Roxette’s Per Gessle has announced an exciting new project, continuing the legacy of the iconic Swedish pop duo who sadly lost their singer, Marie Fredriksson in 2019, after a 17 year battle with cancer.
With the birth of PG Roxette, Per Gessle will continue the adventure he and Marie Fredriksson began, just over 35 years ago. Together with members from the classic Roxette band and a sound echoing the synth-pop smashes Look Sharp! and Joyride, Gessle returns to the musical peak of his life – with a new album and plans for a tour.
“Since the 80's, my whole life has been spinning around Roxette and to this day it's still what excites me the most,” Gessle said in a statement. “There are millions of people out there who still love the band so of course I want to keep our music alive.”
With Fredriksson’s passing, the Roxette we once knew and loved no longer exists, but Per strongly felt he wasn't ready to bury the band for good, choosing instead to continue their legacy with a whole new chapter, echoing the pure joy and energy that fueled Roxette’s “fantastic joyride” into the 90s.
Roxette | ‘Joyride’
READ MORE: 30 YEARS OF ROXETTE’S 'JOYRIDE' TO THE TOP OF THE CHARTS
“At first, I wasn’t sure which way to go but as time passed by it became clear that I want to continue this I want to keep the legacy of Roxette alive, Gessle says. “I’ve written almost every song Roxette has recorded over the years and they mean the world to me. Hence, I feel this is the right decision. I’m so proud of this body of work and I love working with these people.”
For the new project, Gessle has gathered the classic Roxette band members – Jonas Isacsson, Clarence Öfwerman, Magnus Börjeson and Christoffer Lundquist. So, while PG Roxette marks a brand new era for the songwriter, fans the iconic Roxette sound and energy will be at the forefront of the music.
Roxette | ‘The Look’
“When I started to write, my ambition was to try to create a sibling to Look Sharp! and Joyride – and that's actually exactly how it sounds. I've wanted to create a modern production, but with the typical Roxette trademarks.”
A Roxette without Marie Fredriksson raises an obvious burning question: Who could fill the shoes left by one of the greatest pop singers of our time? The short answer – no one can.
Instead, Per will be joined by two singers, Helena Josefsson and Dea Norberg, both well known to dedicated Roxette fans. “It's impossible to replace Marie and that was never my intention, Gessle says. “Our Roxette era was an unbelievable fantasy that we got to share together. I’m excited to be able to continue this journey, but in a different way. Needless to say that if Marie was still here, we'd be doing this together.”
“I’m super proud of all the amazing recordings Roxette did and the new material really feels incredible. It's not always that easy to re-invent yourself when you’ve been doing this for as long as I have with a huge body of work as a result. Sometimes you feel you repeat yourself, but then suddenly you tread on unfamiliar ground and you get curious in a wonderful way. That’s when I feel this is my life, this is what I do best, this is where I belong.”
Gessle plans to release a PG Roxette album very soon, with a tour that will feature both new music and Roxette’s greatest hits to be performed. We can expect the album to arrive in mid-September, with the first single due out in May – we will keep you posted!
PG Roxette | ‘Nothing Else Matters’
Until then, check out PG Roxette’s cover of Metallica’s Nothing Else Matters from the 2021 Metallica Blacklist compilation on streaming below.
Listen to PG Roxette on Spotify:
Listen to PG Roxette on Apple Music: