In 1962 the Fredrikssons moved to Östra (Eastern) Ljungby in Skåne (South Sweden), where they stayed for the rest of their lifes. The reason was jobs. Inez found a job in a factory, while Gösta became the villages postman.

The Fredriksson family were very musical, and Marie learned to sing and play piano at a young age. One day she came home from school, and found that her father had bought her a shining new piano even though they didn't have much money. Marie dreamed of being a glamorous celebrity. She had a mirror with three parts, and she pretended one part was music and one was acting, and stood in front of it trying to decide which one she wanted most. Marie began to write music and poems and started her own band "Renat" with Tina when she was a little girl. Sometimes Marie's mother made her sing in front of her friends, which Marie found very embarrassing. The first time she sang in front of people she was given a doll, and she thought "If it's so nice to sing, I want to do it for the rest of my life - especially if they give you presents!"

At the age of 8 Marie went through one of the kicks that life gives: her sister Anna-Lisa died in a car crash. The family was devastated, but they all supported each other and became closer than ever. Marie has said later that she really doesn't remember about that moment, that she was too young for that and that all she can recall is her older sisters and brother and parents crying.

Marie went to a very small school where there were only about ten children in her class. She says at school she was "neither good or bad, I was somewhere in between." She was interested in music and art, but hated mathematics. When she was eleven years old she tried cigarettes for the first time with some other girls. They got caught by a teacher, and Marie got such a fright that she ran away. She was so scared that she didn't look where she was going, and she ran straight into a low balcony and broke her nose. The teacher decided not to tell Marie's mother since she had been punished enough. Marie told her mother that her nose got broken when she was playing with her friends!

Her brother and sister Ulla left home and Tina and Marie were the only ones left, they used to do all things together, go to school, paino lessons, shopping, go out... Marie school days were quite of a disaster, since she couldn't concentrate in other subjects than art and music... all other subjects such as mathematics, economy, weren't of her interest. Marie wanted to go to music college but her grades were not good enough. She studied business instead, but she became frustrated because she longed to do something creative. When Marie was seventeen she was accepted into the adult education school in Svalöv, where she was able to study music.

However, she found the study very boring as she really wanted be performing. She became involved with the Skånska Theatre company, where she had the opportunity to write music and to sing some phrases in the plays, including "Maria från Borstahusen." She even toured with the group all around Sweden and she also visited Stockholm, which was her first visit to Sweden's capital.

Everybody thought that Strul survived thanks to Marie, who was the most talented one in the band. She became friends with Gyllene Tider's lead singer Per Gessle. Strul played several gigs, and even organised their own festival, but they could not get a record contract. They released one single called "Strul Igen."

By the same time, Marie was asked to write the incidental music and songs for a play, "Attraktiva Attityder", and played a part in the show itself. She went on to write music and perform in "Flashback" and "Trollet I Underjorden".

Bertil Frisk (who was so impressed by Marie) from the Nissan Jazz band saw her in a play in 1982 and asked her to sing with them. She toured Sweden with them, and one of their concerts was broadcast on the radio, featuring Marie singing several songs including "Georgia" and "As Time Goes By".

The things in Strul were not so well, because they never got the awaited record deal. This made Martin and Stefan discuss every now and then. Then Marie and Stefan broke up, and she and Martin strarted to write songs together more often. Martin had a personal crisis, and Marie became close to him when she tried to give him emotional support. Stefan left Strul in December 1980.

Some of this bands members joined to record the album called “Party!”, Per Gessle, Lasse, Niklas Strömstedt, Efva Attling, Anne Lie Rydé, and others, played some 60’s songs live. At one of Marie's first solo performances with the Lasse Lindbom band, she stepped onto the stage at rehearsals and saw Efva Attling. Efva went over to her and said "You can't go on stage looking like that!" She took Marie backstage and fixed her hair and makeup. Marie says she had never looked so good before!

1983, it was time for Marie's first solo record - "Het Vind". She had kinda big success, so she went on tour with Lasse Lindbom band around Sweden. "Ännu doftar kärlek" and "Het Vind" were released as singles, and they had a regular air play on the radios. Marie had suddely a lot of offers from TV / radio programs who wanted her to perform / interview her in them.

In 1984 she went touring with Gyllene Tider, singing backing vocals. Then Lasse and Marie, who had become a couple, went on holiday to the Canary Islands, where they got inspiration to write her second album "Den Sjunde Vågen" which was released in 1985. The album sold very well, and Marie became a household name.

Per's solo career was not as successful, so he asked Marie to form a band with him. He wanted to sing in English and try to release the album in other countries. Marie was suspicious about changing language, because in Sweden artists who sing in English are seen as sell-outs.

Meanwhile, Marie and Lasse broke up, but "Den Sjunde Vågen" continued to sell well, reaching number 8 in the album charts in July 1986. Marie and Per, seing that they did it very well singing together, recorded Pearls Of Passion and toured Sweden on the Badrock tour. Marie performed both her solo songs and Roxette songs.

Roxette made their first album "Pearls of Passion" in 1986. It was a big hit in Sweden and some parts of Europe. They tried to get the album released in other countries but they were turned down. In 1987 they released "Dance Passion" which was a remix album of songs from "Pearls of Passion."

Marie continued to write and work with Lasse Lindbom even after her break-up, and her third solo album, "Efter Stormen", was released in 1987. The album was a huge hit, outselling Per's "Scener" by over 10 to 1 and winning "album of the year" at the Swedish Grammy's awards. Marie then toured, together with Eva Dahlgren and Ratata on the Rock Runt Ricket tour as part of Roxette. They recorded a single to promote the tour, called "I want you", written by Eva Dahlgren and Per Gessle. Both "Pearls of Passion" and "I want you" became a huge hit in all Sweden.

Roxette returned to the studio and made a second album "Look Sharp!" in 1988. Again, it was a hit in Sweden and in some European countries, but everywhere else they were turned down. In 1989, an American exchange student named Dean Cushman managed to convince his friend (brother), who worked at Minneapolis radio station KDWB to play "The Look". It became very popular. Finally Roxette were given a record contract in America. Some people credit Dean Kushman with introducing Roxette to the US, while others say they would have made it without him, as "The Look" had already been picked up by a Los Angeles radio station. Per now says that they used the exchange student story because it sounded great for the press. Marie says they had the right sound at the right time, and therefore would have succeeded without Dean's help. "The Look" entered the chart at #48 and went to Number One in a few weeks. They had several hits, including another #1 with "Listen to your heart" and sold 8 million copies of "Look Sharp" all over the world. The very song "The Look" became #1 in 33 countries!

Marie went on working with Roxette, but never left her solo career aside. In 1989 Marie continued to tour with Badrock to keep up her solo career. She won "Best Female Rock Artist" in Sweden in 1986 and 1987 and would go on to win the award also in 1988 and 1989, so she was still in demand as a solo-artist. Marie was dating Pelle Andersson around this time.

In July 1992, the Joyride tour finally ended. Roxette released the album "Tourism", which was a collection of songs they recorded during the tour and some older songs, so Marie had the time to finish with her fourth solo album, "Den Ständiga Resan", which documented the crisis she had been going through over the past few years, particularly the break-up with Johan. It was released in Autumn 1992 with great reviews. She said the album was written like a diary, and it contains very personal songs about her life, feelings and relationships. One song, "Ett Enda Liv," was written about a good friend of Marie's who committed suicide. The album shot into the number 1 position in the album charts. She toured Sweden for some months, getting a great success and almost sold out in all concerts.

In August 1993, Per got married with Åsa, and Marie sang "Så Skimrande Var Aldrig Havet" at the wedding. Roxette make an Unplugged for the MTV (first non-english band to make it). And release another filmsong, Almost Unreal.

Summer 1995, Micke's band Sugarcane played the Penny Lane pub in Halmstad. Marie was there most of the days they performed, and she even joined them in some shows. But mostly she was on holiday, and having fun with her friends; you could see Marie having some beers with two of her good friends: Eva Dahlgren and Efva Attling. Josefin came to the shows some of the nights.

Marie had previously made her wish to do more film music clear, and so she agreed to write music for the Colin Nutley film, Sånt är livet. She wrote two songs, "Tro" and "I en tid som vår" for the film. Helena Bergström, the main character, (TinTin) appeared to be a hall pianist, who played piano at a hotel hall. She sang these two songs herself. Other songs that can be heard on the film are 'Ännu doftar kärlek' and 'It must have been love' (Roxette). Also in 1995, Marie got to perform in front of her favourite musician, Joni Mitchell at the Polar Prize. She performed Watercolours in The Rain and Den Ständiga Resan. The show was presented by Eva Dahlgren, who introduced Marie as “there was once a little girl who wrote songs and sang and wanted to become an artist and who was inspired by Joni Mitchell, so we have to thank Joni Mitchell for the inspiration. This little girl is here, welcome Marie Fredriksson”

Roxette release their first greatests hits, “Dont bore us- get to the chorus”. The soundtrack to "Sånt är livet" was not released as one band (REM) refused to have their song on the soundtrack, so Marie decided to record "Tro" and "I en tid som vår" herself and put them in a new solo-album. Marie released "I en tid som vår" at the end of 1996. The first single, "Tro", reached number 8 in the singles chart, and the album reached number 2 in Sweden, going platinum.

The same year, Frida (from Abba) released a new solo albu, “Djupa andetag”, and Marie was asked to do a duet with her: “Alla Mina Bästa År”. The song was released as single. That summer Gyllene Tider went on the Återtåget tour, after releasing an EP with 4 new songs. Marie appeared on stage on their last concert on the tour, held in Halmstad, to sing "När Alla Vännerna Gåt Hem".

In 1997, Marie joined up with the Nissan Jazz Band again to perform 4 songs to celebrate their 20th anniversary. A few weeks later, Marie joined Per for the release party of his new album. She duetted with him on "I'll be alright". Roxette re-releases "Pears of Passion".

In 1998, Per and Marie started work on the new Roxette album "Have A Nice Day". That summer she sang at Europride, the gay and lesbian festival, which is held in a different town every year, and it was the time for Stockholm to host it. The festival lasted 1 week, and the last day there was the GayGala, where lots of famous people sang / made a speech. She sang "Tro" and "Så länge det lysser mittemot", saying that “it is a pleasure for me to be here tonight”. Micke also played keyboards for most of the bands. Efva Attling and Eva Dahlgren, who also joined the Gala, and Marie were the most aclaimed artists during all the night. A funny thing took place that day. Josefin was there with mum and dad, and she had wanted to make it on the stage during all night. Finally, when Eva closed the show, all the artists came on the stage to say bye to the huge crowd that had gone to Skansen that night, Eva went where Josefin was standing attending the show, and took her on her hands, to take her in front of the stage. Don’t need to explain how happy was she.

In 1999 Roxette came back with a new album called "Have a Nice Day." Marie and Per did a promotion tour, but the album sold only around 2 million copies and was not released in the USA.

In the year 2000 Marie released a Best Of album called "Äntligen - Marie Fredrikssons Bästa" (Finally - Marie Fredriksson's Best) which went straight to number one in Sweden and stayed in the top spot for many weeks, and also had some success in Norway. In July and August she went on a solo tour, performing 18 concerts around Sweden. Fans travelled from all over the world to see her shows, and Marie realised her solo music reached a bigger audience outside Sweden than she had previously thought.

Marie says that now is one of the best times of her life. She is enjoying raising her two children, and says there is nothing better than waking up to her family every morning. She believes she is a different person than she was a few years ago. She says she is happy to become older, although she says her face looks like an accordion because of all the wrinkles, and she was already saying "I'm almost FIFTY!!" when she was only forty two. She has taken up weight lifting and boxing to keep herself in shape.

Marie was declared Swedish Artist of The Year for 2000. She is considering recording solo in English after the next Roxette album, or possibly a jazz album since she began her career with jazz music and she says she wants to return to her roots.

Roxette signed a new American contract with Edel records. Their greatest hits album was re-released in USA with only moderate success. The contract didn't last long and Roxette are once again looking for a US record company.

In 2000 Marie releases a DVD with the record of "Antligen Sommarturne" concert in Stokcholm, which has a live CD as a bonus. A year later Roxette release "Room Service". Marie wrote one song on the album called "Little Girl." They made a European tour in autumn.

On June 10, 2002 Marie released "Karlekens Guld" (Love's Gold) - a compilation box-set of her 5 albums plus that live CD, which joined a DVD pack as a bonus. Some x-tra tracks are added to the albums and some of the booklets in the CD boxes are remastered. In October 2002 Roxette released their new single "A thing about you" and "The Ballad Hits" later in November.

On 11 September, 2002 Marie fainted in her home and was taken to Karolinska hospital in Stockholm. The fall caused a serious concussion and Marie has been hospitalised ever since. Several tests and X-rays have been performed in order to establish what caused her fainting. The results of these tests showed that Marie had a small tumour in the back of her head. An operation was done, which was a success. Later, they told the tumor was cancerous and Marie went through the course of special treatment. During this sad times she recieved tones of letters, cards and flowers from her fans all over the world. Later she also wrote a special note in one Swedish newspaper to thank everyone, who supported her.

Because of these events promotional shows with Roxette in some European countries (Nights of Proms) were canceled.

On 31 January 2003 Marie with Per Gessle recieved a the King's Medal of the Eighth Size with Royal Blue Ribbon, from His Majesty the King of Sweden Carl XVI Gustaf, for outstanding achievements with Roxette, in Sweden as well as internationally. In an interview Marie told she's very proud to recieve such a sign even from the hands of HM The King. She also told when long long ago, when she tried to record her first single she hasn't ever thought about any medal or something and now she's very happy about her achievements are honoured.

On 24 February 2003 Roxette released a new single "Opportunity Nox", followed by an album "The Pop Hits" on 24 March. They also made a cartoon video, directed by Jonas Åkerlund. And the greatest event happend a bit later. In mid-July Capitol Records finaly confirmed Marie is recordings songs for her new solo album.