Marie Fredriksson 1958 – 2019

Östra Ljungby wasn’t big enough. Halmstad wasn’t big enough. Sweden wasn’t big enough. No, the world was your stage! You were one of the few who actually made it. Miraculously made it reaching out with your music far outside basically every border.

A lot of people of course connect Marie with Halmstad, but she didn’t get here until her late teens. It was Stefan at Jackos skivor who dragged her to Sweden’s Liverpool. Marie wanted to sing, and in Halmstad you had that chance. Well, at least it was bigger than that little village outside of Ängelholm. She hung with the Gyllene boys, formed MaMas Barn together with Martin Sternhufvud out in Lynga, got herself to Stockholm with Husbands-Lasse Lindbom to try her fortune there. And what a fortune she found! Total success to say the least. But then she had that real dream. About the World. We don’t have to rehash the story about Roxette here, surely most of you know it already, but give Marie a thought when you pass Styrdal just South of Gullbrandstorp next time. In that building, closest to the road, Marie, Per and MP Persson created musical history like no one else in Halmstad.

Without knowing for sure, I’m guessing all the girls in Halmstad – not just the big stars like Linnea, Linnea, Mariette and Seinabo – but more or less everyone here has had Marie as some sort of role model. First and foremost for the singing, but also for her fight against the cancer. Of course one would assume this goes for the guys as well, but in these times where strong women haven’t gotten enough space, she stepped up and grabbed a bite of life.

Marie, few have been on everyone’s lips, been mimicked in the shower and hung as an idol on millions of walls. You did it. You really did it.

Dearest Gun-Marie, you leave a huge emptiness behind. We who create music in Halmstad will miss you. Sweden will miss you. The World will miss you. But if there’s some consolation, all the music you made is still here. For ever. Sleep well.

/Staffan, Halmstadmusik