Lena Philipsson

Biography

Maria Magdalena Filipsson (born 19 January 1966), known by her stage name Lena Philipsson (Swedish pronunciation: [ˈlêːna ˈfîːlɪpˌsɔn]), is a Swedish singer, songwriter and media personality. She represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2004, finishing fifth. In 2024, Philipsson was hired by Per Gessle as the female vocalist for Roxette's 2025 tour.

Career

Philipsson was born in Vetlanda, Sweden. She participated in the Swedish New Faces in 1982. Her career started with the single "Boy/You Open My Eyes" in 1984 and with her entries at Melodifestivalen in 1986, 1987 and 1988. In 1987, she released the song "Aquarius 99", a duet with the Russian composer Igor Nikolaev. In 1989, she had great success with the album My Name×My Name1989 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 12 tracks1LoPHus / My Name5:482Standing in My Rain4:423Together We're Alone4:114Only You (Can Move Me Like You Do)4:045Blue Jeans4:366LooPHus1:427Why (så lätt kommer du inte undan)5:008Strong Man4:349Taking-Care Day3:0310Taboo Taboo4:0511How Does It Feel4:2712Leave a Light4:01, which included top hits "Standing in My Rain", "Why", and "Leave a Light". In 1991, she recorded a concept album and show about a female secret agent, Agent 006. In the early 1990s, her fame increased in Sweden, and she continued to release albums until 1997. In 2001, she had a stage comeback; the Lena Philipsson Show was sold out for two and a half years around Sweden. In 2004, she returned after a seven-year hiatus from the album charts.
In 2004, she entered Melodifestivalen for the fourth time as a solo artist, with "Det gör ont×Det gör ont17 March 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Det gör ont2:592Det gör ont (instrumental)2:59". She made it through the semifinal process and emerged as the winner on 20 March 2004, going on to represent Sweden at the Eurovision Song Contest 2004 with the translated English-language version "It Hurts×It Hurts17 May 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1It Hurts3:022It Hurt's (instrumental)3:023Det gör ont3:03". The song, composed by Thomas Eriksson (Orup), combined up-tempo and disco themes. Philipsson's stage appearance caused much controversy in the Swedish press and media because her performance, in a short fuchsia pink dress and high heels, consisted of dancing with the microphone stand in a fashion similar to Aerosmith's Steven Tyler.
Despite being the third favourite to win the competition, she finished in joint 5th place. The album, Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan×Det gör ont en stund på natten men inget på dan4 August 2004 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Lena Anthem4:142Det nya Europa4:293Låt oss säga vi var gifta3:324Det gör ont3:045På gatan där jag bor4:136Stopp! Nej! Gå härifrån!3:257Delirium4:248Ingenting är längre som förut3:599Min mor sa till mig4:2210Säg det som det är4:0811Den dröm som alla drömmar drömmer3:14, went gold in nine days, with "Det gör ont" as its lead single. It also spawned the singles "Delirium×Delirium7 July 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Delirium4:252Det gör ont (extended)3:34", "Lena Anthem×Lena Anthem11 October 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1Lena Anthem (radio edit)3:562Lena Anthem (album version)4:133Delirium (remix)5:17" and "På gatan där jag bor".
The Swedish radio show Tracks voted her best female artist, best Swedish artist, and artist of the year for 2004, and "Det gör ont" was voted best song.

She released her new album Jag ångrar ingenting×Jag ångrar ingenting26 October 2005 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Jag ångrar ingenting4:132Unga pojkar & äldre män4:323Han jobbar i affär3:504Dom bjuder på champagne4:365Jag sover hellre ensam4:296Du ringer bara mej när du är full3:517Det ringer på min dörr4:128Den Högste4:049Någon annanstans4:5310Du kan få mig när du vill3:59 in 2005. After one day in the Swedish shops, it had sold over 30,000 copies. A one-hour TV special featuring new songs as well as old hits and some interviews aired in November the same year. In January 2006, Philipsson announced she was to host the 2006 Melodifestivalen. Because Melodifestivalen is a family show, her appearance as host was met with some controversy due to numerous jokes considered inappropriate for the audience.
In early 2007, she released her new version of her greatest hits, Lena 20 år. The album included hits from all her albums except from Fantasy×Fantasy1993 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 10 tracks1Sensuality3:562Fantasy4:213Baby Baby Love4:354I’ll Be with You4:555Love Is Just a Game4:166Take My Breath Away4:017Take Heart4:138For the Love of You5:119Give Me Your Love3:4210Make It Right5:21. Also included was a new song "Jag måste skynda mig på". Lena and Orup set up their own show at China Teatern in Stockholm at the same time as the album release. The show was a critical and public success. Over 113,000 saw it in 2007, and there was a new premiere of the show in Gothenburg in early 2008. After its success in Stockholm and Gothenburg, the show Lena+Orup went on tour across Sweden late 2008. At the same time, Lena and Orup recorded a duet album called Dubbel, released in November.
Although she sewed her own stage clothes during her early career, she has said that she no longer has the time. In the early 1990s, she was one of three pop stars who were portrayed on stamps in Sweden; the others were Roxette and Jerry Williams. In the 1980s, she sang a duet on TV with American singer Michael Bolton.
On 2 May 2024, Roxette founder Per Gessle announced Philipsson as the band's new female vocalist, replacing the late Marie Fredriksson. The duo toured in South Africa, Australia and Europe from February 2025.

Melodifestivalen

Philipsson has participated in Melodifestivalen, the Swedish pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest, six times: four times as a performer and twice as a songwriter.

As a performer
1986, "Kärleken är evig" ("Love Is Eternal") – 2nd
1987, "Dansa i neon×Dansa i neon1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Saknar dej innan du går4:232Dansa i neon3:263Du är mitt liv3:594Regn faller4:285Den ende3:186Cheerio3:567Sommartid3:438Åh, vad jag längtar3:479Kom du av dej3:5210Om jag fick3:4211Säg det nu2:5912Det går väl an4:0013Kärleken är evig3:1114Jag känner4:1115Jag sänder på min radio3:5216Löpa linan ut4:29" ("Dancing in Neon") – 5th
1988, "Om igen" ("Yet again") – 2nd
2004, "Det gör ont×Det gör ont17 March 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Det gör ont2:592Det gör ont (instrumental)2:59" ("It Hurts×It Hurts17 May 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1It Hurts3:022It Hurt's (instrumental)3:023Det gör ont3:03") – Winner
As a songwriter
1991, "Tvillingsjäl" ("Soulmate") – performed by Pernilla Wahlgren
1999, "Det svär jag på" ("I Swear") – performed by Arvingarna, 3rd

Studio albums

Chart placings below are from Sverigetopplistan, the official Swedish top 60 singles and top 60 albums charts.

13 Lena Philippson albums, including one with Orup and two compilations, have reached the Swedish top 20.
16 singles have reached the Swedish top 60 (11 top 20), including both Swedish and English versions of Det gör ont.

2001 single "Spell of Love" reached #53
2004 single "It Hurts×It Hurts17 May 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 3 tracks1It Hurts3:022It Hurt's (instrumental)3:023Det gör ont3:03" (English version of "Det gör ont×Det gör ont17 March 2004 · SingleSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 2 tracks1Det gör ont2:592Det gör ont (instrumental)2:59") reached #4
2011 single "Dancing in the Neon Light" featuring Dead by April (English version of "Dansa i neon×Dansa i neon1987 · Studio albumSpotify (search)YouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 16 tracks1Saknar dej innan du går4:232Dansa i neon3:263Du är mitt liv3:594Regn faller4:285Den ende3:186Cheerio3:567Sommartid3:438Åh, vad jag längtar3:479Kom du av dej3:5210Om jag fick3:4211Säg det nu2:5912Det går väl an4:0013Kärleken är evig3:1114Jag känner4:1115Jag sänder på min radio3:5216Löpa linan ut4:29") reached #50

Other albums

Boy (1987)
Hitlåtar med Lena Philipsson 1985–1987 (1988)
Lena Philipsson (1994)
Hennes bästa (1998)
Lena Philipsson Collection 1984–2001 (2001) – (reached #13 in the Swedish chart)
100% Lena/20 hits (2002)
Lady Star (2006)
Lena 20 år (2007) – (reached #2 in the Swedish chart)

Failing to enter the list

"Bästa vänner×Bästa vänner1997 · Studio albumSpotifyYouTube Music (search)Tracklist · 11 tracks1Ingenting att va rädd för4:042Tänk om jag aldrig mer3:243Av & på3:434Kvinnan jag vet han vill ha3:365Bästa vänner3:186(Outro)0:507Måndag tisdag5:158Vi ses igen framöver5:369(Intro)0:3110En annan man4:1111Havet5:38" – 1997
"Det ringer på min dörr" – 2006
"Jag måste skynda mig på" – 2007 (with Orup)

Just outside the list

"Blue Jeans" – 1989
"Give Me Your Love" – 1993
"Spell of Love" – 2001