Björk and Rosalía’s New Single to Shed Light on Icelandic Fish Farming Cruelty
Powerhouse vocalists Björk and Rosalía have released their first single, the breathtaking electro-rock “Oral,” in an effort to shed light on the alarming cruelty, and severe environmental and ecological consequences, of open-pen ocean salmon farming in Iceland — Björk’s native country.
While “Oral” was first written by Björk between her 1997 album Homogenic and 2001 release Vespertine, the track was lost to her archives after feeling like it wasn’t the right fit for an album, according to a news release.
Björk rediscovered the song after being reminded of its name while on tour in Australia in March 2023. That same month a report was released about the devastating impact of poorly regulated, Norwegian-owned commercial salmon farming operations on Iceland’s native ecosystems.
Commercial salmon farming practices not only accelerate growth, but also create genetic mutations in the salmon’s DNA, according to a news release, which also blamed a lack of regulation within the industry to bigger problems. For example, when genetically altered salmon regularly escape the pens and swim upriver to Iceland’s highlands, the genetic mixing that occurs endangers the future of Iceland’s wild salmon population.
Proceeds from “Oral” will be used to support a legal case against the fisheries, brought forth by residents of the town of Seyðisfjörður on the eastern side of Iceland. Donate here.
Marisa Torrieri Bloom is the editor and founder of Rockmommy.
