Roxette

Joyride – The Musical brings Roxette’s iconic hits to Danish theatre stages

by

According to the Danish press release, Joyride – The Musical will have its first premiere outside Sweden in Denmark in 2027.

ROXETTE’s Iconic Hits in Romantic POP Comedy: Lion Musicals Presents JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL at Falkonersalen

Two women, one unfaithful man and ALL the greatest ROXETTE hits!

SPENDING MY TIME – THE LOOK – LISTEN TO YOUR HEART – DANGEROUS – IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE – DRESSED FOR SUCCESS – FADING LIKE A FLOWER and more.

Premiere: 11 March 2027, Falkonersalen

IT MUST HAVE BEEN LOVE! Experience Annette Heick, Martin Bo Lindsten, Lea Thiim Harder, Jakob Fauerby, Anders Bircow, Xenia Lach-Nielsen, Cristopher Rørmose and Grand Prix winner Sissal in an exhilarating FEELGOOD POP MUSICAL packed with DRAMA, HUMOUR and HITS. The production will have its Danish premiere on 11 March 2027 at Falkonersalen and will subsequently tour to Aalborg, Vejle, Odense, Aarhus, Esbjerg, Randers and Holstebro.

Presale begins on 8 September at 10:00, and official ticket sales begin on 9 September at 10:00 at www.lionmusicals.dk.

Lion Musicals can today announce the Danish premiere of JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL, bringing together more than 20 of the world-famous Swedish pop duo Roxette’s biggest hits in a romantic musical comedy about love, betrayal and revenge. The production at Falkonersalen will be the very first staging outside Sweden, where it has played to full houses in both Stockholm and Malmö since its premiere in 2024.

A musical love triangle is in store between Annette Heick, Lea Thiim Harder and Martin Bo Lindsten, joined by strong profiles such as Jakob Fauerby, Anders Bircow, Xenia Lach-Nielsen, Cristopher Rørmose and, not least, Danish Melodi Grand Prix winner Sissal, who will make her musical debut with JOYRIDE.

CEO and Executive Producer at Lion Musicals, Thomas Langkjær, says:

Roxette’s music has been the soundtrack to many people’s falling in love, heartbreak and, not least, parties throughout their lives. Combining these fantastic hits with Jane Fallon’s funny and sharp story about two betrayed women who come together in an unexpected friendship is a brilliant idea. We have assembled a fantastic cast, and we are very much looking forward to taking audiences on an unforgettable ‘Joyride’ at Falkonersalen.

Singer, songwriter and co-founder of Roxette, Per Gessle, says:

When I wrote the songs back then, and Marie and I recorded them, we never dreamed that they would one day form the framework for a major musical comedy. The success in Sweden has been an absolutely fantastic experience, and it is an enormous pleasure that Copenhagen will now be the very first stop on the production’s international journey. Denmark has always held a very special place in Roxette’s heart, and I am looking forward to Danish audiences experiencing the musical!

Two women, one unfaithful man and an unexpected alliance

What do you do when you discover that your husband is leading a secret double life? You certainly don’t fight over him – you team up with his mistress and teach him the lesson of his life!

The story of JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL centres on Stephanie, who works as a stylist and lives in London with Joe and their teenage daughter Stella. One day, she finds a beer mat with a telephone number in Joe’s back pocket and suspects that he is cheating on her. She contacts the person who left the number, who turns out to be Katie. And Katie is more than a little surprised when she discovers that her boyfriend Joe is not separated at all, as he has told her, but is leading a double life as the man in both Stephanie’s and Katie’s lives.

The two women decide to teach Joe a lesson and enter into a secret agreement designed to make his life a living hell. But the plan, which initially seemed so good, begins to slip out of their control. Was this really what they intended? And once they have finally had their revenge, what then? What about love and relationships? They both love their Joe, after all…

Audiences can look forward to more than 20 iconic Roxette classics, including “Joyride”, “Listen to Your Heart”, “It Must Have Been Love”, “The Look” and “Dressed for Success” – delivered with energy, humour and big emotions.

The script for JOYRIDE was written by Klas Abrahamsson and Guy Unsworth, based on bestselling English author Jane Fallon’s wonderfully funny and moving novel Got You Back.

A star-studded cast

Lion Musicals has assembled a truly stellar cast for the roles in JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL. In the role of stylist Stephanie, audiences can look forward to the experienced musical star and entertainer Annette Heick. Opposite her is Martin Bo Lindsten as the unfaithful husband Joe Mortimer, while Lea Thiim Harder takes on the role of mistress Katie, who chooses to team up with Stephanie in an unexpected alliance.

A major part of the story in JOYRIDE is centred around Premiera Fashion, a stylish styling agency that dresses celebrities for parties and the colourful nightlife of 1990s swinging London. This is where Stephanie works – and her sweet, stressed-out boss, Gary Davies, is played by Jakob Fauerby. As Gary’s assistant and best friend, Natasha, audiences can look forward to seeing Danish Melodi Grand Prix winner Sissal in her musical debut.

Premiera Fashion’s most loyal client is the flamboyant actress Meredith Maruska-Delicado, played by one of Denmark’s most versatile and experienced musical performers, Xenia Lach-Nielsen. The young, hot fashion photographer Michael Sotheby is played by talented musical star Cristopher Rørmose, while actor and entertainer Anders Bircow can be seen in the cameo role of Joe’s kind-hearted playboy father, John. The role also marks his 50th anniversary as an actor.

Strong creative forces behind the scenes

To recreate JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL in a Danish version, Lion Musicals has joined forces with a strong creative team. The production’s Danish director will be one of the country’s leading musical creators, Thomas Agerholm. Over the past decade, he has been behind major successes such as Seebach – The Musical, the Reumert Award-winning The Hunchback of Notre Dame, and last season’s Sting musical The Last Ship. For Lion Musicals, Thomas has previously directed The Bodyguard – The Musical, Jersey Boys and Cinderella – The Musical.

International star choreographer Miles Hoare, who also created the choreography for the Swedish world premiere of JOYRIDE at Malmö Opera in 2024, will recreate the production’s many dance numbers. The musical’s live band will be led by drummer and bandleader Peter Düring, who has toured with some of Denmark’s biggest stars and, among other things, leads the music for Danish Melodi Grand Prix.

Together, the creative team will ensure that JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL becomes an unforgettable musical celebration, taking audiences first class through Roxette’s catalogue.

A tribute to one of the biggest pop bands of the 1990s

The Swedish duo Roxette, consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, stands as one of the most successful Scandinavian pop groups in history. With more than 75 million albums sold worldwide and four number-one hits on the US Billboard chart, the Swedish duo took the world by storm from the late 1980s and throughout the 1990s. With their distinctive blend of explosive guitar pop and powerful, moving ballads, they created a musical soundscape that has defined generations. JOYRIDE – THE MUSICAL is the ultimate tribute to this musical legacy, bringing the enormous emotional range of the songs to life on stage in an entirely new way.

Facts about JOYRIDE – The Musical

The team:

  • Music and lyrics: Roxette / Per Gessle
  • Script: Guy Unsworth and Klas Abrahamsson (based on Jane Fallon’s bestselling novel Got You Back)
  • Direction: Thomas Agerholm
  • Choreography: Miles Hoare
  • Musical Director: Peter Düring
  • Executive Producer: Thomas Langkjær
  • Production company: Lion Musicals

Cast:

  • Stephanie Jarvis: Annette Heick
  • Joe Mortimer: Martin Bo Lindsten
  • Katie Hudson: Lea Thiim Harder
  • Gary Davies: Jakob Fauerby
  • John Mortimer: Anders Bircow
  • Meredith Maruska-Delicado: Xenia Lach-Nielsen
  • Natasha: Sissal
  • Michael Sotheby: Cristopher Rørmose
  • Plus a large ensemble of Denmark’s finest musical performers and a live band

Other facts:

  • Danish premiere: 11 March 2027 at Falkoner Salen, Copenhagen (previews from 9 March)
  • Presale begins on 8 September at 10:00, and official ticket sales begin on 9 September at 10:00
  • Ticket booking: www.lionmusicals.dk

Tour schedule:

  • Copenhagen, Falkonersalen: 11 March – 4 April 2027
  • Aalborg: 23–24 April 2027
  • Vejle: 30 April – 1 May 2027
  • Odense: 7–8 May 2027
  • Aarhus: 13–15 May 2027
  • Esbjerg: 21–22 May 2027
  • Randers: 28–29 May 2027
  • Holstebro: 4–5 June 2027

Roxette: Live – Back Again! 2026 – Spiez, Switzerland – 29th August – #24

by

The last gig of the tour took place in Spiez, Switzerland on Saturday at the Seaside Festival. Beautiful surroundings, wonderful weather, a tight band and a loud audience made it a fab Saturday night and an amazing closing of the tour.

The stage was quite high, but at least during Church Of Your Heart we had the chance to see the whole band together. It has been one of the highlights of the concerts ever since COYH was added to the setlist.

There were such great vibes that even the security guys at the front joined in with all the clapping and waving coreography. You’ve got to love them!

Chris played Vogellisi as the intro to Joyride.

Thank you, Per, for still having the driving force, for your neverending energy, for your enthusiasm, for giving your babies a new life on stage and for bringing your most awesome music to us live again all around the globe! Things will never be the same, of course, but I’m so glad you found Lena and that you could start a new live chapter of Roxette. This amazing song catalogue deserves to be played live and to make people happy in this crazy world out there. Thank you for keeping these songs alive and, through them, keeping Marie’s memory alive as well.

Thank you, Lena, for accepting the challenge and for performing our most beloved songs with so much respect and passion! You can be truly proud of yourself! These songs are now part of your DNA as well. Dedicating It Must Have Been Love to Marie every night warmed my heart. And what I appreciate so much is that you never try to imitate Marie. You bring your own voice, your own personality and your own emotions to these hits, making them your own. Yet your vocal power and the way you connect with these songs show that you come from the same musical roots as Marie. It’s a beautiful combination of honoring what came before while creating something that is uniquely yours. Thank you also for giving Stars a whole new meaning. It has become one of the highlights of every gig.

Thank you, Dea, for your vibrant energy, your amazing backing vocals, for coming to the front, and for paying attention to every little detail! Your interaction not only with the band members but also with the fans is truly exceptional. Thank you for all the fun, the joy and the sparkle you brought to every show!

Thank you, Clarence, for your unmistakable touch on these songs! Always a joy to watch you play these hits live! And I think I’ve never seen you sing along to these songs as much as you have on this tour, it’s been a pleasure. Also thank you for playing the tunes of Neverending Love, it’s been another highlight of every concert. Just a tiny snippet of a 40-year-old song, yet one that made us so happy every single night.

Thank you, Jonas, for coming back after all these years and for picking up those guitars as if you’d never been away. I know you missed playing these songs over the years and we certainly missed hearing you play them. Yet you came back with the same unmistakable touch, as if there had never been a break at all. Thank you for bringing your incredible guitar riffs back to the stage and for creating that special 6-string magic night after night. It’s been such a joy to have you back!

Thank you, Chris, for your pure rock & roll hippie spirit, for your amazing talent on every instrument you played on tour, for all the local tunes that brought the crowds even closer to the gang and for those fun guitar battles with Per. Your flying moments are forever burned into my retina. Haha. Thank you also for creating Content Chris, bringing some backstage moments closer to us in your own fun and spontaneous way whenever you felt like it. Your energy, humor and pure joy of being on stage have been such a pleasure to watch throughout the tour.

Thank you, Magnus, for the amazing bass sound, for your always elegant yet fun presence on stage, as well as for your little stand-up comedy sessions every time Per asked you, “How are you, Magnus?” Haha. You always managed to make every band introduction unique and it was always a joy to stand in front of you in the audience.

Thank you, Norpan, for the beats, for bringing your own energy to the band and for being the new kid on the block who keeps the whole thing moving. And thank you especially for the beautiful tribute to Pelle during Listen To Your Heart. A wonderful way of keeping Pelle’s spirit alive on stage.

And of course, a huge thank you to the whole crew behind the scenes – for taking care of the gear, instruments, lights and sound, make-up, schedules, and for working hard every single day to make everything happen on time. Even with the tight schedules and shorter set-up times at festivals, you always made it work. It’s always fun to watch you setting up the stage and getting everything ready for another show. It’s also an enjoyable part of the whole concert experience.

And finally, thank you to everyone who gave this new live chapter a chance, whether you are a longtime hardcore Roxer or a newcomer. It’s always so much fun to be one of those voices standing in front of the stage, singing along to these amazing hits that never get old. I often say it’s worse than any drug, once you’ve experienced it, you just want more. And since every night is live, every night is special. I truly hope I get to experience it all again. ’Cos it all begins where it ends.

Nothing is set in stone yet, but as Per mentioned, it looks like the live adventure will most likely continue next year! I’m already looking forward to it!

Setlist

1. The Big L.
2. Sleeping In My Car
3. Dressed For Success
4. Crash! Boom! Bang!
5. Fading Like A Flower
6. Church Of Your Heart
7. Stars
8. She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
9. It Must Have Been Love
10. How Do You Do!
11. Dangerous

Band presentation

12. Joyride
13. Spending My Time
14. Listen To Your Heart
15. The Look
16. Queen Of Rain

Photos in the article are taken by Patrícia Peres. More photos HERE!

Per after the gig:

Amazing finale of the summer tour in magical Spiez, Switzerland. The perfect Saturday in my book! Thanx all you Roxers everywhere who made this year’s tour possible, can’t thank you enough for your endless support. New dice next year!

Lena after the show:

Thank you Spietz/Schwitzerland for an amazing Roxette gig yesterday! A perfect ending on a perfect summer!

Roxette: Live – Back Again! 2026 – Arbon, Switzerland – 28th August – #23

by

The Roxette gang played their second-to-last show in Arbon, Switzerland last night. Summerdays Festival welcomed us with heavy rain. It started raining cats and dogs already during Gotthard’s concert – they were on stage before Roxette – and it continued raining for more than halfway through Roxette’s show. Per even joked, „sorry about this Swedish weather”. Haha.

By It Must Have Been Love, it had stopped raining.

Because of the rain, the stage was a bit slippery, so everyone had to be careful not to fall. Lena – you know she’s a little bit dangerous, haha – came to the front, onto to the short catwalk, where there was more water on the stage, but she managed to keep her balance even when she slipped a bit. Even BoJo came onto the stage before Church Of Your Heart to clean the catwalk area from the water, and the crew were also constantly checking all the instruments and the prompter to make sure they were not covered with water.

During Stars, someone started blowing bubbles, and the bubbles were flying towards the stage. It looked very cool.

Unlike in Finland, there was enough space on the stage in Switzerland for the LED wall, so we got to see the full LED wall visual setup as well.

Chris played Vogellisi as the intro to Joyride.

Setlist

1. The Big L.
2. Sleeping In My Car
3. Dressed For Success
4. Crash! Boom! Bang!
5. Fading Like A Flower
6. Church Of Your Heart
7. Stars
8. She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
9. It Must Have Been Love
10. How Do You Do!
11. Dangerous

Band presentation

12. Joyride
13. Spending My Time
14. Listen To Your Heart
15. The Look
16. Queen Of Rain

Next stop is Spiez, Switzerland on 29th August! The last show!

Photos in the article are taken by Patrícia Peres. More photos HERE! Some short videos HERE!

Per after the gig:

Arbon in the rain! The showers didn’t matter a bit, it turned to be a most amazing Friday!! Loved it! Thx everyone (14000+) for showing up. See ya next time!

Lena after the show:

Lots of summer rain in Arbon/ Switzerland yesterday with Roxette, but what an amazing crowd you were! Thank you so very much for putting in your energy!! And tonight the very last gig this summer tour in Spiez/ Switzerland. See you soon!

Roxette: Live – Back Again! 2026 – Ekenäs, Finland – 15th August – #22

by

After almost two weeks off, Roxette played in Ekenäs, Finland last night, headlining Raseborg Summerfest. It was a fab Saturday night party with a hyped-up band and a loud crowd of more than 4,000 people.

This time there was no LED wall, just the silver backdrop with the lights.

Chris played Säkkijärven polkka the intro to Joyride.

Setlist

1. The Big L.
2. Sleeping In My Car
3. Dressed For Success
4. Crash! Boom! Bang!
5. Fading Like A Flower
6. Church Of Your Heart
7. Stars
8. She’s Got Nothing On (But The Radio)
9. It Must Have Been Love
10. How Do You Do!
11. Dangerous

Band presentation

12. Joyride
13. Spending My Time
14. Listen To Your Heart
15. The Look

Next stop is Arbon, Switzerland on 28th August! Tour dates and links to ticket sales sites HERE! Only 2 shows left!

Photos in the article are taken by Patrícia Peres. More photos HERE!

Per after the gig:

Yea! Always a treat to play the Summer Fest in Ekenäs, Finland. Such a beautiful place with a huge lovely crowd! Love to come back anytime!

Lena after the show:

Tack Ekenäs/Finland för ett härligt gig igår med Roxette! Så vackert ställe och underbar publik!!

Roxette – Room Service – 25th Anniversary Edition

by

Roxette’s seventh studio album, Room Service, stands as a polished milestone in the Swedish duo’s catalogue. Originally released in the spring of 2001, the album served as the final studio effort of their original golden era before Marie Fredriksson’s tragic brain tumor diagnosis in 2002 forced an indefinite hiatus.

Room Service captures Roxette fully embracing the glossy, synth-driven landscape of early 2000s European pop. Tracks like the lead single The Centre Of The Heart and the upbeat Real Sugar showcased Gessle’s relentless hook-driven songwriting fused with disco-rock textures, while the enduring European hit Milk And Toast And Honey highlighted Fredriksson’s timeless, emotionally resonant vocal delivery.

To celebrate the 25th anniversary of Roxette’s Room Service, the 2001 album is being released on vinyl for the very first time. The tracklist has also been expanded with outtakes and demos, bringing the total to 24 tracks. At the same time, a deluxe double-CD edition will be released featuring no fewer than 26 tracks.

There will be two LP editions: a limited edition on marbled red/black vinyl and a standard black vinyl edition.

The 24-track gatefold vinyl editions come with an 8-page booklet, while the 26-track CD includes with a 20-page booklet.

Release date: 18th September.

Watch the promo video HERE!

Vinyl tracklist

LP 1 – Side A

  1. Real Sugar
  2. The Centre Of The Heart (Is A Suburb To The Brain)
  3. Milk And Toast And Honey
  4. Jefferson
  5. Little Girl
  6. Looking For Jane

LP 1 – Side B

  1. Bringing Me Down To My Knees
  2. Make My Head Go Pop
  3. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
  4. Fool
  5. It Takes You No Time To Get Here
  6. My World, My Love, My Life

LP 2 – Side A

  1. Entering Your Heart
  2. The Weight Of The World
  3. Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla (You Broke My Heart)
  4. Every Day
  5. Stupid
  6. Bringing Me Down To My Knees (Alternate Version)

LP 2 – Side B

  1. Entering Your Heart (T&A Demo – Feb 16, 2000 / MP Mix 2025)
  2. Milk And Toast And Honey (T&A Demo – Aug 3, 1999)
  3. Looking For Jane (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 2000)
  4. Fool (T&A Demo – Dec 27, 1999)
  5. My World, My Love, My Life (T&A Demo – Dec 28, 1999)
  6. Walk On, Lonely Eyes (T&A Demo – Dec 16, 1999)

 

CD Tracklist

CD 1

  1. Real Sugar
  2. The Centre Of The Heart (Is A Suburb To The Brain)
  3. Milk And Toast And Honey
  4. Jefferson
  5. Little Girl
  6. Looking For Jane
  7. Bringing Me Down To My Knees
  8. Make My Head Go Pop
  9. Try (Just A Little Bit Harder)
  10. Fool
  11. It Takes You No Time To Get Here
  12. My World, My Love, My Life

CD 2

  1. Entering Your Heart
  2. The Weight Of The World
  3. Bla Bla Bla Bla Bla (You Broke My Heart)
  4. Every Day
  5. All I Ever Wanted
  6. Stupid
  7. Bringing Me Down To My Knees (Alternate Version)
  8. Entering Your Heart (T&A Demo – Feb 16, 2000 / MP Mix 2025)
  9. Milk And Toast And Honey (T&A Demo – Aug 3, 1999)
  10. Looking For Jane (T&A Demo – Feb 15, 2000)
  11. Fool (T&A Demo – Dec 27, 1999)
  12. My World, My Love, My Life (T&A Demo – Dec 28, 1999)
  13. Walk On, Lonely Eyes (T&A Demo – Dec 16, 1999)
  14. Beautiful Girl (T&A Demo – Apr 19, 1999)

Pre-order HERE or HERE or check it out at your local music store, because it’s a worldwide release!