STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - According to a telegram in Aftonbladet today, Marie Fredriksson has, in agreement with Expressen, decided to drop the lawsuit.

  The trial was supposed to be held on Wednesday, but is now cancelled according to Leif Silbersky, Marie’s attorney. “I neither want, nor can tell you why, but we’ve reached an agreement with Expressen on how to handle this,” Silbersky says.

  Otto Sjöberg, editor-in-chief of Expressen, says that there exists no secret deal between the parts. “When Marie Fredriksson decided to not pursue her claim, Expressen chose not to demand compensation for its costs for the trial. That’s the whole deal between Marie Fredriksson and Expressen,” Sjöberg says in Expressen.

  In a press release issued by Marie Fredriksson today she states that even though she’s free from the cancer and much stronger now, she feels that she doesn’t have enough strength to pursue a tedious legal process. Marie chooses instead to focus her energy on regaining her strength, recovering from her illness and her family and the present now.

  TDR readers may recall that Expressen immediately published an apology when Marie Fredriksson reacted negatively to the original article.

• Aftonbladet’s telegram (In Swedish)
• Journalisten.se (In Swedish)
• Expressen (In Swedish)

STOCKHOLM - When The Daily Roxette announced a contest to win one of two “After the Change” books from Marie Fredriksson’s art exhibition, we didn’t anticipate how difficult it would become. TDR was approached by Petter Lindskog of Musicshop.se who asked if we wanted to raffle out two of the books; and if so, he would donate them, including shipping to the winners. It was a very generous offer, and of course we accepted

  That’s when the problems started. Just as we were drawing the winner’s names, Musicshop.se apparently went under and Mr. Lindskog disappeared. We haven’t to this date been able to make contact with him. We were actually in the process of writing to the winners to offer them alternative prizes when, through a twist of fate, we were in touch with Micke Bolyos (married to Marie Fredriksson). To make a long story short, the two of them donated two signed books to our winners. The books, plus something extra, will be shipped to the two lucky winners: Maria Laura Osorio from Argentina and Kamila Lesniewski from Germany, next week.

  The Daily Roxette sends its warmest congratulations to our winners and we wish to thank everyone who entered. Last and foremost, a huge thanks to Marie & Micke Bolyos who stepped up for the fans!

STOCKHOLM - Marie and a number of other Swedish artists and prominent people - such as Nina Persson of The Cardigans and Robert Wells - have contributed with drawings of the Christmas tree of their dreams to raise money for The Queen Silvia Children’s Hospital in Gothenburg.


  The drawings will be auctioned on December 19 by Bukowski’s daughter company Auktionskompaniet at a starting price of 1,000 Swedish kronor (€110). Auktionskompaniet’s Lena Hafdell believes Marie’s drawing will be the one sold at the highest price. “She is a world famous star and has recently had an exhibition of her own art.”


  Marie’s drawing shows, as you can see, a tree with a big heart on the top of it and she has gotten a little help from her husband Micke and her children.

• Auktionskompaniet
• Article in N24
• Gallery at N24

STOCKHOLM - Marie Fredriksson will sign her art book “After the Change” at the high-end department store NK on Hamngatan in Stockholm, December 14, 17:00-18:00 CET. There are around 1,500 books left of the lot.

• NK (Nordiska Kompaniet)

STOCKHOLM - Yesterday Marie performed live at Café Opera’s Aids Gala “Kick Aids Out”. Marie sang Aretha Franklin’s “I never loved a man like I loved you”, a song that she also performed back at Roxette’s MTV unplugged in 1993. “I’ve always loved that song so it felt so right to do it tonight!” Marie says.” Micke adds “I suspect she means me, this is so big for us to be back on stage again!” Yesterday’s mini concert was very special as it was Marie’s first public appearance since she was diagnosed with cancer. Afterwards Marie exclaimed “I feel so great tonight, I’ll have me a pint of beer!”

  Per Gessle has said that he’d love to take Roxette for another spin if Marie is up for it. Now the first step has been taken.

  “Kick Aids Out” was held for the first time ever yesterday. The goal is to spread aids information in southern Africa.

Santi contributed to this article.

• Aftonbladet
• Expressen

STOCKHOLM - Swedish TV4 reported about Marie Fredriksson’s exhibition - which secretly opened its doors yesterday - in their afternoon news edition.


  A happy and smiling Marie appeared with her husband Micke Bolyos setting up the exhibition, deciding which frames to hang where, as well as answering to some questions from TV4’s reporter Lasse Bengtsson.


  There will be a longer segment about the exhibition tomorrow morning at “Nyhetsmorgon,” which runs from 08:59 until 11:30 CET. According to TV4, Marie will be on at 10:15.

• TV4

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.”

• Aftonbladet’s article (In Swedish, but with photos)
• Café Opera party video (Marie and her husband attend)

Read more…

STOCKHOLM - Marie Fredriksson will exhibit her artwork in a gallery show entitled “After The Change.” The display, at Doktor Glas gallery, Kungsträdgården, will feature 24 of Marie’s most personal drawings, but only for 10 days.


  Marie, besides music, has always drawn and painted, but always privately, until last year. Then Marie got a new instrument for her creativity, the charcoal pencil. She painted the pictures of the cover of her last album “The Change” and when the album was ready and released, Marie went on drawing with charcoal. The result are these pieces of artwork, which she will show in her first exhibition from October 21 until October 30.


  Marie explains in a press release announcing the show:

“I have never felt myself so free as when I draw. One cannot compare it with music or anything else.

The freedom in my drawing feels like one big love, warmth and energy.

Free in the silence of the charcoal pencil’s light.”

Update October 20: As is often the case at gallery exhibitions, TDR has learned that a catalog has been printed. The velvet covered book, containing all of Marie’s drawings will be available for purchase at the gallery. Limited to 2,000 copies, the price is 400 SEK (€45). All 24 works of art on display are for sale, with the price set at 18,500 SEK (€1,970 or $2,340) each. Most have already been sold.

Update October 21: The exhibition is open weekdays between 11:00 and 17:30 CET, Saturdays between 13:00 and 16:00 and on Sundays 12:00 and 16:00. Entrance is free.


Robert Thorselius contributed to this article.

STOCKHOLM - Today our dear Marie Fredriksson turns 47. We hereby want to congratulate her on Her Day, and we hope that she will get many more!



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

STOCKHOLM (UPDATED) - According to Capitol Sweden, the third single from Marie Fredriksson’s “The Change” will be “A Table in the Sun”, which will hit the stores on May 18.


  Previously released singles from “The Change” are “2nd Chance” (October 6, 2004) and “All About You” (December 1, 2004).


Update April 29: The B-side will be the orchestral version of “The Change”.

• Capitol Sweden