Per Gessle

Per Gessle on Nordic Rox – September 2025

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Sven Lindström and Per Gessle are back on The Spectrum with the September episode of Nordic Rox.

Sven thinks maybe they should change the name Nordic Rox to Nordic Metal or Nordic Hard Rox for today’s show. Per doesn’t think so, but he says they are going to start off really loud with a Swedish band called Thundermother. The track is Driving In Style. Sven asks you to watch your ears. So the guys kick off in the heaviest possible style. Thundermother is an all female, Swedish band. Per thinks they are really cool and they remind him of The Donnas, an American band. This is sort of similar. He thinks it’s great to hear that this style lives on, untouched. Sven agrees and adds that if you watch their live clippings, you can see that they are fantastically good on stage as well. So it’s probably a good show to watch out for. He thinks they have to return to Thundermother later on in future shows.

Starry Eyes by Helikoptern is next. It’s a power pop classic according to Sven. Per has the original on a 12-inch. It was made by a band called The Records, produced by a very young Mutt Lange before he became that big producer producing AC/DC, Def Leppard and Shania Twain. Sven didn’t know that Mutt produced this one. He went into harder stuff later, but according to Per, he has always been a pop guy. PG finds this song really wonderful and he thinks Helikoptern is doing a great job. They have a little vocal support by Kerry Bomb and it has just been released.

Hey Winner by Lolita Pop from 1989 is the third song the guys play. Per thinks it’s a great band. Then it’s Royal Republic’s turn with Baby from 2016. Mr. G thinks it’s a great track. Sven thinks it’s produced by Michael Ilbert, but Per is not sure about it. He knows that Ilbert has been working with Royal Republic a bit though, and they have been recording in his studio, in the old Hansa Studios in Berlin.

Above The Candystore by Paola, an old classic from the early noughties comes next.

Dow Jones Syndrome by The Soundtrack Of Our Lives is the following track. Sven asks Per what exactly the Dow Jones Syndrome is, but Per has no clue. Sven says they will bring in a doctor for the next Nordic Rox show and see if they can sort it out. Per says he likes The Soundtrack Of Our Lives, they are excellent. Unfortunately, they don’t do much anymore, but you can always keep your fingers crossed for a reunion. Their album Behind The Music from 2001 is really amazing.

Getting back to Michael Ilbert, Per explains he used to work with Roxette as well, in the late ’90s. Speaking of Roxette, this brings the guys to Per’s solo project. Sven explains Per has just released a new Swedish single. PG says he couldn’t help himself. They started the Roxette tour in February in South Africa and Australia and then they had two months off, so he went into the studio and got four tracks. Sven smiles and says Per can’t just go on vacation. Haha. PG says he likes being in the studio. It wasn’t supposed to be anything, but he liked all those four tracks. He took two of them and made a single called Henrys gitarr (Henry’s guitar). Sven informs that Henry is a guy that’s been reoccurring in Per’s lyrics. Henry is a character that he has been writing about ever since the ’70s. He has been in and out of songs. Sven is curious about what the story is behind Henry. PG says it’s just a cool way of writing lyrics. You create a character that pops up every five years or so. And he has changed his lifestyle and his family situation and his drug abuse or whatever. Now he is back and he is playing a fantastic guitar. Per asks Sven if he likes the song. If not, he leaves. Haha. Sven thinks it’s a great summer track and another reason to learn Swedish.

Close To You by Velvet Beat comes next. [The guys don’t talk about this song, but it’s Sven’s band. /PP] Smooth by The Nomads is the following song. The Nomads are the kings of the Swedish garage rock scene and this one is a great track coming from Solna, one of the Stockholm suburbs. The guys continue with Bound For Glory by Elin Engdahl feat. Elitronic, then comes Waterboy by the Viagra Boys. Do It by Maja Ivarsson comes next, then Sort It Out by Caesars.

A Brand New Start by Miller Moon from Malmö wraps up the show. Per loves this song, it’s such a great track. It sounds a little bit like Billy Idol, Iggy Pop. But they have this computerized bass thing. This is really cool, mixed with all those guitars and that style of singing. Per has never heard it before, so he thanks Sven for bringing it to the show. Sven says it’s his pleasure, he always wants to bring out some cool stuff from the greatest city on earth, Malmö, Sweden. Haha. Per says: „Oh my God…” Haha.

The guys are out of time, so they say goodbye and thank the listeners for joining them.

Still is from the Bag Of Trix talks recorded by Anders Roos.

Thanks for your support, Sven!

Per Gessle and Lena Philipsson for Världens Barn

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Världens Barn started in 1997 and is Sweden’s broadest fundraising campaign for children’s rights around the world. The annual campaign’s gala is on SVT on 3rd October.

Världens Barn is a collaboration between public service and Radiohjälpen together with several Swedish civil society organizations*. The fundraising work around Sweden is organized by a special national fundraiser that coordinates commitment and volunteers across the country.

Since its inception in 1997, Världens Barn has collected a total of over two billion SEK.

By donating at least 50 SEK to Världens Barn, you can both contribute to children’s rights around the world and have a chance to win unique, fantastic prizes. One of the prizes is a meet & greet with Lena + Per after the Roxette In Concert show in Stockholm on 5th December! Ticket for the show is also included.

Donate HERE until 12:00 CET on 7th October and you’ll have a chance to win!

Watch Per and Lena talking about the fundraising in THIS VIDEO!

Roxette – “It Must Have Been Love” played 7 million times on US radio

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On 29th September, BMI was thrilled to celebrate their global family of songwriters, composers and publishers who are taking music to new creative heights. Throughout the night, they paid tribute to the British and European songwriters, composers and publishers of the past year’s most-performed songs across US streaming, radio, film and television, named the BMI London Song of the Year and presented their Million-Air Awards.

Listen To Your Heart celebrated its 7-Million-Air Award in December 2024, now it’s It Must Have Been Love’s turn! American radios played it 7 million times! Pure awesomeness!

Roxette reached their 3rd No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100 with IMHBL on 16th June 1990 and stayed on top of the chart for 2 weeks. In 2000 Per received the award from BMI for this song being played over 3 million times on American radio, for 4 million he got the award in 2005, for 5 million plays in 2014 and for 6 million plays in October 2021.

The hit started out as a Christmas song that found its way to hot-hot Hollywood! 7 million thanks to Per Gessle for writing this most wonderful ballad and to Marie Fredriksson for adding her amazing vocals and turning it into Roxette’s signature song! Big congrats! Big! Huge!

EXPRESS.de interview with Per Gessle and Lena Philipsson – “Marie’s spirit is felt all the time”

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EXPRESS.de met Per Gessle and Lena Philipsson in Cologne to talk about the Roxette comeback and memories of Marie Fredriksson.

EXPRESS.de: – Roxette’s last concert with Marie took place in Cape Town in February 2016. Your return took place in exactly the same hall in February 2025. Was that intentional?

Per Gessle: – It just happened that way. But it was definitely special to play these shows. It was the first time we shared the stage together. We had to get used to each other.

EXPRESS.de: – And how did it feel?

Lena Philipsson: – I was very nervous at first. It was my first time standing in front of the fans. I told myself several times: slow down, don’t stress, think about the lyrics, hit every note, and watch the audience. It worked out well. The reaction was really positive. I was already more relaxed by the second show.

Per Gessle: – I didn’t shed any tears, but it was very emotional. It was a big step for us to restart Roxette and have someone else sing the songs instead of Marie. It could have ended badly. But we know the quality of the songs and the original band. Everyone enjoyed it very much, and it’s not like five people in five cars drive to the venue and play a show there. I’m now certain that it was the right decision to come back.

EXPRESS.de: – Did you hesitate for a long time when Per asked you to take on the task?

Lena Philipsson: – Yes, I thought about it for several weeks and asked many family members and friends if I should do it. Everyone thought it was a fantastic idea. That’s when I knew I had to say yes to this adventure. I listened to the songs many times to learn exactly how Marie sang them. It’s not about me doing my own thing. I wanted to be as close to the original.

EXPRESS.de: – You’re doing a great job. The songs sound live just like they did three decades ago.

Per Gessle: – I’m so happy you say that. Because that was our goal. When the idea was born, it was clear to me that we didn’t want to change anything about the sound or the presentation. We wanted to bring Roxette back the way the fans loved the band. Essentially, we’re paying tribute to the great songs by reviving the old hits. There are no covers, no new material. And that feels good.

EXPRESS.de: – Are you planning to record new songs together?

Per Gessle: – We’ve produced songs together, but not as Roxette. Only the old classics will be available under that name.

EXPRESS.de: – You’ve been active in music for 40 years. How closely did you follow Roxette back then?

Lena Philipsson: – You could never escape the songs; they were everywhere. I made my own songs, toured, appeared on TV, and participated in the Eurovision Song Contest. We all know in Sweden how successful the band was. I even danced to their songs in the club.

EXPRESS.de: – How did the fans react when they heard about the comeback?

Per Gessle: – The majority were happy. But there were also some who expressed criticism, especially on social media. The most important thing: there weren’t any negative comments from the people who saw our show afterward. Those who were there loved how Lena followed in Marie’s footsteps.

EXPRESS.de: – Is there a moment at the concerts when Marie is remembered?

Lena Philipsson: – I dedicate “It Must Have Been Love” to her. When I sing that, I think of her especially strongly. That’s why we’re bringing her back into the show at that moment.

Per Gessle: – For everyone, for the fans, for the band, Marie is there the whole time. When I think of songs like “Fading Like A Flower”, “Listen To Your Heart” or “Spending My Time”, she’s such a big part of it, even when she’s not there. Her spirit is there the whole time.

EXPRESS.de: – Songs from the ’80s and ’90s are still very popular. What’s the secret to their success?

Per Gessle: – I might sound like an old man talking about it, but I miss personality in modern songs. Current music is more pressed into structures and is not allowed to unfold.

Lena Philipsson: – The melodies used to be more memorable, too.

Per Gessle: – Many songs are written by producers, not by the artists. When a singer writes a song, they reveal something personal. That can’t happen when six people are tinkering with a song. Bands used to have more control over their songs.

Lena Philipsson: – When people come to our concerts, they travel back into the good old days.

Per Gessle: – And they remember how they celebrated at school, got married, or had children to our songs. This creates a bond and shows that we have accompanied them for a really long time of their lives.

Interview with Per Gessle and Lena Philipsson by Music Media Magazine, Hungary – “I hope Marie is proud of us from up there…”

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György Danev from Music Media Magazine did an interview with Per and Lena via Zoom.

Music Media: – Per, it was a huge surprise when you announced the re-launch of Roxette last year. However, the joyful news immediately raised the question: isn’t it too risky without Marie Fredriksson?

Per Gessle: – Well, I’ve been toying with this idea for a while. For years I couldn’t decide what to do with Roxette, because I knew that Marie couldn’t be replaced. She left a huge void, and as you said, continuing without Marie as Roxette was a risk that I didn’t dare to take for a long time. Years passed, but I decided to give the band a rest, while at the same time I was increasingly saddened by the fact that the Roxette catalogue was lying fallow and that I was unable to tour. Those songs are the backbone of my career, they are a life’s work, and I obviously didn’t want to end the story prematurely. Life finally offered me the solution: it so happened that when I was working on an album of duets in the studio for the Swedish market, Lena appeared among the many guest singers. The work together went amazingly well, and Lena’s vocal performance literally took my breath away. She provided an incredible quality, and I didn’t need anything more: I immediately started wondering if she could possibly do justice to Roxette’s songs. You have to know that from a vocal technique point of view, songs like “Queen Of Rain”, “Listen To Your Heart” or “It Must Have Been Love” are very tricky, it’s not easy to sing them properly. I mulled it over for a few days, then I called Lena to ask what she thought about joining forces in Roxette, whether she would take on the challenge. Of course, she didn’t answer right away, she let me stew in my own juices for a bit! (laughs)

Lena Philipsson: – I did ask for some time to think, but only a few days. I was really surprised when Per asked me the question. Of course, I was aware of the situation Roxette was in, which was caused by the loss of Marie, and it was also clear to me that it would create a complicated situation if I said yes. I couldn’t know in advance what the world would say to it. At the same time, I also felt that it would not be just any adventure that I simply could not say no to. So I nodded and then I dug into the songs to give my best on the tour.

Per: – When Lena agreed to the collaboration, I immediately called the members of Roxette’s old touring band, so guitarist Jonas Isacsson, keyboardist Clarence Öfwerman and the others. First, we gathered in my office, where we started to revive a few songs acoustically, just to find the right tones and see what the mood was. Needless to say, we were immediately on the same wavelength, we felt fantastically at home in each other’s company, and the songs came to life wonderfully. Then we started the regular rehearsals, and it became absolutely clear to me that this line-up had a lot of potential. We have been through twenty-five concerts so far, and I can only say that after so many years of absence, it is a huge gift for me to be back on stage as a member of Roxette, surrounded by the support of Lena and my old colleagues, not to mention the devotion of the fans! I hope Marie is proud of us from up there…

Music Media: – Lena, you have a fantastic vocal talent, that’s a known fact. How well did you find the songs to suit you when you started singing them?

Lena: – Actually, we changed the keys of some songs to fit my vocal range. Marie’s vocal range was basically higher than mine, and we couldn’t ignore that when putting together the show. But these were just small tweaks, nothing drastic. You know, I come from the eighties: my career started in 1986, and in that era you had to be able to sing powerfully in the high ranges. Stable vocal sustain and the right tone were also a basic requirement live. Marie represented the same school, and since we started almost at the same time, the world of Roxette was quite close to mine, so it wasn’t difficult for me to take on the role. I had no doubts about whether I could live up to the expectations, on the contrary: I was sure that it would be a great experience to sing these wonderful songs, so I couldn’t wait for the tour to start. Of course, I also knew that it was a huge responsibility to sing Marie’s themes, so I tried to stay as faithful as possible to the original album versions. That’s what the fans all want to hear, so I couldn’t disappoint them.

Music Media: – How were the last live rehearsals before the tour started in South Africa in early 2025?

Per: – Everything went as smoothly as possible…

Lena: – That’s true, because I was so damn prepared! (laughs)

Per: – That’s really how it was! Lena has always been extremely disciplined and collected, which was new to us at first because Marie has never been! (laughs) She was a completely different person, she followed her own rules… This time we came to the rehearsal room with a long list and went through all the songs that were on it. They couldn’t have sounded better, but many of them ended up in the trash anyway. The final touches before a tour are not just about rehearsing the setlist quickly: you have to find the main direction and then throw out the compositions that don’t fit the concept.

Music Media: – Lena, which song turned out to be the hardest to sing from a technical point of view?

Lena: – “Spending My Time” is definitely the most difficult song in the show, and we’re also performing it acoustically now, with Per accompanying us on guitar. What can I say, it doesn’t make it any easier for me to play it so raw, so stripped-down, but it still provides an unforgettable experience, as it leads to a huge sing-along with the audience at every concert.

Per: – “Spending My Time” has always been a special piece in the repertoire. It describes a unique arc as it builds, and the lyrics fit it very well: the story of the song begins in the morning and ends in the evening. The story is familiar to most people, it’s easy to relate to. This song is especially popular in South America.

Lena: – As incredible as it is, I’ve never noticed this time motif in the song before, but now I know it! (laughs)

Per: – “What’s the time? Seems it’s already morning…” – and that’s how it starts! You still have a lot to learn in terms of lyrics, I see! (laughs) Seriously, the song is a very important pillar of the setlist, and it works really well in this stripped-down acoustic form, like we’ve been playing at the last few shows.

Music Media: – How did the first performance together in South Africa go? Did the audience accept the new line-up straight away?

Per: – We were all quite nervous… But maybe that’s not the right word, I’d rather say that every nerve fibre in our body was tense with concentration.

Lena: – That’s right. This was especially true for me, because as we went on stage, I was focusing on everything at once: trying to read the audience’s reaction, while also having to pay attention to Per and the others. I needed maximum concentration so that I didn’t short-circuit, or forget a verse, for example. In addition, I also had to stay on track in terms of vocal technique, because overdoing a song is just as bad as simplifying it. I had to find the right proportions.

Per: – For me, Lena’s presence was something new that I had to get used to, because we had never been on stage together before. We had to pay attention to each other’s movements, which is also important for communicating with the audience. I also had to learn things like Lena starting “Dressed For Success” on the left side of the stage, but the same thing happened to Marie when we did our first tour in the mid-eighties. We bumped into each other on stage several times, and Marie almost knocked my tooth out with her elbow once, but these are inherent in concerting, in energetic stage work! (laughs) However, the interactions started right from the beginning with Lena, we had a great time at the first concert. The band was very tight, it was obvious, the audience picked up on it too. There was a feverish excitement in the air, which has not subsided since seeing the love of the fan base: the technical staff of the tour is just as enthusiastic as the band members, everyone can’t wait for the next concerts! Our fellow musicians are constantly asking when we’re going to rehearse, everyone is so pumped up! You know, we’ve been doing this for a very long time, almost forty years, and yet the magic of performing can still affect us with renewed force. Suddenly we’re back on a world tour, selling out a lot of tickets night after night, the reception from the audience couldn’t be better, and that motivates everyone. We feel like we’re part of something timeless. Sometimes I have to pinch myself if I’m not dreaming. We’re incredibly grateful that this tour can happen and that we can do what we love the most again.

Music Media: – The second leg of the European leg of the tour will start soon, this leg will start in Budapest on November 4th…

Per: – Exactly, and I can’t wait to eat a good goulash again! (laughs) Budapest is a wonderful place, it always makes me happy to perform there. The audience is fantastically supportive, but I can say this about all the cities where we perform: the Roxette camp is extremely loyal and full of positive energy everywhere. We are one big, happy family with our fans, we feel that everywhere.

Music Media: – Lena, have you ever been to Hungary?

Lena: – No, never, but that’s exactly why I’m really looking forward to the Budapest concert!

Music Media: – Looking at the setlist that you used for the first half of the tour, well, even as a big fan I couldn’t have put together a more perfect show: you performed all the famous songs, as well as several secret favourites, such as “Almost Unreal”, “Fading Like A Flower” and “Queen Of Rain”. Can we expect this for the upcoming concerts as well?

Per: – Basically yes. Before the autumn European tour, there will be another intensive rehearsal period, which will last about a week. That’s when we will finalize the setlist plan and try out several songs that haven’t been performed so far. We’ll see what works and what doesn’t, but the setlist will probably be 90 percent the same as what we played in the summer. When we’re on tour, we always experiment with the setlist: we try songs we haven’t played before, we change the order of the songs, it’s like trying to put together a puzzle. The goal is always to find the most optimal dynamic and best-rounded show. Once we get there, we don’t really vary much from there. Since we’re two singers, it’s also important to divide the tasks: if Lena happens to sing a big ballad, it makes sense for me to carry the next song on my back. As you said yourself, this is a setlist that’s close to perfect. It works well with the audience, it has the right flow, so I don’t think we’ll change it significantly for the rest of the tour.

Music Media: – Will you continue to perform in 2026?

Per: – Yeah, that’s the plan. Hopefully nothing will get in the way.

Music Media: – Have you ever thought about recording new songs in the studio?

Per: – Not really. You know, I’d rather keep the existing catalogue in the public eye by touring all over the world. If I were to write new songs, I’d have to tour with them, and that would mean taking some of the old songs out of the show, but we can’t do that. Roxette concerts will definitely be about evergreens for a while!

Music Media: – What message do you have for the Hungarian fans?

Per: – As I said, I’m always happy to play in Budapest, and this time we’re going to throw a party that no one will soon forget!