Marie Fredriksson

Marie Fredriksson was a Swedish singer-songwriter, pianist, and painter best known as one half of the pop rock duo Roxette, which she formed with Per Gessle in 1986.

Marie Fredriksson was a Swedish singer-songwriter, pianist, and painter best known as one half of the pop rock duo Roxette, which she formed with Per Gessle in 1986. She became internationally known through Roxette’s late-1980s and early-1990s hits and also recorded solo music. She died in 2019 at age 61 after a long illness.

Early life and background

Marie Fredriksson was born Gun-Marie Fredriksson on 30 May 1958 in Össjö, Sweden. She later became known professionally as Marie Fredriksson.

Roxette

Fredriksson formed Roxette with Per Gessle in 1986. The duo achieved major international success in the late 1980s and early 1990s with songs including "The Look," "Listen to Your Heart," "It Must Have Been Love," "Joyride," and "Dangerous." Sources describe Roxette as having sold more than 75 million records worldwide, with some estimates citing over 100 million. Roxette had a substantial audience in Canada, making Fredriksson a familiar figure to Canadian pop-rock listeners.

Solo career

In addition to her work with Roxette, Fredriksson recorded as a solo artist. Her solo work included albums such as Den ständiga resan and I en tid som vår, as well as earlier singles such as "Sparvöga."

Illness and death

Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2002 and later stepped back from public performance. She died on 9 December 2019 in Djursholm, Sweden, at the age of 61.