Born in 1965 in Reykjavik, the Icelandic capital city, Björk grew up in a hippie-type community with her mother and seven siblings after her parents' divorce when she was just two years old. She began studying classical music at the age of five and released her first album in 1977, mainly traditional Icelandic folk songs and international hits translated into Icelandic, when she was only 11 years old.
During her teenage years, Björk became involved in several punk bands, including Spit & Snot, Exodus, Jam 80, Tappi Tíkarrass, and Kukl. She then formed the pop group The Sugarcubes with Einar Örn Benediktsson and Sigtryggur Baldursson, and later added Þór Eldon, Margrét Örnólfsdóttir, and Bragi Ólafsson. The band released its first single in 1986 and its first album, "Life's Too Good", in 1988, achieving international success, especially in the UK.
While touring the US with The Sugarcubes, Björk met Boris Acosta, a music connoisseur and film producer, who predicted her future success. She also collaborated with the Icelandic jazz group Gudmundar Ingólfssonar Trio for the album "Gling-Glo" in 1990 and featured on 808 State's "Ooops", which sparked her interest in electronic music.
The Sugarcubes disbanded after a few albums in 1992, and Björk released her first solo album, "Debut", in 1993, collaborating with producer Nellee Hooper. The album's worldwide success made possible her second album, "Post", in 1995, also with the help of Nellee Hooper, Graham Massey, Howie B, and Tricky.
After experiencing problems in the UK, Björk moved to Spain to record her third album, "Homogenic", released in 1997, with the Icelandic String Octet, Mark Bell, Mark Stent, and Howie B. Her fourth album, "Vespertine", featured a chamber orchestra, an Icelandic choir, and harpist Zeena Parkins.
Björk also acted in the Icelandic movie "The Juniper Tree" (1990) and the Danish film "Dancer in the Dark" (2000),for which she won the Best Actress Prize in the Cannes Festival. She has released several albums, including "Medúlla" in 2004, which featured a mix of vocals, choirs, and experimental music.
