Today, May 30, our lovely Marie Fredriksson turns 48. The Daily Roxette wishes her happy birthday!


All the best, Lars-Erik, Visa, Thomas & Judith

STOCKHOLM - Swedish tabloid newspaper Aftonbladet has published an extensive interview with Marie Fredriksson today. In the interview, Marie – who is healthy again - tells about her life after the brain tumor and openly explains about the problems she has as a result of the operation she underwent to remove the tumor, “it is still hard to read and I cannot count at all, but who cares! There are computers that can do that for me. Micke and my children help me a lot. Sometimes I can feel like ’damn, I cannot manage this, what is it?’ But it’s getting better. I just have to practice,” she explains, and adds, “I feel incredibly fine and I’m glad that I am alive.” Marie’s children sometimes tease her, “sometimes they are mean to me, they test me a bit and ask ’What is five plus this or that?’ but it doesn’t matter,” laughs Marie.


  She has also changed as a person, “before I took everything for granted. Today I am grateful to be alive. I enjoy time in a completely different way. Before I became sick I worked too much, toured and traveled here and there. Now I take one day at a time,” she says stressing every word strongly. “Every morning I wake up and I think ’Thank God I am alive!’.”


  Marie showed how strong she is when she dared to go to see the Rolling Stones live at the Cirkus in Stockholm when she was still under heavy treatment which made her look totally swollen. “I went there even though it was a horrible time for me. I took a lot of cortisone and I was swollen in the face, it was hard when people looked at me. But at the same time, it was like ’I don’t care! I finally got this far.’ I just didn’t care about that and I went to see the Rolling Stones because I love that band. I tried to put all thoughts about my illness aside and I went there.”

• Aftonbladet’s article

Read more…

STOCKHOLM - Marie Fredriksson will make a guest appearance on this season’s last episode of TV4’s “Bingolotto” on June 5. Other invited artists are Robert Wells, Lill Lindfors, Magnus Johansson and Amy Diamond.

“Bingolotto” runs on TV4 between 20:00 and 23:30 CET. The performance will most probably be availabe afterwards in streaming format on TV4’s website.

• Bingolotto

STOCKHOLM - The first single off Marie Fredriksson’s coming album “Min bäste vän”, “Sommaräng”, entered the official Swedish single chart at #21 this week. The single was released on May 17 and the album hits the stores on June 14.


Animalkingdom and Sweepi contributed to this article

• Listen to Sommaräng

STOCKHOLM - Today Swedish tabloid Aftonbladet published an interview with Marie Fredriksson, in regard to her new album “Min bäste vän” and Roxette’s 20th Anniversary.


  Marie explains that nowadays she takes things very easy and enjoys spring after a long dark winter, “Weather is so nice now, so I love to be outside, enjoy the sun and see everything blossom,” tells an enthusiastic Marie, “I don’t work every day, I take it easy. One day I may write, the other day I draw. But above all, I try to take it nice and slow.” Marie tells Aftonbladet reporter Jens Peterson that she has gotten over the illness and treatment and that she has learned to relax and not live under stress anymore.


  The reason behind her new album is similar to Per’s story about Son of a Plumber. “I started to long for those old albums and started listening to them again. I re-discovered many favorite songs from that time. John Holm, Pugh Rogefeldt and the Hoola Bandoola Band.” Marie didn’t feel inspired to write something new herself, so she decided to make this album with covers. “We wanted to have 10-11 songs on the album, so it was hard to decide which songs were going to make it,” laughs Marie.


  Marie also explains that she enjoys singing more than ever, “I have never felt so secure and calm when I sing. It is a gift I had since I was born, but now I’m not so stressed about it anymore. If I have to record [an album], then I’ll do it my way. It can take a long time or it can be fast, but it has to be under my conditions. I don’t compromise.”


  And, of course, she still has place for drawing. “I enjoy it very much. It is totally different to recording an album. I always wanted to draw, but I never had the time for it. Suddenly it felt like I had to draw, like when I was young. The ideas come so naturally.” Marie started drawing with charcoal and last year made an exhibition of those drawings, but now she reveals that she has started to work with some colors and in bigger format. To the question if we’ll get to see these paintings soon, Marie answers, “Yes, I hope!”


  Marie’s children think her art and music are fantastic. “It is great because they say what they think, what they like and what they don’t like. Oscar also draws and is very creative. Josse as well. It is fun that they are interested, listen and give their opinion about it.”


  Regarding Roxette, Marie talks shortly about the new songs that she and Per will record this summer. “We will make one song for sure. Then we’ll see how it works, maybe we make one more.” But so far, no tour is in view. “No, I want to relax.”



  Marie’s comments about the songs featured in the album:

“Sommaräng”, “Din bäste vän” and “Den öde stranden” by John Holm:


“John Holm has a big place in my heart. His lyrics are so pure and simple, they go straight to [your heart].



“Guldgruva”, “Här kommer natten” and “Aftonfalken” byPugh Rogefeldt:


I took the songs that I like the most. Many memories from my teenager years.



“Vem kan man lita på?” and “Man måste veta vad man önskar sig” by Mikael Wiehe (Hoola Bandoola):

“I liked Hoola Bandoola. I don’t wonder if the lyrics are right or left winged anymore.”

  Update May 16: The album sleeve of “Min bäste vän” has been added.

• Article in Aftonbladet

STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - Today EMI released a preliminary concept cover for “Min bäste vän,” Marie’s new album that will be released on June 14. The actual cover is expected to vary somewhat, with changes to the text and, perhaps, to a different but similar photograph.


  Marie will present “Sommaräng,” the first single off this album, on May 14 on SVT’s “TV-huset” program. The single will hit the stores on May 17. Additional promotional appointments are expected in the next weeks.


  Update May 9: “Sommaräng”’s B-side will be “Små lätta moln,” a song written by Pugh Rogefeldt.

  Update May 10: According to Marie Fredriksson’s new – but not quite ready yet – website (mariefredriksson.se), the single will be available from digital download sources on May 15, two days earlier than the in-store release date. – Roxryder-V2002

  Update May 11: EMI has confirmed that this is indeed the actual single sleeve. Now updated with a larger version for your pleasure!

STOCKHOLM - The final tracklist of Marie Fredriksson’s new album “Min bäste vän” has been revealed today and it is like follows:

1. Din bäste vän
2. Sommaräng
3. Om jag vore arbetslös
4. Guldgruva
5. Ingen kommer undan politiken
6. Jag ger dig min morgon
7. Aftonfalken
8. Man måste veta vad man önskar sig
9. Vem kan man lita på?
10. Den öde stranden
11. Här kommer natten

  As you will recognize, “Jag ger dig min morgon” has been added to the initial tracklist announced in the press release of April 12 , making a total of 11 songs to be included in the album. This song’s Swedish lyrics are written by Fred Åkerström.


  The album is out on June 14.

STOCKHOLM - Marie Fredriksson will be one of the guests in this season’s last episode of “TV-Huset” on May 14. Marie will perform “Sommaräng,” the first single off her coming album “Min bäste vän,” and will also be interviewed.


  Other invited artists are Lena Philipsson, Peter Settman and BWO (formerly known as Bodies Without Organs, a band with Alexander Bard from Army of Lovers).

  TV-Huset runs on SVT1 between 18:15 and 19:30 CET. The program will also be availabe afterwards in streaming format on SVT’s website.


  Tobben and Mari contributed to this article.

• SVT TV-Huset
• Article in Expressen

STOCKHOLM - Marie Fredriksson will release her new album “Min bäste vän” (“My Best Friend”) on June 14. On the new album, she gives her own, personal interpretation of the music she grew up with during the end of the ’60s and the beginning of the ’70s.

  You’ll find songs from artists like John Holm, Fred Åkerström, Pugh Rogefeldt and the Hoola Bandoola Band on this album, along with many others.

  As early as May 15 she will release the first single, the John Holm song “Sommaräng” (“Summer Meadow”).

  Marie has again worked with her husband Micke Bolyos as both producer and arranger. The album’s been recorded at her at-home studio Vinden during the winter months. Marie and Micke worked with a small group of musicians: guitarists Ola Gustavsson, Staffan Astner and Jokke Pettersson; brothers Per & Sven Lindvall drums and bass guitar and Mats Ronander plays the harmonica on Pugh’s song “Guldgruva” (“Gold Mine”).

The songs:



DIN BÄSTE VÄN [Your Best Friend] Words & music: John Holm.

SOMMARÄNG [Summer Meadow] Words & music: John Holm.

OM JAG VORE ARBETSLÖS [If I Were Unemployed] (“If I Were A Carpenter”)

Original Words & music: Tim Hardin.

Swedish lyrics: Cornelis Vreeswijk.

GULDGRUVA [Gold Mine] Words & music: Pugh Rogefeldt.

VEM KAN MAN LITA PÅ? [Who Can You Trust?] Words & music: Mikael Wiehe.

JAG GER DEJ MIN MORGON

AFTONFALKEN [The Evening Falcon] Words: Ulf Lundell. Music: Pugh Rogefeldt.

INGEN KOMMER UNDAN POLITIKEN [No One Escapes Politics] (“Complainte Pour Ste. Catherine”) Original Words & music: Philippe Tatartcheff & Anna McGarrigle.

Swedish lyrics: Ola Magnell.

MAN MÅSTE VETA VAD MAN ÖNSKAR SIG [You Have to Know What You Wish For] Words & music: Mikael Wiehe.

DEN ÖDE STRANDEN [The Deserted Beach] Words & music: John Holm.

HÄR KOMMER NATTEN [Here Comes the Night] Words & music: Pugh Rogefeldt.

STOCKHOLM - In an interview published in Madrid today with the Spanish-language Europa Press, Per claims that Marie Fredriksson will release a new Swedish album in May.

  Per also comments about the new songs that they will record for the Roxette Greatest Hits album due out this fall. “We will record one, maybe two new songs, it all depends on Marie, who doesn’t want to work too much,” he tells Europa Press. “But she is really looking forward to recording with Roxette again,” he adds. “Marie’s life has totally changed, she sees life through different eyes,” he explains, and stresses that she has never stopped singing and recording music. He says she will release a new album in Swedish in May.


  Per also reveals that he has already started to write the first new song for the forthcoming Roxette anniversary album.

  Marie’s manager, Marie Dimberg, didn’t confirm the news about her new album, though. “Nothing is final and nothing is official yet,” she tells TDR.

• Europa Press (In Spanish)
• Pictures of Per in Madrid @ Roxspain