It is not often when two solo
artists hailing from different performing groups could form a partnership that
would make memorable music for many years. But that is exactly how Swedish
singers Per Gessle and Marie Fredriksson, veteran Swedish solo singers hailing
from separate bands, would come together to form the pop rock duo called
Roxette. Their international breakout in the late 1980s would deliver such
memorable English-language tunes as “The Look,” “Listen to Your Heart” and “It
Must Have Been Love” from Disney-Touchstone’s 1990 rom-com “Pretty Woman.”
Roxette would continue to tour and record new material through the 2000s-10s
despite Fredriksson’s growing health problems, but it is over now.
CNN reports that on Monday, December 9, Roxette vocalist Marie
Fredriksson passed away at the age of 61 years old. Her management company
confirmed her death of cancer, which occurred some 17 years after she was
initially diagnosed with a brain tumor in 2002. In an official statement,
Dimberg Jernberg Management memorialized the departed singer saying, "Marie
leaves us a grand musical legacy. Her amazing voice -- both strong and
sensitive -- and her magical live performances will be remembered by all of us
who was lucky enough to witness them."
Fredriksson’s Roxette partner Per
Gessle also gave a remembrance to his longtime collaborator, whom he described as
an "outstanding musician, a master of the voice, an amazing performer."
Gessle added that he had known Marie and been close friends with her for over
four decades, adding, "I'm proud, honored and happy to have been able to
share so much of your time, talent, warmth, generosity and sense of humor…Things
will never be the same."
Following her brain tumor
diagnosis over a decade ago, Marie Fredriksson embarked on an intensive
treatment regimen for several years, ultimately enabling her to reunite with
Per Gessle and tour once more as Roxette in 2009. Three more studio albums
would be produced by the duo within this decade alone, along with concerts to
promote them until 2016, when Fredriksson’s physicians once more called on her
to stop touring to prioritize her again-worsening health. She at least was able
with Gessle to finish work on their last album “Good Karma,” released in 2016.
They made plans to record new music afterwards, only for Marie’s condition to worsen.
Shortly after her death was announced, the YouTube video for “It Must Have Been
Love” suddenly spiked in views to over 530 million.
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