Marie Fredriksson

Marie Fredriksson
Fredriksson at the 1987 Rock Runt Riket Swedish concert tour
Background information
Birth name	Gun-Marie Fredriksson
Born	(1958-05-30) 30 May 1958 (age 58) Össjö, Sweden
Genres	Pop, pop rock, rock, dance
Occupation(s)	Singer
Instruments	Vocals keyboards
Years active	1975–present
Associated acts	Roxette
Website	www.mariefredriksson.se

Gun-Marie Fredriksson, known as  Marie Fredriksson  (born 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 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." In 2002, after fainting at home, she was diagnosed with brain cancer. During her rehabilitation she continued to make music, resulting in the album The Change. She later reunited with Gessle to record more Roxette albums, embarked on worldwide tour and continued to record as a solo artist in her native Sweden.

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 neighbourhood 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.