Björk has never separated her artistic work from her political conscience. And this week, the Icelandic artist proved it again with a strong statement in favor of Greenland’s independence, in direct response to U.S. President Donald Trump ‘s renewed threats to annex the territory.
“The possibility of my Greenlandic brothers passing from one cruel colonizer to another is too brutal to even imagine,” Björk wrote on Instagram. A direct, unambiguous message that connects history, identity and resistance.
A political context that reopens old wounds
Björk’s words come after a new episode of international tension. On January 3, Donald Trump again publicly insisted on the need for the United States to control Greenland, calling it a “defense-essential” territory. His statements, first reported by The Atlantic and then reiterated on board Air Force One, provoked an immediate reaction in Europe.
Greenland is currently a semi-autonomous region under Danish sovereignty, with a strong internal movement calling for greater self-determination and, in the long term, full independence.
Björk and a shared memory with Greenland
Although Björk was born and raised in Iceland, her connection to Greenland is deep, culturally and emotionally. Iceland was under Danish rule until 1944, a colonial experience that the artist does not forget.
In her message, Björk recalled that Iceland managed to become independent without losing its language or cultural identity. “If we hadn’t, my children would speak Danish today,” she wrote, underlining the real impact colonialism has on everyday life.
But it went further.
Historical complaints that are still open
Björk also mentioned dark episodes in the relationship between Denmark and Greenland that have come to light in recent years. Among them, the case of 143 Greenlandic women who reported having been subjected to the implantation of intrauterine devices (IUDs) without their consent, as part of population control policies.
He also pointed to the “parental competence” tests applied by Danish authorities, which resulted in the forced separation of Greenlandic families. Practices that, for many, reinforce the idea of an unresolved colonialism.
Political response: Denmark and Greenland react
Trump’s statements were soon met with an official response.
Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen was clear:
“We call on the United States to cease threats against a historic ally and against a people who have clearly said they are not for sale.”
For his part, Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen called Trump’s words “very rude and deeply disrespectful.”
Björk, activism and artistic coherence
This stance is not an isolated gesture. In September, Björk joined the No Music for Genocide campaign, which urges artists and labels to block their music in Israel as a form of political protest.
His last album, Fossora (2022), already explored themes such as roots, land, lineage and memory. His current activism seems a natural extension of that artistic discourse.
When music is also territory
Björk does not speak as a celebrity speaking from a distance. She speaks as someone who knows the consequences of colonialism and understands culture as something to be defended.
His message about Greenland is not just political. It is historical, cultural and deeply human.
At a time of global tensions and expansionist discourses, the artist once again reminds us that sovereignty is not negotiable as an asset, and that the identity of a people is not for sale.
