The duo achieved international success in the late s and early s with their albums Look Sharp! Fredriksson had a successful career in her native country prior to forming Roxette. She was a member of punk group Strul, a band which created their own music festival in Strul's dissolution led to the creation of her next project, the short-lived MaMas Barn, after which she began releasing solo work.
Efter stormen in In , after fainting at home, Fredriksson was diagnosed with a brain tumour. She and Gessle later reunited to record more albums as Roxette, and the pair embarked on a worldwide concert tour. She also continued to record as a solo artist in her native Sweden, releasing Nu!
Fredriksson died on 9 December as a result of health issues stemming from her brain tumour. Marie explained: "She was 20 β and I can barely remember her today. But I remember the grief, how the family was torn apart. After that I had to fend for myself. I was only seven years old. With both parents in full-time employment but unable to afford child care , Marie and her underage siblings would often be left unaccompanied at home while their parents worked.
It was during this period, with the help of siblings and friends, that she learned how to sing, read notation and play musical instruments. I've got really bright, lovely memories of that place, even when my big sister died. I loved all the songs. It was such a source of freedom for me⦠for both of us. Her interest in music continued to grow throughout her teens, as she discovered artists such as The Beatles , Joni Mitchell , Jimi Hendrix and Deep Purple.
Since no other vocalist in the school could emulate Fredriksson's vocal range , she joined the cast of a musical she co-wrote. This musical toured throughout Sweden, with its run culminating in a performance in Stockholm for Prime Minister Olof Palme. After graduating from music school in , Fredriksson moved to Halmstad , where she worked in theatre before becoming involved in the local indie music scene.
