it was wrong to steal their homes. Unfortunately, now that everyone is here, by whatever means (pilgrim ship, slave ship, what have you) we must work together, and I don't mean in an fairy-tale way, but by listening and giving voice to grievances, providing compensation (which the US has been slow to do, but have at least issued formal apologies). What voice is given to natives in China? What compensation for or at the very least acknowledgment of atrocities against its own people have they issued to the students they had soldiers kill? In the US, people are still able to express their grievances about ripped homeland today without the fear of going to jail, unlike China.

I assume you were kidding about Bjork needing to spend time in jail. Sadly, such statements are indicative of popular Chinese government mentality of all or nothing. The askew nail gets jack-hammered the f### back down.

#24 Bjork lover says:

Thank you, dear Bjork. You did what no citizen of China could do and get away with. I am so proud of you standing there bravely! Listen to the cheers in the crowd! Not only Tibetans, but Chinese, too, ought to be free.


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