Björk and Rosalía have joined forces to release powerful new single ‘Oral’. Produced by the artists alongside Sega Bodega, ‘Oral’ marks the first collaboration between Björk and Rosalía. It aims to shed light on the alarming cruelty, and severe environmental and ecological consequences of open-pen ocean salmon farming in Björk’s native country, Iceland.

‘Oral’ dates back two decades – first written by Björk between 1997’s Homogenic and 2001’s Vespertine, the track was lost to her archives after feeling like it wasn’t the right fit for an album. Björk rediscovered the song after being reminded of its name whilst on tour in Australia in March 2023, the same month a report was released about the devastating impact of poorly regulated, Norwegian-owned commercial salmon farming operations on Iceland’s native ecosystems.

After deeply resonating with the cause, and as a passionate campaigner and protester for much of her life, Björk enlisted Rosalía to help bring the song to life and in turn raise awareness of the issue. The cruel practice of open-pen farming, introduced to Iceland after Norwegian businessmen began purchasing fish farms in the country’s fjords, involves intensively farming fish by penning them into open water nets that are anchored in natural waterways, where the fish are kept enclosed until they reach marketable size. This accelerates the fish’s development and in many cases creates genetic mutations in the salmon’s DNA, as well as being a breeding ground for a number of parasites and diseases. The industry in Iceland has grown tenfold since 2014, producing under 4,000 tones to 45,000 in 2021, with it now estimated that the annual production could be up to 106,500 tonnes. Iceland has the largest untouched natural area in Europe, and the waste and pollution associated with open-pen farming threatens to permanently damage its entire ocean ecology. Lack of regulation and the industry being largely unsupervised has also meant that thousands of these genetically altered, diseased salmon regularly escape the pens and swim upriver to Iceland’s highlands, where devastating genetic mixing occurs and endangers the future of Iceland’s wild salmon population.

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We want to thank visual artist Carlota Guerrero and executive producer Zico Judge, of Blur & ProdCo, for creating a video art piece to go along with this song and help raise awareness of the cruelty, and severe environmental and ecological consequences of open-pen ocean salmon farming in Björk’s native country, Iceland. Carlota came up with the concept and executed the video, exploring the use of AI technology and embracing the glitches blurring the line between reality and virtuality whilst challenging the notions of identity. Throughout the piece, female rage is explored through Bjork’s and Rosalía’s avatars. They are not fighting each other; they are training together to fight the real and bigger enemy.

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.

You can learn more about Icelandic Fish Farming from the Icelandic Wildlife Fund.

#Björk #Rosalía #Oral #EnvironmentalAnthem #SalmonFarming #Iceland #MusicCollaboration #EcologicalImpact #ClimateAction #PowerfulSingle

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The announcement of the Primavera Sound lineup is always a significant event. For its 22nd edition, Primavera takes a step back and returns to the format that made it famous over the past two decades: a single weekend in Barcelona from May 30th to June 1st at Parc del Fòrum, with a free day on Wednesday, May 29th – featuring performances by Phoenix and the closing party, Brunch Electronik, concluding the festival on June 2nd.

Now, let’s delve into the announced names, where, as usual, pop, alternative rock, metal, and electronic genres blend. The headliners include Lana del Rey and SZA, followed by Pulp, Vampire Weekend, Mitski, Charli XCX, Justice, PJ Harvey, The National, FKA twigs, Bikini Kill, Deftones, and Troye Sivan. Additionally, American Football, Arca, La Zowi, A.G. Cook, BADBADNOTGOOD, Hannah Diamond, Nala Sinephro, and Peggy Gou are part of the lineup.

The list continues with Clipse, Mica Levi, Freddie Gibbs & Madlib, Beth Gibbons, and William Basinski. Naturally, Shellac will be there, along with Yo La Tengo, Arab Strap, Romy, Disclosure, 070 Shake, Lemon Twigs, and many more artists. Representing Italy, Liberato will take the stage.

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From today until November 23rd, a registration form for fan sales will be available on the Primavera Sound website, activating on the same day on Dice. The general ticket for the entire festival will cost €265 (plus booking fee), and the VIP ticket for the entire festival will cost €495 (plus booking fee) until tickets are sold out. General ticket sales will open on November 24th at 11 AM.

#PrimaveraSound #MusicFestival #BarcelonaEvents #LanaDelRey #SZA #FestivalLineup #MusicEclecticism #LiveMusic #Concerts2024

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In a surprising turn of events, international pop sensation Shakira has reached a legal settlement with Spanish authorities, putting an end to the looming tax fraud trial in Barcelona. The singer, who was facing serious allegations of tax evasion, declared her decision to resolve the matter on the very day the trial was scheduled to commence.

Shakira, speaking to Variety, expressed her commitment to ethical financial decisions throughout her career. Despite seeking guidance from renowned financial advisors like PricewaterhouseCoopers International Limited and Ernst & Young Global Limited, she found herself entangled in a legal battle initiated by Spanish tax authorities, a plight she shares with many high-profile individuals and professional athletes.

The acclaimed artist, known for her determination, initially aimed to defend her innocence vigorously. However, considering the toll the legal proceedings took on her energy, time, and peace of mind, Shakira made the heartfelt decision to prioritize her children’s well-being over a prolonged legal fight. She emphasized the need to overcome the stress of recent years and redirect her focus to what she loves most: her children and promising career prospects, including an upcoming global tour and a highly anticipated new album.

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The resolution comes as a relief for Shakira, sparing her from the potential eight-year prison sentence and hefty fines sought by prosecutors. Instead, she will serve a three-year suspended sentence and pay a fine of 7.3 million euros, with an additional 432,000 euros, in exchange for the suspended sentence.

The tax evasion allegations stemmed from Shakira’s purported failure to pay over 14.5 million euros in taxes to the Spanish government between 2012 and 2014. Her official residence in the Bahamas, a low-tax jurisdiction, drew attention, especially after her name appeared in the notorious “Paradise Papers” leak in 2017, uncovering offshore tax arrangements involving various public figures.

Shakira’s defense team countered the allegations in November 2022, claiming she spent less than 60 days a year in Spain during the contested period. Her public relations firm asserted that not only did she settle the initial tax debt, but she also paid an additional 3 million euros in interest.

In a statement relayed through her PR firm and reported by The Associated Press, Shakira conveyed her decision to settle, putting her children’s best interests at the forefront. The artist aims to reclaim her time, focusing on her family and the exciting opportunities that lie ahead in her career.

As the legal chapter concludes, Shakira remains under investigation for a separate case, where Spanish state prosecutors allege she evaded 6.7 million euros in taxes on her 2018 income, involving an offshore company in a tax haven. The international music icon continues to navigate the complexities of legal scrutiny, determined to strike a balance between her personal life and the demands of her illustrious career.

#ShakiraLegalResolution #TaxFraudSettlement

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During her ‘Eras’ tour concert in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil last week, Taylor Swift unveiled the fan-favorite track ‘Suburban Legends‘ for the first time. The performance took place at the Estádio Nilton Santos on November 17, where Swift treated the audience to the ‘From The Vault’ track from her recently re-recorded ‘1989 (Taylor’s Version)’, marking the debut live performance of the song.

In addition to ‘Suburban Legends,’ Swift also delivered a heartfelt rendition of ‘Stay Beautiful,’ a track from her debut album. Notably, this marked the first time she performed ‘Stay Beautiful’ since 2008.

The concert was intended to be the initial show of three in Brazil as part of Taylor Swift’s ‘Eras’ tour. However, the joyous occasion was marred by tragedy, as a fan named Ana Clara Benevides Machado, 23, passed away before the show due to collapsing from extreme heat.

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The news left Swift “devastated,” as she expressed on Instagram, stating, “I can’t believe I’m writing these words, but it is with a shattered heart that I say we lost a fan earlier tonight before my show.” Overwhelmed by grief, Swift decided not to address the incident during the performance, conveying her deep condolences to the family and friends of the deceased.

In response to the extreme heat conditions in Rio de Janeiro, where temperatures reached a record-breaking 39.1C, Swift made the decision to postpone the second of the three scheduled shows. Prioritizing the safety and well-being of fans, performers, and crew, she stated, “The safety and well-being of my fans, fellow performers and crew has to and always will come first.”

The following day, Ana Clara Benevides Machado’s father, Weiny Machado, shared a heartfelt tribute to his daughter, describing her as a happy and intelligent girl on the brink of graduating in Psychology. He expressed his profound pain, emphasizing the need for an investigation into the circumstances, particularly regarding reports that fans were not allowed to bring water into the venue despite the high temperatures.

Machado insisted on finding out whether there was negligence in providing assistance and whether fans were genuinely prohibited from bringing water. Despite acknowledging Swift’s efforts to distribute water to fans, he emphasized the need for accountability. “Nothing will bring my daughter back, but I hope that, if negligence is confirmed, someone will be punished, so that this doesn’t happen to anyone else.“

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