The Daily Roxette

Roxette World Tour 2011 schedule

Marie Fredriksson is free of cancer

Written by Jud on October 21, 2005 to .

STOCKHOLM - “It’s been three very difficult years,” but in an interview with Jens Peterson published today in Aftonbladet, Marie Fredriksson says she has won her fight against cancer. “I’m healthy,” she says. “I’m not receiving treatment anymore.”


  She also explains that she hasn’t closed “any door” to future work with Roxette. “Sometimes I look forward to it. We will see. I’ll take it easy for now,” she tells Aftonbladet.


  Besides that, Marie and Micke are writing new music. “But it’s nothing yet, it takes the time it takes. I’m just enjoying life right now, I do what I want, I don’t have to release any album,” Marie continues. “It will be released when we feel it’s ready.”

Here is the full-text translation of Aftonbladet’s exclusive interview:


By Jens Peterson


  Marie Fredriksson raises her glass of champagne and smiles happily.

  She welcomes people to her gala premiere as an artist. She puts three heavy years behind her.

  “I’m healthy,” Marie says to Aftonbladet. “I no longer get any treatments.”

  It was September 11, 2002. Marie Fredriksson fell down in her kitchen after jogging and the doctors found she had a brain tumor.

  Last fall she released the album “The Change” where she wrote about some of the feelings and pain around the disease.

  Now it’s “After The Change”. Time to move on.

  In the last song on the album, Marie sings that she dreams about sitting at a table in the sun.

Is that still the dream?

  “It goes along with me being well,” Marie says. “That I can, after all, sit at a table in the sun. It’s been three really hard years.”

Are you still receiving treatments?

  “No, I don’t.”

I assume that your career and work don’t become as important when a disease like this strikes you.

  No, of course not. I want to be with my kids and the family. Live for the moment.”


Vernissage with husband

  Happy. Wonderful. Healthy.

  Those are words that keep popping up when Marie tells about her drawings and life today. You can see her art for 10 days at Galleri Doktor Glas in Kungsträdgården in Stockholm. Her charcoal drawings cost 18,500 SEK each, but if there are any left to buy is uncertain.

  Many drawings were sold already during the Thursday evening vernissage where Marie, along with her husband Mikael Bolyos, greeted friends like Per Gessle, Lasse Berghagen, Lena Ulvaeus and Marie Ledin.

  The charcoal drawings are all 50x70 cm in size and have names like “Wind Cries Mary [in English],”
“Tired,” and “I Miss You.” That drawings named “Lena,” “Dear Efva” or “Mother” are portraits of others one can guess. One drawing named “I Am $” looks like a sarcastic grimace directed at Marie’s fame.

What are the motives in your drawings? Are they self portraits?

  “No… I guess they aren’t. Some are friends and some are from my imagination.”

Are you inspired by any other artists?

  “Yes, many. But it comes and goes who you are impressed by.”


“Proud that I made it through that”

Some of your work brings to mind Finland’s pride Helene Schjerfbeck?

  “Yes! That’s my big idol. But I don’t want to compare, her art is so great. Fantastic. It’s lovely to have a role model. There’s something in her art that makes me so happy. You can’t stop looking.”

When did you discover Schjerfbeck?

  “Oh that was a long time ago. When I was young. About the same time I discovered Joni Mitchell, and I think they both have been equally important to me.”

What do you feel when you see your work?

  “You know, I feel so proud that I’ve seen this through. But now I’ve delivered them. You have to let go.”

Do you feel any angst when you see any of your work?

  “No, if there’s anything dark there it’s totally my imagination, and that’s not angst. I started drawing in charcoal more than a year ago. It was a fantastic way to start with art again. Wonderful.”

Per Gessle is known to collect a lot of art, and has lots of exhibitions at his hotel in Halmstad. Are you an art collector too?

  “No, not that way. I think it’s fun and buy some. I like photo art mostly. Photos of Jimi Hendrix, Bob Dylan, stuff like that.”

Do you and Per talk about working together again, to once again become Roxette?

  “Sometimes one can long for that. We’ll see. I take one day at the time. We haven’t closed any doors.

Have you continued drawing and painting by yourself all these years?

  “Yes, off and on. When we were doing Roxette I didn’t have time for it, the music took all my energy then. When I became ill I dropped everything. Now it feels incredibly great to draw.”

Are you more nervous to exhibit art than when you release records?

  “This is a lot worse!! I’ve never done this before.”


Leaving the sickness

  There’s a book called “After the Change” that contains Marie’s works from the exhibit, and photos of her working. On the record sleeve, that came a year ago, you could first experience the kind of art she now exhibits.

  “’The Change’ stood for what happened to me with the illness. Now those years are over. Everything feels much better after three heavy years. It’s liberating to go into something totally new, to leave the disease behind.”

You have sued the newspaper Expressen, for the things they wrote when you were ill, but the trial has been postponed due to your health. Will it happen now?

  “I can’t comment on that.”

What has art meant to you to feel better?

  “Drawing is my great security. It’s absolutely good for the health. Everything becomes easier and more fun.




Writing new music

  She’s not a pensive or brooding artist.

  “My style is direct. I sit down with my pen or pencil and just drive. The pedal to the metal. That’s also how I do it when I write music. It’s either on or off. I can’t do anything half way.”

Some days she doesn’t paint. Still days. Other days she writes new music and records in her inhouse studio.

  “Yes, Micke and I are at it. But there’s no rush. It will take the time it takes. That’s the best thing about life right now. I do as I please. I don’t have to release an album. It will come when we feel it’s done.



“Nice to live”

  She won’t fill her calendar with record releases, tours and musts.

  “I only take one day at a time.”

No longterm planning?

  “No, it’s nice to just live, not to plan.”

Try to enjoy the moment?

  “Exactly.”

Describe an ordinary day?

  “I love the silence, so I like to keep it silent, and what’s best is when I can sit and draw a lot. Maybe Micke and I play some music. Other than that we share the household chores, make sure that the kids get to school. All that normal life, that is like what everyone else has.”



“Fun to go to a party”

You go out and shop in the grocery store?

  “Yes, yes of course. But we haven’t been out enjoying ourselves that much. Therefore it will be fun to go to a party tonight, and hopefully meet a lot of old friends.”

  Some of them are here right now. They congratulate her for her charcoal drawings. She takes another sip of champagne. She looks very happy.


Translated by Thomas Evensson, The Daily Roxette

104 comments

finally some really good news! thanks guys!

Nice to hear. You go girl, stay strong. We haven’t forgotten you.

Easily the BEST news I have ever read since becoming a fan!

I am so happy for Marie :) Take your time, I don’t care when or if you do anything I am just so happy you have your health after all you have been through. Anything new with Roxette or solo is just a bonus!!!

WHOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!! I am so happy reading this news :) :) :) :) :) :) :) :) can you tell ;)

I´m sooo happy to hear that

YAIIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!

the break from roxette did the trick i bet! Looking forward to whatever she decideds to do i really hope they do something for their 20th anniversary as a group, we need soemthing to keep us alive :)

WOOW!!!
She looks great!!! So happy, so cool!!!

Thanx Judith for translating the article, it’s wonderful news to finally know Marie is free of cancer and that her treatment is over! :) this has made my day!

Best wishes Marie, may god bless you....

It´s GREAT to read Marie is not under treatment anymore and Marie is fine!!!

I am happy!!!!!!!

Best news in years. Welcome back Marie.

This´s the best new i have ever read in TDR :D

and Micke looks so proud of his wife!

Fantastic!!! Welcome back Marie! :-)

That more beautiful day!!! thanks to God Marie be returned!!!! saná!!!! I am very happy!!!! it is the best news of the planet!!!! thank you!!!! (I cannot stop crying of happiness)!!!

Marie i love you with all my soul!!! hugs and kisses from Marcela Vanesa Noziglia :-D Bs. As - Argentina!!!

Rox-Vän

Now I can finally relax!

MY MORNING WAS GETTING BETTER AND BETTER, BUT NEVER EXPECTED TO BE THIS GOOD!!! :)

THIS IS BY FAR THE BEST NEWS I’VE EVER SEEN ON TDR!!!

I’M SO HAPPY FOR YOU MARIE!!! YOU DESERVE IT!!!

The tears are almost here, i feel like a little girl, hehe.

SO SO HAPPY! :)

Every day brings better news than the one before. Fantastic!!!!!

I think TDR made a lot of people very happy this morning!

:-D

Yes, Ally77.... The BEST DAY OF THE YEAR!!!!!

yes,the best news in a long long time.i’d also like to thank judith on bringing us the news (thanx jude).marie can now spend some quality time with her family without the fear of the ( c ) word & hopefully in the future we all can look forward to more roxette (fingers crossed).

Oh my... I am close to tears of joy...
this is REALLY good news. All my love to you, Marie!

And for the Roxette topic:
My wish is, that you both, Marie and Per, take your time and try something new, something personally.
Maybe even under a new name!
Don’t feel urged to sound like Roxette *should* sound like... get rid off the cheap stuff like MMHGP or Opportunity Nox.... do something sophisticated.. take all your best, and show us that you can do better than on Room Service. Mix Mazarin with 2nd Chance.
Tourism and CBB were close to perfection.... now go for it :)
And take your time, your emotions, your inspirations, and enjoy your work. Then I’m sure you will have a good time working on new stuff and we will hold a magic album in our hands!

I’ve never seen so many happy comments on TDR! :) I don’t think anything could spoil this day!

So pleased!!!! Really good news. Looking forward to any future music that marie makes. She looks great to!

Tack och lov!!!

Det här ska blir den bästa dag...

Marie jag saknar dig!!!

The best headline since September 2002!

Thank God!

And let’s give a special nobel price for medicine to the doctors of Karolinska and a special Nobel price to Marie herself!

i’m very happy right now ;)
and she looks fabulous in the short video on aftonbladet’s homepage!!! it’s just great to see that she’s back! healthy and pretty as before.

Oh, God, the best news ever! I can’t express in any words how happy I am for you, Marie! Welcome back. My prayers and love for you, our dear Marie!

:-)

:D

This is the best news ever!

:D

WOOOOHOOOOHOOOO!!!

One year after “The Change” she’s BACK again. That’s really fantastic!

So nice to see you, Marie!!!

WE LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!

“I’m healthy. I’m not receiving treatment anymore.”

God, this is the best news EVER!!!!! These past days, I kept blinking tears of joy out of my eyes. This news deserves a party!!!!

And she looks better than ever!!!

Here is a videoclip from the Café Opera party last night, you can see Marie in the beginning of it :)

http://www.aftonbladet.se/atv/player.html?catID=29&clipID=3611

Great to hear. I think that’s what everyone has been waiting for.

And another beautiful picture!!

That is fantastic news!!!

Marie looks really beautiful in those pictures and on the video clip:)

This is certainly the best news I´ve heard in a long, long time.

Congratulations, Marie. All the best to you!

i’m not THAT marie fan, but it’s cool to see her back in life, she looks very very good and i wish her all the best

WOW, Marie looks fantastic!!!! I’m so happy for her :) Finally the news we all were longing for is here! Go Marie!!!

Rox On!

Thanx for the update guys and the links! :) it’s much appreciated, TDR does it again! :)

Yes, we could send some congratulation to doctors from Karolinska!!!

I’m very, very happy for her. I can’t even find words to describe my feelings right now. It’s fantastic to know that she’s writing music again! I will be glad if that is either for Roxette or a solo project. I must admit that I’d love it was for Roxette!

Long life to Marie Fredriksson!

Oh. Thank God. That’s just wonderful.
Now everything seems to be back to normal with our favourite stars...We are - if i may say so - “busy fans”...So many good things happening around in such a short time!!!! Great October!! We’re gonna remember this period for sure.

One more picture from todays Metro: http://img461.imageshack.us/full.php?image=untitled10ai.gif

She talked to Aftonbladet but where is the personal and official “thank you” message for the FANS?

O MY GOD!!!!IT’S THE BEST NEW I COULD HEAR!!!
ALL OUR PRAYERS COME TRUE!!!!
MARIE I LOVE YOU WITH ALL MY HEART & SOUL!!!GOD BLESS YOU!
LIONEL FROM ARGENTINA

YES!!!
This is the moment we waited so long for.
I don’t know what to say!

marie looks great - she rocks!!!!!!!!!!

yes you´re right this is thw best new we all have been waiting for since sep 02
shes looking great
thank god shes alive and healthy

@ ThePopHits - I just knew someone was gonna come back with this question....

I’ve been waiting for this news. It is the best that I’ve heard!!!Thanks to God!!Let’s celebrate!!!!!!!!!!!!

GREAT NEWS, THIS IS ONE OF MY BEST DAYS! =)

I feel free....I’m floating.... =D It seems like the big stone on my heart’s been disintegrated. No more darkness, no more fears...our queen is still with us and as goddess as ever...

=)

when are you going to understand that WE aren’t the center of her life?! For god’s sake, give her time, she is SLOWLY coming back. How many times did we write that she would come back when she feels it is the right time for it, but this “comeback” doesn’t mean that suddenly she can be in 100% spotlight again.

Don’t understand why so much fuzz about “why didn’t she tell us before” either. She sure doesn’t make the exhibition for us, but for herself, and if she just decided to announce it now, there’s only one thing to do, which is understand and accept it. I’m sure many aren’t even interested in art... :S

SOOO NICE TO HEAR FROM YOU MARIE!

judith: Are you her manager? Let us say what we want!

*nocomment*

if you want to say what you want.. then I guess I also have the right to say what I want, or? ;)

I know I’m not the only one who thinks this, just that some people are a bit more shy ;)

I totally agree with Judith.

Edit: I’m not shy, my english are just quite bad so i can’t formulate beautiful sentences like you can ;)

THIS NEWS ARE THE BEST NEWS THAT I´M RECEIVED IN THIS YEAR IT´S SO GREAT!!!!!!!!!! MARIE I LOVE YOU MORE THAN EVER AND I KNOW I LOVE YOU FOREVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
THANKS GOD!!!!!!! FOR HEAR OURS PLAYERS!!!
MARIE COMEBACK LET´S CELEBRATE, AND SHE MAKES ME VERY VERY HAPPY, THE CHANGE SOUNDS MUCH BETTER NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
WOW!!!
JUAN JOSE CAMPORA - ROSARIO - ARGENTINA

I also agree with Judith. And another thing, I think we have been praying for Marie and wishing her to come back not to get her thanks but because we really love her. Her coming back is the best ’thank you’ we can get. Let’s be happy about that.

What a f***ing beautiful news!!!!!
I’m really glad to hear that =)

OW I SO PLEASE, its made me smile alot, i dont think marie knows who much people admire her, i so look forward to her future now and what she will do.

I’m totally speechless... I can’t believe that everything is happening so fast: the long interview with Marie, Marie on a *video*. Wow, it’s just amazing :) And I’d like to visit her exhibition cos I love that kind of art!

YEEEAAAHHHH YEEEAAAHHHH YEEEAAAHHHH !!!!!!!!

Great, fantastic!!! Marie, I am sooooooooo happy for you!!!!! You are such a strong woman, you’re the brightest shining of all stars in the sky.

I LOVE YOU!!!! Seeing you so happy and healthy again is just wonderful.

ROXETTE 4 EVER!!!!

Peter, Stuttgart

i’m very happy for her health this is wonderfull yupieeeeeeeeeeeeeee!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Finally we’ve got an official statemet about Marie’s health. I’m so happy that she is free of cancer. That’s the best news we could receive.

THANK GOD!!!

one of the happiest day in my life!!

Best wishes ,Marie!!

OH MY GOD!!!!!!!! THE BEST NEWS I’VE HEARD FOR YEARS!!!!!!
Take all the time you want to take, Marie!!! All that counts is that you’re healthy and happy in what you are doing now! Even if you would never sing a word again i’ll be loving you forever!!!!

Simply a glorious moment.

what can I say about it? honestly I feel peace inside me. finally the nightmare seems to fade out. I really feel happy for this and I gotta say she looks really great after the change! yeah! lots of loves from Argentina. Eloy

Absolutely fantastic news!:D:D:D:D

I am so happy for Marie now. What a wonderful moment after the hard times. All my very best wishes for Marie. Enjoy life! :-) Rich

@Tevensson: Thank you Thomas, for taking hours out of your day to translate this article to bring a smile to all of our faces. We all know how much you hate Marie and try to sabotage TDR by making up news about Per so that Marie is never the lead story... (-;

That is great news! :D Looking good, by the way! ;)

With all these news I feel like in old days, I mean now we have at least the chance to speculate further on Roxette´s future ;)

I love the picture, she looks like CBB-DBUGTTC days!

Wow Congratulations Marie!! What excellent news.

Dont worry about us fans right now - we can wait a little longer, you do whatever it is you feel you have to do now. You deserve it!

I love your art work btw.

Take care......

We all know how much you hate Marie and try to sabotage TDR by making up news about Per so that Marie is never the lead story... (-;

>> imagine the poor guy, 3 headlines on the top of the page about Marie!! ;) Articles he would have put online, had he had the time for it ;)

I’m crushed... ;)

Thank you for the translation!!

This is awesome news. I, like many others had tonnes of faith that the cancer would pass away.

Great to have you back on your feet, Marie! God knows it’s been a long 3 years, but He helped you through it. :D

ÄNTLIGEN - ÄNTLIGEN IDAG - SOLEN GICK UPP ÖVER STAN!!!

Congratulations Marie! I’m so happy for you!!!

Thanx GOD!!!

Just a thought; if God cured Marie from the cancer, why did he give it to her in the first place?

Very good question, tevensso.

(BTW I don’t believe in a God...)

this is really GREAT news!!! the only bad thing is her soldier-haircut ;)

Marvelous news. What a blessing. Marie looks fantastic—beautiful, healthy, and happy. There’s no better news than that.

@tevensson: It was all a part of God’s plan, of course (-; Don’t ask me, I gave up on God years ago...

how amazing does she look in that photo? Looks like stopping her treatment really had made a difference to her appearance. She looks happy and healthier than ever. I’ll look forward to new music from her, but there is no rush...whenever she is ready

I’m so glad Marie is doing great! I have been praying for her for a long time. Actually right when I first heard she had cancer. I love ya Marie! I’m glad you’re feeling well again!

This is the best news ever!!! I’m overwhelmed by pure joy! Marie is healthy, happy and beautiful just as before and I hope it will stay like that forever.

OH MY GOSHHHHHHH! :D I’M HAPPYYYYYYYYYY!

Cancer can be cured! Yes! :D

Marie, you don’t know how long I was waiting for this news. I love you more than ever!

YAY!! Marie won the battle, free of cancer... How I was hoping to hear that! I’m soooo HAPPY about this news! Thanks for the translation!

It’s good to hear Marie will take all the time she needs to come back. She deserves her love 2 live, live 2 love!!!

~Today is a gift, that’s why it’s called present~

xx Happy Nienke

And I got very happy yesterday. I showed this new photo of Marie to my friend and my friend said: “Oh, she looks so thin!”. I know, the appearance is not the most important thing, but still Marie is really back!!! She looks like in Roxette times!

I’m so happy to hear that! That’s the news I was waiting and praying for the last three years! Many hugs to you, Marie!

What can I say? I’m happy, happy to know that Marie is OK. One of the worst days in my life was the day I knew she was ill. But today.. well, today is one of the best.
I will always love you Marie.
GO MARIE GO!!!!!!!!

This is the best new from this year. I never pray so much to someone how to her.
I knew everything would finish fine :)

Fernanda

Me Too! (no Words)
She Looks Pretty!

Adriano- Brazil

Yes!Very good news! Iwish very best to Marie! Very good wintertime to you and, im sure we hear you soon,God pless you Marie!

I am so glad you made it!! I am so happy to hear you are healthy again!! Sending you all my best wishes for now and the future!
Your biggest fan
Nicole

congratulations marie... the best new I could read. I´m so happy...

The best Roxette video is from Cafe Opera party!

wow! Great news!
I am so happy that she finally is totally free of cancer! And she looks so happy in the video.

Perfect news!

She also explains that she hasn’t closed “any door” to future work with Roxette.

Well, that means that Roxette also still lives, because Per also did never close that door!

I’m always gonna love you, I never will forget you, you’re always gonna be a part of me. In the sunshine, in the rain, it’s quite the same, it’s never gonna change, I’ll be longing for you Marie.

Be healthy. Be strong. Be happy. Be you.

Neverending love from Portugal.

Now my heart isn’t just beating. It’s :)

hi!!!

The translation to Spanish of this interview can be read, here/ La traducción de esta entrevista del tdr a Marie, pueden leerla aquí -> http://usuarios.lycos.es/roxamerica/modules.php?name=News&file=article&s...

oh!!!! god this are incredible news. my eyes are filled with tears, i cannot believe this!!! great , great !! great for her!!! and her family. !!!. i made a fist with my hand and almost !!! lough out loud, and i am at work!!!!. a frined of mine told me about this news. since there’s been a lot of time since my last visit to tdr.....cheers!!!!!!!!!!!!

i reminded my first thought when i learnt about the accident that marie has had at the bathroom. i thought: “she must be pregnant”... but unfortunately this wasn´t truth...BUT NOW happiness is al arroud!!!!!!!!! :D

Simply the best rox-related new EVER...
*happy smile*

Praise be to God!! All the best, and much blessings Marie!! Rox on, xxx

I can’t express my emotions...The biggest pop female singer ever is healthy!!!
I adore Per and Marie,since I was 13,and today,when I’m one of leading Croatian pop-music composers,I feel he same!!Thanx Marie for all you gave to my life!!

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