Björk

Musician, singer, actress. Born Bjork Gudmundsdottir on November 21, 1965 in Reykjavik, Iceland. Having grown up in a highly musical household, Bjork released her first album of traditional Icelandic folk songs when she was only 11.

Throughout her teen years, Bjork sang for a series of anarchist punk bands. In 1986, Bjork and fellow Kukl members Einer Orn and Siggi Baldurson formed the pop group the Sugarcubes. Joined by new members Thor Eldon (with whom Bjork conceived a child in 1986), Magg Ornotfsdottir and Bragi Olafsson, Sugarcubes released their full-length debut, Life's Too Good, in 1988, winning a cult following in the U.K. and U.S. The final Sugarcubes album, 1992's It's It, was a collection of dance remixes of earlier material, a result of Bjork's fascination with the genre.

In 1993, Bjork released her first solo album, aptly named Debut, which sold nearly three million copies worldwide. The release featured two Top 20 singles, Human Behaviour and Big Time Sensuality. After relocating to London, Bjork released 1995's Post, which outsold her first album thanks to innovative collaborations with techno gurus Graham Massey, Howie B and Tricky.

In 2000, the diminutive Icelandic pop star appeared on the big screen in the critically acclaimed film by Danish director Lars von Trier, Dancer In The Dark. Though it was rumored that tension grew between the director and his star, who also scored the film, Bjork won the Best Actress prize at the Cannes Film Festival for her performance. Further acclaim arrived in early 2001, when Bjork and von Trier were nominated for a Best Song Academy Award for I've Seen It All. She made fashion history when she wore her infamous "swan dress" while performing the song at the 2001 Academy Award Ceremony.

Bjork's other albums include Vespertine and Medulla.