Roxette: Fading Like a Flower
Swedish singer/songwriter Marie Fredriksson, half of Roxette, has died after battling cancer for 17 years. Fredriksson began her musical career in Halmstad, as a member of various bands (including punk group Strul) before meeting Per Gessle who encouraged her to pursue a solo career—as he believed she was too talented to hide behind the keyboard. Just a few years later, in 1986, Gessle and Fredriksson would form Roxette. Their second album was the breakthrough Look Sharp! (1988) and was followed by the equally successful Joyride (1990) which included the non-album single “It Must Have Been Love”—written for the Pretty Woman soundtrack. From that same album comes “Fading Like a Flower” a piano-based ballad with mass appeal and, thanks to Fredriksson’s impressive range and charismatic performance style, it’s unforgettable.
