Björk explains how DJing and sexism work to critics who don't understand either.
Icelandic singer Björk is an artist who refuses to be put in a box.
From her music (a blend of trip-hop, jazz, electronica, and ... just about everything else) to her style and stage presence, which are unapologetically, 100%, pure Björk-ian.
You may know her from this swan dress appearance at the Academy Awards. Photo by Lucy Nicholson/AFP/Getty Images.
The latest act in Björk's career-long mission of breaking the mold is a series of DJ sets she's been doing at clubs and festivals around the U.S.
Lets talk about what exactly a DJ set is.
It's a not-so-little-known secret that musicians love music, and not just their own. They're constantly collecting influences, inspirations, and insights in the music they listen to and admire every day. A DJ set is when an artist plays some of their favorite music for an audience instead of performing it. They can play selections from their own work, but the night usually consists of a personalized mix of other songs from musicians they admire. It's an act of musical appreciation for everyone involved, but it's not a concert.
DJ sets are a pretty common part of the club and music festival scenes, and usually everyone present knows what to expect. They've been hosted by artists of all genres, from Animal Collective to Talib Kweli.
In December 2016, Björk was surprised by some of the reviews she received after a DJ set she hosted in Houston.
In a Facebook post, Björk opened up about the sexist double standard that she felt led to the criticism of her act that night, explaining that while most of the artists "played mostly other peoples music," only she seemed to get dinged for not playing her own music.
She wrote:
"Some media could not get their head around that i was not 'performing' and 'hiding' behind desks . and my male counterparts not . and i think this is sexism . which at the end of this tumultuous year is something im not going to let slide : because we all deserve maximum changes in this revolutionary energy we are currently in the midst of"
dear little miss media!!!! happy winter solstice !!!as you know the majority of my career i havent moaned about...
Posted by Björk on Wednesday, December 21, 2016
In the post, Björk lamented the fact that women in music are often limited to superficial topics, and experimentation outside of that is criticized.
"Women in music are allowed to be singer songwriters singing about their boyfriends," wrote Björk. "If they change the subject matter to atoms , galaxies , activism , nerdy math beat editing, or anything else ... journalists feel there is just something missing."
Photo by Malte Kristiansen/AFP/Getty Images.
Björk also noted that male artists are, in many ways, allowed to jump around in subject and experiment with their art more freely. "If [female artists] dont cut our chest open and bleed about the men and children in our lives we are cheating our audience," Björk explained.
"Eat your bechtel test heart out."
There are endless other examples of sexism in the music industry. As more artists like Björk come forward with their stories, the faster we can fix things.
From the lack of female representation at music festivals to Madonna and Björk herself having to constantly explain that, yes, they produce their own music to the truly horrifying and ongoing lawsuit between Kesha and the producer she alleges raped her.
Recognizing and appreciating the ability of female artists to branch out and experiment might seem like a small battle, but it's a big step in respecting who they are as artists and people — which could have far-reaching effects on the industry.
"Lets make 2017 the year where we fully make the transformation !!!" wrote Björk, clearly excited at the possibility. "The right to variety for all the girls out there !!!"
There's a reason why some people can perfectly copy accents, and others can't
Turns out, there's a neurodivergent link.
A woman in black long sleeve shirt stands in front of mirror.
Have you ever had that friend who goes on vacation for four days to London and comes back with a full-on Queen's English posh accent? "Oooh I left my brolly in the loo," they say, and you respond, "But you're from Colorado!" Well, there are reasons they (and many of us) do that, and usually it's on a pretty subconscious level.
It's called "accent mirroring," and it's actually quite common with people who are neurodivergent, particularly those with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder). According Neurolaunch, the self-described "Free Mental Health Library," "Accent mirroring, also known as accent adaptation or phonetic convergence, is the tendency to unconsciously adopt the accent or speech patterns of those around us. This linguistic chameleon effect is not unique to individuals with ADHD, but it appears to be more pronounced and frequent in this population."
Essentially, when people have conversations, we're constantly "scanning" for information—not just the words we're absorbing, but the inflection and tone. "When we hear an accent, our brains automatically analyze and categorize the phonetic features, prosody, and intonation patterns," writes Neurolaunch. For most, this does result in copying the accent of the person with whom we're speaking. But those with ADHD might be more sensitive to auditory cues. This, "coupled with a reduced ability to filter out or inhibit the impulse to mimic…could potentially explain the increased tendency for accent mirroring."
While the article explains further research is needed, they distinctly state that, "Accent mirroring in individuals with ADHD often manifests as an unconscious mimicry of accents in social situations. This can range from subtle shifts in pronunciation to more noticeable changes in intonation and speech rhythm. For example, a person with ADHD might find themselves unconsciously adopting a Southern drawl when conversing with someone from Texas, even if they’ve never lived in the South themselves."
People are having their say online. On the subreddit r/ADHDWomen, a thread began: "Taking on accents is an ADHD thing?" The OP shares, "My whole life, I've picked up accents. I, myself, never noticed, but everyone around me would be like, 'Why are you talking like that??' It could be after I watched a show or movie with an accent or after I've traveled somewhere with a different accent than my 'normal.'
They continue, "Apparently, I pick it up fast, but it fades out slowly. Today... I'm scrolling Instagram, I watch a reel from a comedian couple (Darcy and Jeremy. IYKYK) about how Darcy (ADHD) picks up accents everywhere they go. It's called ADHD Mirroring??? And it's another way of masking."
(The OP is referring to Darcy Michaels and his husband Jeremy Baer, who are both touring comedians based in Canada.)
Hundreds of people on the Reddit thread alone seem to relate. One comments, "Omfg I've done this my whole life; I'll even pick up on the pauses/spaces when I'm talking to someone who is ESL—but English is my first language lol."
Sometimes, it can be a real issue for those around the chameleon. "I accidentally mimicked a waitress's weird laugh one time. As soon as she was out of earshot, my family started to reprimand me, but I was already like 'oh my god I don’t know why I did that, I feel so bad.'"
Many commenters on TikTok were shocked to find out this can be a sign of ADHD. One jokes, "Omg, yes, at a store the cashier was talking to me and she was French. She's like 'Oh are you French too? No, I'm not lol. I'm very east coast Canada."
And some people just embrace it and make it work for them. "I mirror their words or phrase! I’m 30. I realized I start calling everyone sweetie cause my manager does & I work at coffee shop."
This article originally appeared in May.