Marie Fredriksson
| Marie Fredriksson | |
|---|---|
 Fredriksson at the Bospop festival in Weert, The Netherlands, 9 July 2011 | |
| Background information | |
| Birth name | Gun-Marie Fredriksson |
| Born |
30 May 1958 Össjö, Sweden |
| Genres | Pop, pop rock, rock, dance |
| Occupations | Singer |
| Instruments | Vocals, piano, guitar |
| Years active | 1975–present |
| Associated acts | Roxette |
| Website | www.mariefredriksson.se |
Marie Fredriksson (help·info) (born Gun-Marie Fredriksson; 30 May 1958) is a Swedish pop singer-songwriter and pianist, best known for forming one half of the pop rock duo Roxette, which she created together with Per Gessle in 1986. She and Per Gessle achieved international success from the late 1980s to the early 1990s with a total of six top 10 US hit songs such as "It Must Have Been Love", "Listen to Your Heart", "The Look", "Joyride" and "Dangerous".
Early life
Marie Fredriksson, who was born in Össjö, was the youngest of five children. The family later moved to the small Swedish town of Östra Ljungby. Being poor, both parents were forced to work, often leaving the children on their own. Together with her siblings or neighborhood children, Fredriksson began to play music and sing. She was often asked by her mother to perform in front of friends who were impressed by her Olivia Newton-John-like singing voice.[1]
Her interest grew stronger in her teens as she discovered artists such as Joni Mitchell, The Beatles and Deep Purple. At 17, Fredriksson enrolled in a music college and performed in local theatre.[2] However, she found it incredibly boring, instead longing for the thrill of an audience. As she put it – "I wanted to perform. I'm a performer."[3] She became involved in theatre, and after moving to the town of Halmstad, she found herself involved in the local music scene. Joining her boyfriend Stefan's band Strul, they played local gigs and even recorded a single. After that group split, Marie and a new boyfriend, Martin Sternhuvsvud, performed as MaMas Barn. They recorded one album together. Per Gessle, lead singer of the famous Swedish group Gyllene Tider, shared a rehearsal studio with Marie, and they became friends. Per believed Fredriksson was far too talented to be hiding behind keyboards in local pub bands and got her an audition with his producer, Lasse Lindbom, who was extremely well known in Sweden. Lasse was suitably impressed with her voice and offered her a contract.[4]
Going solo: Het vind and Den sjunde vågen
Lasse Lindbom asked Fredriksson to record a duet with him, "Så nära nu", which lead to her joining his group "The Lasse Lindbom Band." Per Gessle started to encourage her to start a solo career, but she was too nervous and lacked confidence. Fredriksson finally accepted, and she recorded her first solo album, Het vind, produced by Lindbom. "Ännu doftar kärlek" was the first single.
Lindbom, Fredriksson, Per Gessle and Mats "MP" Persson started a new band called "Spännande Ostar" ("Exciting Cheeses"). That same year, Fredriksson and Lindbom went to the Canary Islands to write songs for Marie's second solo album. They returned to Sweden for the recording. The album was released in 1986, under the name Den sjunde vågen. "Den bästa dagen" and "Silver i din hand" were released as singles, and she toured as a solo artist.
Start of Roxette and Efter stormen
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In 1986, she decided to team up with Gessle under the name Roxette – the name Gyllene Tider had used when they tried to release their album The Heartland Café in the US. Their first single "Neverending Love" was a hit in Sweden, and Roxette's album Pearls of Passion breathed new life into Per's flagging career, and cemented Marie as a major artist. After the 1987 "Rock Runt Riket" Swedish concert tour with Roxette, she recorded her third solo album album Efter stormen. In February 1989, she recorded a song for a TV Series called Sparvöga. Her song, the title theme of the show, became one of her most beloved and best known songs. Fredriksson was now one of the most well known singers in Sweden.
Roxette's international success
In 1990, Gessle was approached by Touchstone pictures to write a song for the upcoming film Pretty Woman. As he did not have time to create a new song, he re-edited an old Christmas song and gave them "It Must Have Been Love". The song was included on the movie, topped the music charts for 2 weeks in June 1990 in America and became one of Roxette's best selling and most well known songs. [citation needed] In 1991, a third album, Joyride was released which gave them another number one hit in the US in May 1991 while another song, "Fading Like a Flower", reached the No. 2 spot in the US music market in July 1991. They followed it up with a major Join the Joyride world tour in over 100 cities during 1991 and 92. However, after the tour, Roxette's future songs failed to enter the U.S. top 10 list again, whereas in Europe and South America, Roxette continued their international success with Gold and Platinum albums until the beginning of the new millennium. [citation needed]
Further solo albums, marriage and family
In 1992, Fredriksson returned to her solo career, recording the soul searching Den ständiga resan (The Eternal Journey). The album was her musical self-portrait and was written like a diary, containing very personal songs about her life, feelings and relationships. "It mirrors a four to five-year period of my life," said Marie about the album. "It was a crisis, with hellish side effects. But I'm glad I went through it."[6]
While touring in Australia in 1992 to promote Joyride, Fredriksson met Mikael Bolyos, a Swedish singer-songwriter, pianist and guitarist. They became engaged; Fredriksson gave birth to a daughter in 1993, and married Bolyos in May 1994.[7] In 1996, she recorded a ballad album in Spanish with Roxette and a new solo album I en tid som vår (In a Time Like Ours). Her second child, a son, was born in January 1997.[8]
Äntligen (Finally) – Marie Fredriksson bästa 1984–2000
In 1998 and 1999, Fredriksson worked with Gessle on the new Roxette album Have A Nice Day. In 2000 Fredriksson released a greatest hits album under the title Äntligen – Marie Fredrikssons bästa 1984–2000, followed by a summer tour,[9] later released as a live CD/DVD package called Äntligen – Sommarturné, which has sold more than 350,000 albums; two more singles were released from the album, "Äntligen" and "Det som var nu". She released all her albums in a box set, Kärlekens Guld (Love's Gold), which featured previously unreleased songs as well as new packaging. [citation needed]
Cancer
On 11 September 2002, Fredriksson fainted in her bathroom, hitting her head and receiving a concussion. Scans indicated that Fredriksson had a brain tumor in the back of her head.[10][11]
The diagnosis led to the cancellation of Roxette's planned performance at the 2002 Night of the Proms concert series. After waiting several weeks for the concussion to subside, she underwent a successful surgery to remove the tumour. It was malignant and she endured months of chemotherapy and radiation treatments. She had difficulties reading, writing and counting for a period of time,[12] and is now blind in her right eye. In January 2003, Roxette were awarded the 'Royal Medal with Blue Ribbon' by King of Sweden Carl Gustaf XVI. The ceremony was the first event at which Fredriksson appeared after her operation. This was one of very few public appearances she made during her illness. She withdrew from the public eye for almost two years. On 21 October 2005, Fredriksson stated, "It’s been three very difficult years", but in an interview with Jens Peterson published in Aftonbladet, Fredriksson says she has won her fight against cancer. "I’m healthy", she says. "I’m not receiving treatment anymore."[13]
The Change
About 6 months after Fredriksson's cancer diagnosis, she and her husband Mikael Bolyos began to work on her first ever English solo album. She called the album The Change which entered the Swedish chart at No. 1 The first single, "2nd Chance", entered the Swedish singles chart at No. 1. Soon after its release, The Change achieved gold status (20,000 copies sold) in Sweden, according to IFPI.[14]
In conjunction with the release of The Change, Fredriksson started a new publishing company together with Bolyos. MaryJane Music was mainly created "as a home for Marie's solo albums," states the label's website, "but as the musical collaboration between Marie and Mikael continues and expands, don't be surprised if you find other exciting projects with some of their musical friends released on this label."
Min bästa vän (My Best Friend)
In 2006, Fredriksson returned with a new CD of Swedish cover songs called Min bäste vän (My Best Friend) in February. The first single released from this cover album was the song "Sommaräng" by Swedish artist John Holm. "Ingen kommer undan politiken" was the second single outtake off the album later that year (but only as a promotional CD).
During her illness, Fredriksson rediscovered her love of drawing. Although she could no longer read or write, drawing was one thing she could still do and she found a real passion for it. She had always been very private about her artwork but for the first time she exhibited a collection of her drawings in a gallery show entitled "After The Change". The vernissage at the Doktor Glas gallery in Kungsträdgården featured 24 of her charcoal drawings and ran from 21–30 October. Later she released a book, After the Change, featuring reprints of all 24 sketches.[citation needed]
2006 to the present
On 23 October 2009, Fredriksson performed with Gessle as Roxette at the Night of the Proms. This was only the second Roxette performance since the cancer treatment. The first one took place on 7 May 2009 in the Melkweg in Amsterdam. In 2010 Roxette's returned with a mini euro tour. After the successful concerts, the band announced the first full Roxette World tour in 15 years which began in March 2011. A new Roxette single "She's Got Nothing On (But The Radio)" was released in January 2011, and the new Roxette album Charm School was released on 11 February 2011. Because of the worldwide success (excluding North America) of Charm School, Roxette continued their World Tour throughout the end of 2012. In March 2012, Roxette's new album 'Travelling' was released coinciding with the new music video and single, "It's Possible". [citation needed]
Discography
- This is a listing of releases by Marie Fredriksson.
Albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWE [15] |
NOR [16] | |||
| 1984 | Het vind | 20 | – | |
| 1985 | Den sjunde vågen | 6 | – | |
| 1987 | Efter stormen | 1 | – | |
| 1992 | Den ständiga resan | 1 | 17 | |
| 1996 | I en tid som vår | 2 | – | |
| 2004 | The Change | 1 | – | |
| 2006 | Min bäste vän (cover songs) | 3 | – | |
| 2013 | Nu! | 6 | – | |
- Compilation albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWE [15] |
NOR [16] | |||
| 2000 | Äntligen – Marie Fredrikssons bästa 1984–2000 | 1 | 6 | |
| 2002 | Kärlekens guld (6-CD Box) | – | – | |
| 2007 | Tid för tystnad – Marie Fredrikssons ballader | 32 | – | |
- Joint albums
| Year | Album | Peak positions | Certification | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWE [15] |
NOR [16] | |||
| 2007 | A Family Affair (Mikael Bolyos featuring Marie Fredriksson & Mats Ronander |
– | – | |
Singles
| Year | Single | Peak positions | Album |
|---|---|---|---|
| SWE [15] | |||
| 1984 | "Ännu doftar kärlek" | 18 | |
| 1984 | "Het vind" | – | |
| 1985 | "Den bästa dagen" | – | |
| 1986 | "Silver i din hand" | – | |
| 1987 | "Efter stormen" | 7 | |
| 1989 | "Sparvöga" | 6 | |
| 1992 | "Så länge det lyser mittemot" | – | |
| "Mellan sommar och höst" | – | ||
| 1996 | "Tro" | 8 | |
| "I en tid som vår" | – | ||
| 1997 | "Alla mina bästa år" (Frida & Marie Fredriksson) |
54 | |
| "Ber bara en gång" | – | ||
| 2000 | "Äntligen" | 34 | |
| "Det som var nu" (with Patrik Isaksson) |
59 | ||
| 2004 | "2nd Chance" | 8 | |
| "All About You" | – | ||
| 2005 | "A Table in the Sun" | – | |
| 2006 | "Sommaräng" | 21 | |
| "Ingen kommer undan politiken" | – | ||
| 2007 | "Ordet är farväl" | 21 | |
| 2008 | "Där du andas" | 1 | |
| 2009 | "Where Your Love Lives" (English version for "Där du andas") |
– | |
| 2013 | "Kom vila hos mig" | – | Nu! |
See also
References
- ↑ Roxette – The Book by Larz Lundgren, p. 32
- ↑ Roxette The Book by Larz Lundgren, pg 51
- ↑ The Making of Joyride Documentary 1991
- ↑ Roxette – The Book by Larz Lundgren, p. 134
- ↑ Dangerous (Roxette song)#cite note-Billboard-2
- ↑ Den Ständiga Resan documentary, directed by Jonas Åkerlund
- ↑ Biography on official website
- ↑ The Daily Roxette, 16 April 2001
- ↑ "Aftonbladet nöje: Äntligen är Marie på väg igen". .aftonbladet.se. 7 July 2000. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Marie har en hjärntumör | Nöjesliv | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet. 16 September 2002. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Cancern slog ut synen | Nöjesliv | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Sydsvenska Dagbladet. "Jag har haft en jäkla tur som klarat det"". Sydsvenskan. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "Roxette fick pris av kungen | Nöjesliv | Aftonbladet". Aftonbladet. 31 January 2003. Retrieved 22 August 2012.
- ↑ "ACTUAL TITLE BELONGS HERE". IFPI Sweden. Retrieved 3 February 2009.
- ↑ 15.0 15.1 15.2 15.3 "Marie Fredriksson discography". swedishcharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
- ↑ 16.0 16.1 16.2 "Marie Fredriksson discography". norwegiancharts.com. Hung Medien. Retrieved 28 November 2013.
External links
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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Marie Fredriksson. |
- Official website
- MarieFredriksson.net
- Marie-Fredriksson.com
- Official Roxette website
- Marie Fredriksson (fan website)
- Marie Frederiksson on Europopmusic.eu (English)
- Marie Fredriksson discography at MusicBrainz
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