Björk to perform for Tbilisi’s SOU fest, learn about Georgian national music

World-famous Icelandic singer and songwriter Björk is set to perform for festival-goers in Tbilisi following extensive talks to bring the influential musician to Georgia’s capital.

In two shows at Tbilisi Concert Hall and the city’s Opera and Ballet State Theatre, Björk will present some of the tracks from her upcoming album Utopia.

The multiple MTV Video Music Awards- and BRIT Awards-winning artist will perform at the two venues with the string musicians of Georgia’s Philharmonic Orchestra.

The October 31 and November 3 shows will take place as part of the second edition of the Stream of Unconsciousness (SOU) Festival, which opened in Tbilisi earlier this year.

The single The Gate from the album will be performed live in the Georgian shows for the first time

SOU Festival founder Sandro Lominashvili told Rustavi2 channel reporters ahead of the shows that organisers were "proud” to have established a platform for prominent artists to hold performances in Georgia.

While in Georgia, Björk will also learn about national and ethnic music in the country by travelling to regions including the mountainous Svaneti, western subtropical Guria and the winemaking province of Kakheti.

Lominashvili said the Icelandic singer was "very interested” in Georgian music and culture, as the three-month-long talks for her first-ever appearance in the country concluded recently.

live at last in gorgeous georgia - 2 shows! oct 31-tbilisi concert hall nov 3-state opera house of georgia tickets @ https://t.co/p8Cy6eqMk2pic.twitter.com/4mixw27nVr

— björk (@bjork) October 19, 2017

Born in Reykjavik in 1965, Björk studied classical piano and flute in the Icelandic capital before her first recording was broadcast on the country’s national radio in 1977.

Performing in punk and rock bands throughout the 1980s, the artist earned wider recognition as a member of The Sugarcubes from 1986 to the early 1990s. The band was widely seen as the most important rock band from Iceland.

Embarking on a solo career in 1992, Björk released the album Debut in 1993. She went on to record seven more albums including the 2015 release Vulnicura.

The multi-faceted artist has received numerous awards in music, film and culture, including five BRIT Awards, four MTV Video Music Awards and the Best Actress prize at both the 2000 Cannes Film Festival and European Film Awards.