Björk and Rosalía have released their collaboration “Oral.
The song is the first collaboration between the two artists, and was co-produced by Sega Bodega. The song aims to highlight the problems of open-pen salmon farming in Björk’s native Iceland and its impact on the environment and ecosystem.
The song was created by Björk about 25 years ago, but was never released or otherwise performed because she felt it was not appropriate for an album until now. In March 2023, during a tour that reminded her of the song, a report was published that a Norwegian-capitalized commercial salmon farming operation was having a devastating impact on Iceland’s unique ecosystem. This was the impetus for this release.
All proceeds from the song will be used to support a lawsuit against the fishery filed by the residents of Sejsfjordur in eastern Iceland. Donations can also be made directly from Björk’s official website.
Open-pen Salmon Farming
A method that involves placing fish in open-water nets fixed to natural waterways, intensively cultivating them until they reach market size. This accelerates fish growth, often causing genetic mutations in the DNA of salmon and creating breeding grounds for parasites and diseases. Iceland’s salmon industry has grown tenfold since 2014. Production, which was under 4,000 tons, reached 45,000 tons in 2021 and is estimated to be at 106,500 tons currently. However, the waste and pollution associated with open-pen aquaculture pose a persistent threat to the entire marine ecosystem. Moreover, with little regulation and minimal oversight of aquaculture practices, genetic modifications occur, and diseased salmon escape in the thousands, making their way to Iceland’s highlands. This results in catastrophic genetic mixing, endangering the future of Iceland’s wild salmon population.”
(Sited from the official BIG NOTHING website)
