It’s crazy – at least for a fan like I am – how there are still people on this planet who don’t know about the illness Marie Fredriksson (lead singer/Roxette) suffered from, just recently I experienced that on Twitter, during the Auckland show. Yes, she had a brain tumour. And yes, she is healthy again. She had to fight a lot for several years, but she made it and she did even though she only had a 5% chance to survive. And now she feels good enough to perform again. Roxette just kicked off their second world tour since 2011. And no, her condition isn’t serious. So in case you got tickets for a Roxette show for the upcoming world tour, please take some advices:
1.) Don’t wonder about Marie not walking, dancing and jumping around the stage – she simply can’t. She suffers from long term effects which include problems with her right leg (yes, it might be that she struggles with it and touches it all the time), she can’t see properly on her right eye and has problems hearing with her right ear. She has problems walking due to the effects the tumour had on her body.
2.) In case Marie sings wrong lyrics or none at all – don’t worry. It’s only a line or two, she’s back faster than you can think about the correct lyrics yourself. Just let her sing what she wants to. She’s a survivor, a hero, true inspiration for everyone who is seriously ill.
3.) Don’t say that she shouldn’t be on stage in a condition “like that”. She is healthy, really. She is totally fine and all she ever wanted to do and wants to and probably always will want to do is being on stage, perform, sing for and with her fans, enjoy the audience’s response and be what she is: a performer. You have no right to say that she should stay at home, because being on stage is what makes her happy. You can clearly see that in her eyes.
4.) Don’t tell your friends that she looks much older than she is. She’s through a lot lot lot and you wouldn’t look much better if you had survived a 5% survival chance illness. You know – she had to learn reading, counting and TALKING again – not to mention singing. Just show some respect.
How you show her respect?
– Put away your smartphone, don’t wonder about her, don’t worry about her, just ENJOY the show, SING ALONG with her and most of all: show her that you are there for her, your full support and affection.
– Sing as loud as you can, shout her name and make the people around you do the same. Simple as that!
If you can’t, there is another option: If you only have negative things to say, say nothing at all.
Photo: Kirsten Ohlwein
Staffan Öfwerman’s (backing vocals and percussion in Roxette in the 80ies and early 90ies) band, Grand Pop Station, has just released a new single, “Shine Your Love”.
