Lido Pimienta – “Declare Independence” (Björk Cover)
Just last month, singer/songwriter Julia Jacklin teamed up with RVG to cover Björk’s “Army Of Me.” It was a stunning, haunting rendition, and now Lido Pimienta is here to share her own cover of a Björk song, this time of “Declare Independence” from 2007’s Volta. The cover is being released in support of Pride month, and it reckons with colonialism within Pimienta’s home country of Colombia.
Here’s what she said about the cover:
I chose this song mainly because of the lyrics: “Wave your flag, raise your flag, higher higher” and “don’t let them do that to you.” I heard this song live and I loved how all the immigrants in the audience were waving their flags. The sense of PRIDE we all felt then, I wanted to carry it through with this version, one that would honour my Caribbean roots and the camp of pride but most importantly, a message of love and revolution in togetherness and acceptance. Björk has been an inspiration to me, not only as a singer, but as a composer and producer, so this song is also a *thank you* to her for encouraging womxn like me to not be afraid to create my own sonic universe.
Listen to Pimienta’s rendition of “Declare Independence” below.