In 2010, when the volcano named Eyjafjallajokull exploded in Iceland, Björk sent me an email: “I’m so proud to tell you that our baby volcano is just born—it’s so beautiful!”

Around the world, airplanes were being grounded because nobody could fly over Iceland. Everybody else was fearing nature, but Björk was worshipping it because she needs nature to breathe, like an Icelandic high priestess.

As an artist, she’s always on the edge of everything, but it’s not trendy because even when she is working with the latest technology, fashion, images or sounds, she is always offering her own, deeply personal world. If you are really true to yourself and really follow your intuition in the most rigorous way, there is a moment that becomes universal, that reaches everybody. That’s the real magic of Björk—she teaches us the courage to be ourselves.

Abramovic is a Serbian artist based in New York

Contact us at letters@time.com.