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Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, '' Robyn Is Here'', which produced two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 top 10 singles: "
Do You Know (What It Takes) "Do You Know (What It Takes)" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn, released as the third single from her debut studio album, ''Robyn Is Here'' (1996). In the United Kingdom, it was issued as Robyn's second single in November 1996, ...
" and " Show Me Love". Her second and third albums, ''
My Truth ''My Truth'' is the second studio album by the Swedish singer Robyn. It was released on 17 May 1999 by Bertelsmann Music Group, BMG Sweden. Robyn collaborated with the producers Ghost (production team), Lindström & Ekhé, Christian Falk, Billy M ...
'' (1999) and '' Don't Stop the Music'' (2002), were released in Sweden. Robyn returned to international success with her fourth album, ''
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 t ...
'' (2005), which brought a
Grammy Award The Grammy Awards (stylized as GRAMMY), or simply known as the Grammys, are awards presented by the Recording Academy of the United States to recognize "outstanding" achievements in the music industry. They are regarded by many as the most pr ...
nomination. The album spawned the singles " Be Mine!" and the UK number one "
With Every Heartbeat "With Every Heartbeat" is a song by Swedish record producer Kleerup and Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn. It was first released on 10 January 2007 in Sweden and later on 30 July 2007 in the United Kingdom. It was released as the second single f ...
". Robyn released a trilogy of mini-albums in 2010, known as the '' Body Talk'' series. They received broad critical praise and three Grammy Award nominations, and produced three top-10 singles: "
Dancing On My Own "Dancing On My Own" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 20 April 2010 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Body Talk Pt. 1'' (2010), the first in her ''Body Talk'' series. "Dancing On My Own" was produced b ...
", "
Hang with Me "Hang with Me" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her sixth studio album, ''Body Talk Pt. 2'' (2010). It was released as the album's lead single via digital download on 16 August 2010, in Sweden, and one day later in the United ...
" and " Indestructible". Robyn followed this with two collaborative EPs: '' Do It Again'' (2014) with
Röyksopp Röyksopp (), a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø formed in 1998. The duo consists of Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland. Berge and Brundtland were introduced to each other through a mutual friend in Tromsø, Norway. They enjoy ...
, and ''
Love Is Free "Love Is Free" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow. It was released as the second single from Crow's sixth studio album ''Detours (Sheryl Crow album), Detours''. Its predecessor "Shine over Babylon" was airpla ...
'' (2015) with La Bagatelle Magique. She released her eighth solo album, ''
Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
'', in 2018 to widespread acclaim.


Career


1989–1993: Early career

Robyn voiced the character of Miranda in the 1989 Swedish-Norwegian animated film '' The Journey to Melonia''. Directed by
Per Åhlin Per Johan Axel Åhlin (born 7 August 1931) is a Swedish artist and director of animated films. He is known for his collaborations with the comedy duo Hasse & Tage and for his own projects such as the feature film '' The Journey to Melonia''. Ca ...
, the film is loosely based on
William Shakespeare William Shakespeare ( 26 April 1564 – 23 April 1616) was an English playwright, poet and actor. He is widely regarded as the greatest writer in the English language and the world's pre-eminent dramatist. He is often called England's nation ...
's '' The Tempest''. She recorded ''"Du kan alltid bli nummer ett"'' ("You Can Always be Number One"), the theme song for the Swedish television show ''Lilla Sportspegeln'', in 1991 at age 12. Robyn performed her first original song at that age on another television show, '' Söndagsöppet'' (''Sundays''). She was discovered by Swedish pop singer
Meja Meja Anna Pernilla Kullersten (formerly Beckman; born Anna Pernilla Torndahl, 12 February 1969) is a Swedish composer, artist and singer. Among her best known songs are "Private Emotion", a duet with Ricky Martin from his multi-Platinum album ...
in the early 1990s when Meja and her band, Legacy of Sound, visited Robyn's school as part of a musical workshop. Impressed by Robyn's performance, Meja contacted her management and a meeting was arranged with Robyn and her parents. At age 14, after completing middle school education in 1993, Robyn signed with Ricochet Records Sweden (which was acquired by BMG in 1994). Robyn collaborated with producers
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (; born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
allmusic.com
known profess ...
and
Denniz Pop Dag Krister Volle (26 April 1963 – 30 August 1998), better known as Denniz Pop (stylized ''Denniz PoP''), was a Swedish DJ, music producer, and songwriter. He co-founded the recording studio Cheiron Studios in Stockholm in 1992. Life and ca ...
, who gave the singer a gritty (but popular) sound.


1994–1998: ''Robyn Is Here''

She began her pop-music career at age 15, signing with
RCA Records RCA Records is an American record label currently owned by Sony Music Entertainment, a subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. It is one of Sony Music's four flagship labels, alongside RCA's former long-time rival Columbia Records; also A ...
in 1994 and releasing her debut single (" You've Got That Somethin') in Sweden. Later that year, Robyn's Swedish breakthrough came with the single " Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)". The singles became part of the album '' Robyn Is Here'', which was released in October 1995. Robyn also contributed vocals to Blacknuss' 1996 single, "Roll with Me." She entered Sweden's pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 as co-writer and producer of "
Du gör mig hel igen Du gör mig hel igen ( Swedish: "you make me whole again") was an entry in Melodifestivalen 1997 Sweden was represented by Blond in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "Bara hon älskar mig". Before Eurovision Melodifestivalen 19 ...
" ("You Make Me Whole Again"), which was performed by
Cajsalisa Ejemyr Cajsalisa Ejemyr (born 7 November 1978 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish singer and actress. Cajsalisa performed the song "Du gör mig hel igen" by Robyn in Sweden's preselection for Eurovision Song Contest 1997, Melodifestivalen 1997. The song ...
. In
Melodifestivalen 1997 Sweden was represented by Blond in the Eurovision Song Contest 1997 with the song "Bara hon älskar mig". Before Eurovision Melodifestivalen 1997 Melodifestivalen 1997 was the selection for the 37th song to represent Sweden at the Eurovision ...
, the song finished fourth. Robyn's US breakthrough came in late 1997, when the dance-pop/ R&B singles " Show Me Love" and "
Do You Know (What It Takes) "Do You Know (What It Takes)" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn, released as the third single from her debut studio album, ''Robyn Is Here'' (1996). In the United Kingdom, it was issued as Robyn's second single in November 1996, ...
" reached the top 10 of the ''Billboard'' Hot 100. She performed "Show Me Love" on the American children's show ''
All That ''All That'' is an American sketch comedy television series created by Brian Robbins and Michael Tollin, Mike Tollin. The series originally aired on Nickelodeon from April 16, 1994, to October 22, 2005, lasting ten seasons, and was produced by ...
'' that year, and the songs also performed well in the UK. Robyn re-released "Do You Really Want Me (Show Respect)" internationally, but it was less successful than the other releases. It was ineligible for the US charts because there was no retail single available, but it reached number 32 on the
Hot 100 Airplay The Radio Songs chart (previously named Hot 100 Airplay until 2014 and Top 40 Radio Monitor until 1991) is released weekly by ''Billboard'' magazine and measures the airplay of songs being played on radio stations throughout the United States acro ...
chart. "Show Me Love" was featured in the 1998
Lukas Moodysson Karl Fredrik Lukas Moodysson (; born 17 January 1969) is a Swedish novelist, short story writer and film director. First coming to prominence as an ambitious poet in the 1980s, he had his big domestic and international breakthrough directing the ...
film, '' Fucking Åmål'', and the song's title was used as the title of the film in
English-speaking Speakers of English are also known as Anglophones, and the countries where English is natively spoken by the majority of the population are termed the '' Anglosphere''. Over two billion people speak English , making English the largest langua ...
countries. As Robyn's popularity grew internationally, she was diagnosed with
exhaustion Fatigue describes a state of tiredness that does not resolve with rest or sleep. In general usage, fatigue is synonymous with extreme tiredness or exhaustion that normally follows prolonged physical or mental activity. When it does not resolve ...
and returned to Sweden to recover.


1999–2004: ''My Truth'' and ''Don't Stop the Music''

Robyn's second album, ''
My Truth ''My Truth'' is the second studio album by the Swedish singer Robyn. It was released on 17 May 1999 by Bertelsmann Music Group, BMG Sweden. Robyn collaborated with the producers Ghost (production team), Lindström & Ekhé, Christian Falk, Billy M ...
'', was released in Sweden in May 1999 and subsequently in Europe. The single, "
Electric Electricity is the set of physical phenomena associated with the presence and motion of matter that has a property of electric charge. Electricity is related to magnetism, both being part of the phenomenon of electromagnetism, as described by ...
", was a commercial success and propelled ''My Truth'' to the number-two position in Sweden. The autobiographical album included the tracks "Universal Woman" and "Giving You Back". Despite her US success with '' Robyn Is Here'', ''My Truth'' was not released in that country, partly because it included two songs which referenced an abortion she had in her teens. Robyn contributed to
Christian Falk Christian Falk (25 April 1962 – 24 July 2014) was a Swedish record producer and musician. Falk started his recording career with the band Madhouse in the early 1980s. He later moved on and became a founding member of post-punk band Imperiet. ...
's 1999 debut solo album, ''Quel Bordel'' (''What a Mess''), appearing on "Remember" and "Celebration". The following year, she appeared on "Intro/Fristil" on Petter's self-titled album. In 2001, Robyn performed "Say You'll Walk the Distance" for the soundtrack of '' On the Line''. She signed a worldwide deal with Jive Records in July 2001, moving from BMG after the singer was "disillusioned with the lack of artistic control hehad there"; a year later, Jive was acquired by BMG when it bought
Zomba Records The Zomba Group of Companies (sometimes referred to as Zomba Music Group or just Zomba Group) was a music group and division owned by and operated under Sony Music Entertainment. The division was renamed to Jive Label Group in 2009 and was place ...
. Robyn later said, "I was back where I started!" In October 2002, she released the album '' Don't Stop the Music'' in Sweden. The album's singles, " Keep This Fire Burning" and " Don't Stop the Music", received airplay in Scandinavia and elsewhere in Europe. The title track was later covered by the Swedish girl group
Play Play most commonly refers to: * Play (activity), an activity done for enjoyment * Play (theatre), a work of drama Play may refer also to: Computers and technology * Google Play, a digital content service * Play Framework, a Java framework * P ...
, and the lead single ("Keep This Fire Burning") was covered by the British soul singer
Beverley Knight Beverley Knight (born Beverley Anne Smith, 22 March 1973) is an English recording artist and musical theatre actress. She released her first album, '' The B-Funk'', in 1995. Heavily influenced by American soul music icons such as Sam Cooke an ...
. In May 2004, ''Robyn's Best'' was released in the US. It was a condensed version of her debut album, with no material from her later releases. In 2006, after her departure from BMG, ''Det Bästa Med Robyn'' (''The Best of Robyn'') was released in Sweden with material from her first three albums; notable omissions, however, were the singles "Don't Stop the Music" and "Keep This Fire Burning".


2004–2008: Konichiwa Records and ''Robyn''

The decade-long relationship between Robyn and her label ended in 2004. When Jive Records reacted negatively to " Who's That Girl?s new electropop sound, the singer decided to release music on her own. In early 2005, she announced that she was leaving Jive to start her own label.
Konichiwa Records Konichiwa Records is a record label founded by Swedish pop singer Robyn. The label has only one other artist signed, Zhala. The name "Konichiwa" is derived from the Japanese greeting こんにちは ( Konnichi wa (with 2 n's)), meaning "hello" or ...
was created to liberate Robyn artistically. She said on her website that her new album would be released earlier than anticipated, with notable collaborators including
Klas Åhlund Klas Frans Åhlund (born 11 April 1972) is a Swedish songwriter, record producer, and guitarist. He is the founding member of the Swedish rock band Teddybears. As a songwriter and producer, he has worked with artists such as Robyn, Sugababes, J ...
from
Teddybears STHLM Teddybears (formerly Teddybears STHLM) are a Swedish alternative rock band formed in 1991, known for mixing pop, rock, hip hop, electronica, reggae, punk, and many other genres. History Teddybears began as a grindcore group called Skull. As ...
, Swedish duo The Knife and former
Cheiron Studios Cheiron Studios () was a recording studio located in the Kungsholmen district of Stockholm, Sweden. Founded in 1992 by Denniz PoP and Tom Talomaa, it was famous for being the place where popular music acts of the late 1990s/early 2000s such a ...
producer
Alexander Kronlund Alexander Erik Kronlund (born 10 December 1971 in Bredäng) is a Swedish producer and songwriter. Kronlund co-wrote Meja's million-selling debut album on Sony and co-wrote two songs for Britney Spears' second album, '' Oops!... I Did It Again ...
. Robyn released the single " Be Mine!" in March 2005. Her fourth album, ''
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 t ...
'', was her first number-one album in Sweden when it was released a month later. Influenced by electronica, rap, R&B and new-age music, ''Robyn'' was critically praised and earned the singer three 2006 Swedish Grammy Awards: "Årets Album" (Best Album), "Årets Kompositör" (Best Writer, with Klas Åhlund) and "Årets Pop Kvinnlig" (Best Pop Female). The album evoked global interest in Robyn, who was recognized for co-writing the song "Money for Nothing" for
Darin Zanyar Darin Zanyar (born 2 June 1987), known simply as Darin, is a Kurdish-Swedish pop singer and songwriter born in Stockholm. He is one of Sweden's best-selling artists with seven number one albums. Life and career Early life Darin was born in ...
(his debut single). She released three more singles—"Who's That Girl?", "
Handle Me "Handle Me" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her self-titled Robyn (album), fourth studio album. It was written and produced by Klas Åhlund. The song was initially released as a promotional single in Sweden in 2005. It rece ...
" and " Crash and Burn Girl"—from the eponymous LP, which was popular in Sweden. Robyn appeared on the Basement Jaxx track "Hey U" from their 2006 album, ''
Crazy Itch Radio ''Crazy Itch Radio'' is the fourth studio album by English electronic music duo Basement Jaxx. The album features Linda Lewis and Swedish popstar Robyn among the guest vocalists. The album was listed on several publications' year-end lists, ...
'', and contributed " Dream On" and "C.C.C" to
Christian Falk Christian Falk (25 April 1962 – 24 July 2014) was a Swedish record producer and musician. Falk started his recording career with the band Madhouse in the early 1980s. He later moved on and became a founding member of post-punk band Imperiet. ...
's ''People Say'' (his second album) that year. In December 2006, Robyn released ''
The Rakamonie EP ''The Rakamonie EP'' is an EP by Swedish pop singer Robyn. It was released by Konichiwa Records on 26 November 2006 in Europe prior to the United Kingdom release of her fourth album '' Robyn'' (2007). It was released in the United States with ...
'' in the UK as a preview of her more-recent material; this was followed by the March 2007 release of "
Konichiwa Bitches "Konichiwa Bitches" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn, taken from her self-titled fourth studio album. It was released in the United Kingdom on 26 March 2007 as the first international single from the album. The term "Konichiwa Bit ...
". A revised edition of ''Robyn'' was released in the UK the following month, with two new tracks—"
With Every Heartbeat "With Every Heartbeat" is a song by Swedish record producer Kleerup and Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn. It was first released on 10 January 2007 in Sweden and later on 30 July 2007 in the United Kingdom. It was released as the second single f ...
" (a collaboration with
Kleerup Andreas Kleerup (born 1979), professionally known as Kleerup, is a Swedish electropop musician. Career Kleerup's career as a producer, composer, songwriter and artist began in music as a songwriter, going on to tour with Teddybears and Robyn ...
) and "
Cobrastyle "Cobrastyle" is a song performed by Swedish band Teddybears, featuring Jamaican singer Mad Cobra. The song was released on their 2004 album ''Fresh'', and reissued on their 2006 album '' Soft Machine''. It was released as a single on 6 June 2006 ...
" (a cover of a 2006 single by Swedish rockers Teddybears)—with slightly-altered versions of the original music. The second single from the UK release was "With Every Heartbeat", which was released in late July 2007 and reached number one on the UK singles chart. Robyn appeared on
Jo Whiley Johanne Whiley-Morton (born 4 July 1965), better known by her professional name Jo Whiley, is an English radio DJ and television presenter. She was the host of the long-running weekday later weekend '' Jo Whiley Show'' on BBC Radio 1. She curre ...
's
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
showcase show, ''
Live Lounge The Live Lounge is a segment on the British radio stations BBC Radio 1 and BBC Radio 1Xtra. It was originally hosted by Simon Mayo, and later by Jo Whiley on her weekday mid-morning, and later weekend lunchtime radio shows, then by Fearne Cotton ...
''. In Australia, where ''Robyn'' reached the top ten of the
iTunes Store The iTunes Store is a digital media store operated by Apple Inc. It opened on April 28, 2003, as a result of Steve Jobs' push to open a digital marketplace for music. As of April 2020, iTunes offered 60 million songs, 2.2 million apps, 25,00 ...
's album chart, "With Every Heartbeat" received attention on radio and video networks. Robyn contributed vocals to
Fleshquartet Fleshquartet ( sv, Fläskkvartetten) is a Swedish band. Despite the band's name, Fläskkvartetten is in reality a quintet consisting of an electrical string quartet plus a percussionist. The band often collaborates with vocalists who comprise a v ...
's single, "This One's for You", from their ''Voices of Eden'' album that year. Konichiwa Records signed an international licensing deal with
Universal Music Group Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as just Universal Music) is a Dutch– American multinational music corporation under Dutch law. UMG's corporate headquarters are located in Hilversum, Netherlands and its ...
to distribute Robyn's music globally, and her UK recordings are released by Island Records. ''The Rakamonie EP'' was released in January 2008 by
Cherrytree Records Martin Kierszenbaum, also known by his pseudonym Cherry Cherry Boom Boom, is an American music personality. As a songwriter and producer he worked with Lady Gaga, Sting, Madonna, Mylène Farmer, Keane, Tokio Hotel, Far East Movement, Robyn, Fei ...
(a subsidiary of Interscope Records), and the US version of ''Robyn'' was released in April of that year. "With Every Heartbeat", "Handle Me" and "Cobrastyle" were top-10 club singles, and "With Every Heartbeat" received airplay on US pop and dance radio stations. Robyn provided backing vocals on Britney Spears' 2007 single, "
Piece of Me "Piece of Me" is a song by American singer Britney Spears from her fifth studio album, ''Blackout (Britney Spears album), Blackout'' (2007). It was released on November 27, 2007, by Jive Records as the second Single (music), single from the alb ...
", and appeared on the Fyre Department remix of "
Sexual Eruption "Sensual Seduction", also known as "Sexual Eruption", is a song by American rapper Snoop Dogg. It was released on November 20, 2007 as the first single of his ninth studio album '' Ego Trippin, with the record label Geffen Records. The song ...
" by rapper Snoop Dogg. She made a brief US tour to promote ''Robyn'', and was the supporting act for Madonna's
Sticky & Sweet Tour The Sticky & Sweet Tour was the eighth concert tour by American singer Madonna, to promote her eleventh studio album, ''Hard Candy (Madonna album), Hard Candy'' (2008). It was Madonna's first major venture under a new ten-year 360 deal with Liv ...
on European dates in 2008. In January 2009, Robyn received a 2008 Swedish
Grammis The Grammis are music awards presented annually to musicians and songwriters in Sweden. The oldest Swedish music awards, they were instituted as a local equivalent of the Grammy Awards given in the United States. The awards ceremony is generall ...
Award for Best Live Act.


2010–2013: ''Body Talk''

She released the first album of the ''Body Talk'' trilogy, ''Body Talk Pt. 1'', on 14 June 2010 in the Nordic countries on
EMI EMI Group Limited (originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records Ltd. or simply EMI) was a British Transnational corporation, transnational Conglomerate (company), conglomerate founded in March 1 ...
and on 15 June in the US on Interscope Records. It was preceded by the single "
Dancing On My Own "Dancing On My Own" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 20 April 2010 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Body Talk Pt. 1'' (2010), the first in her ''Body Talk'' series. "Dancing On My Own" was produced b ...
" on 1 June 2010. The song was Robyn's first number-one single in Sweden and her fourth top-10 single in the UK and the US, peaking at number eight on the
UK Singles Chart The UK Singles Chart (currently titled Official Singles Chart, with the upper section more commonly known as the Official UK Top 40) is compiled by the Official Charts Company (OCC), on behalf of the British record industry, listing the top-s ...
and number three on ''Billboard'''s Hot Dance Club Songs chart. In July 2010, she sang a minimalist, electro cover version of
Alicia Keys Alicia Augello Cook (born January 25, 1981), known professionally as Alicia Keys, is an American singer, songwriter, and pianist. A classically trained pianist, Keys started composing songs when she was 12 and was signed at 15 years old by Col ...
' "
Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart "Try Sleeping with a Broken Heart" is a song by American recording artist Alicia Keys. It was released as the second single (third in the UK) from her fourth studio album, '' The Element of Freedom'' (2009). The ballad has been hailed by many mus ...
" live on IHeartRadio. Robyn made the
All Hearts Tour The All Hearts Tour was a joint concert tour by American R&B singer Kelis and Swedish pop singer Robyn in support of their albums ''Flesh Tone'' and ''Body Talk Pt. 1'', respectively. The announcement for the tour was unique in that the duo annou ...
in July and August 2010 with American singer
Kelis Kelis Rogers-Mora (; born August 21, 1979), known mononymously as Kelis, is an American singer, songwriter and a professionally trained chef. At age 14, she was admitted to New York's Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Perform ...
to promote the ''Body Talk'' albums, and a four-date UK tour at the end of October. On 6 September 2010, ''Body Talk Pt. 2'' was released in the UK. It was preceded by the lead single, a dance version of "
Hang with Me "Hang with Me" is a song by Swedish recording artist Robyn, taken from her sixth studio album, ''Body Talk Pt. 2'' (2010). It was released as the album's lead single via digital download on 16 August 2010, in Sweden, and one day later in the United ...
" from ''Body Talk Pt. 1'', the day before. The album includes a duet with American rapper Snoop Dogg, "U Should Know Better". Robyn performed "Dancing On My Own" with
deadmau5 Joel Thomas Zimmerman (born January 5, 1981), known professionally as Deadmau5 (stylized as deadmau5; pronounced "dead-mouse"), is a Canadian electronic music producer and DJ. He mainly produces progressive house music, though he also produce ...
at the 2010 MTV Video Music Awards on 12 September. In a BBC ''
Newsbeat ''Newsbeat'' is the BBC's radio news programme broadcast on Radio 1, 1Xtra and Asian Network. ''Newsbeat'' is produced by BBC News but differs from the BBC's other news programmes in its remit to provide news tailored for a specifically yo ...
'' interview, she explained her decision to release three albums in one year: "It was just something I felt like I needed to do. I just never thought about selling records or not, making this decision. I just did it for myself. It's a way of, for me, to stay inspired and to be able to do the things I like to do". However, Robyn said that she would not do it again: "When you do 16 or 13 songs in one go, you kind of empty yourself, and it takes a while to fill back up and have new things to talk about, so I think it's good for everyone". Robyn announced the release of the single, " Indestructible", on 13 October 2010; an acoustic version appeared on ''Body Talk Pt. 2''. The song was released on 17 November in Scandinavia and 22 November in the UK. Co-written by Klas Åhlund, it was described as a "pulsating full power version
hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...
takes every ounce of that emotion and wraps it up in another exceptional disco-pop record worthy of any dance-floor or passion-laden sing-a-long." Robyn planned to collaborate with Swedish producer
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (; born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
allmusic.com
known profess ...
on the song, "Time Machine"; Martin produced Robyn's US singles, "
Do You Know (What It Takes) "Do You Know (What It Takes)" is a song by Swedish singer and songwriter Robyn, released as the third single from her debut studio album, ''Robyn Is Here'' (1996). In the United Kingdom, it was issued as Robyn's second single in November 1996, ...
" and " Show Me Love", both of which peaked in the top 10 on the ''Billboard'' 100 in 1997. The ''Body Talk'' albums have sold 91,000 copies in the US. Robyn guest-starred on "War at the Roses", a 2010 episode of ''
Gossip Girl ''Gossip Girl'' is an American teen drama television series based on the novel series of the same name written by Cecily von Ziegesar. The series, developed for television by Josh Schwartz and Stephanie Savage, ran on The CW network for six sea ...
'', where she performed an acoustic version of "Hang with Me"; "
Dancing On My Own "Dancing On My Own" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 20 April 2010 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Body Talk Pt. 1'' (2010), the first in her ''Body Talk'' series. "Dancing On My Own" was produced b ...
" was featured at the end of the episode. In November, she said she would return to the studio in January 2011 with enough material to release a new album later that year. Robyn opened for
Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...
on their 2012 tour in Dallas, Houston, Tampa, Miami, Atlanta, Charlotte, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C. In mid-2013, she appeared with
Paul Rudd Paul Stephen Rudd (born April 6, 1969) is an American actor. He studied theater at the University of Kansas and the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, before making his acting debut in 1991. He received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame i ...
and
Sean Combs Sean Combs (born Sean John Combs; November 4, 1969), also known by his stage names Puff Daddy, P. Diddy, Puffy, or Diddy, is an American rapper, actor, record producer, and record executive. Born in New York City, he worked as a talent directo ...
on "Go Kindergarten" from
the Lonely Island The Lonely Island is an American comedy trio, formed by Akiva Schaffer, Andy Samberg, and Jorma Taccone in Berkeley, California, in 2001. They have written for and starred in the American TV program ''Saturday Night Live'' (''SNL''). The three ...
's ''
The Wack Album ''The Wack Album'' is the third studio album by American comedy hip hop group The Lonely Island. Recorded in Los Angeles and New York City with producers including TODAY, DJ Nu-Mark and Asa Taccone, it was released on June 7, 2013 by Republic Reco ...
''. Robyn posted two videos of the Snoop Dogg collaboration ("U Should Know Better" and "Behind The Scenes") and a game, Mixory, on 21 and 22 June 2013. That year she received the Stockholm
KTH Royal Institute of Technology The KTH Royal Institute of Technology ( sv, Kungliga Tekniska högskolan, lit=Royal Institute of Technology), abbreviated KTH, is a public research university in Stockholm, Sweden. KTH conducts research and education in engineering and technolog ...
Great Prize for "artistic contributions and embrace of technology", worth 1.2 million Swedish kronor (around £117,000 at the time), which she planned to donate to a cause of her choice.


2014–2016: ''Do It Again'' and EPs

Robyn sang on Neneh Cherry's "Out of the Black", from Cherry's album ''
Blank Project ''Blank Project'' is the fourth studio album by Neneh Cherry, released by Smalltown Supersound on 25 February 2014. The record is Cherry's first album of solo music in 18 years. It was recorded and mixed over a 5-day period in Woodstock, NY. It w ...
'', in 2014. She also announced the Do It Again Tour with
Röyksopp Röyksopp (), a Norwegian electronic music duo from Tromsø formed in 1998. The duo consists of Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland. Berge and Brundtland were introduced to each other through a mutual friend in Tromsø, Norway. They enjoy ...
and a collaborative mini-album, '' Do It Again'', that year. The tour ended prematurely after the death of Robyn's longtime friend and collaborator,
Christian Falk Christian Falk (25 April 1962 – 24 July 2014) was a Swedish record producer and musician. Falk started his recording career with the band Madhouse in the early 1980s. He later moved on and became a founding member of post-punk band Imperiet. ...
. An EP of their final collaboration, ''
Love Is Free "Love Is Free" is a song written and recorded by American singer-songwriter Sheryl Crow. It was released as the second single from Crow's sixth studio album ''Detours (Sheryl Crow album), Detours''. Its predecessor "Shine over Babylon" was airpla ...
'', was released soon afterwards. Robyn appeared at the Popaganda Festival in Sweden the following year and performed songs written with Falk before she postponed subsequent performances because she was still grieving. She premiered a dance set of remixed versions of her songs at the May 2016
Boston Calling Music Festival Boston Calling Music Festival is a Boston-based music festival. The festival debuted in May 2013 and previously took place twice a year, May and September, at City Hall Plaza. The festival reportedly attracted 20,000–22,000 fans with its earlie ...
, with plans for more dates during the year. Robyn released ''Trust Me'', a collaboration EP with Mr. Tophat, in November 2016. She appeared on "That Could Have Been Me", a track from
Todd Rundgren Todd Harry Rundgren (born June 22, 1948) is an American multi-instrumentalist, singer, songwriter, multimedia artist, sound engineer and record producer who has performed a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of the band Ut ...
's album '' White Knight'', the following year.


2017–present: ''Honey''

In March 2017, a new Robyn song called "Honey" was used in the soundtrack of the final season of HBO TV series, ''
Girls A girl is a young female human, usually a child or an adolescent. When a girl becomes an adult, she is accurately described as a ''woman''. However, the term ''girl'' is also used for other meanings, including ''young woman'',Dictionary.c ...
''. The creator of the show,
Lena Dunham Lena Dunham (, born May 13, 1986) is an American writer, director, actress, and producer. She is known as the creator, writer, and star of the HBO television series ''Girls (TV series), Girls'' (2012–2017), for which she received several Emmy ...
selected it from a collection of her in-progress tracks. Robyn finalized it specially for the series. In February 2018, Robyn answered a fan on Twitter, that she will release her new album "some time this year". During an interview with Kindness, she revealed she was almost done with her new album. Afterwards, at a party, she debuted the full version of her new song "Honey". On 23 July, a new song entitled " Missing U" was enlisted as a single, and later taken down. Fans quickly began noticing the hints she was dropping, including a post on Twitter with the hashtag #MissingU. It was released on 1 August 2018. On 1 August 2018, Robyn presented "Missing U" on Annie Mac's
BBC Radio 1 BBC Radio 1 is a British national radio station owned and operated by the BBC. It specialises in modern popular music and current chart hits throughout the day. The station provides alternative genres at night, including electronica, dance, ...
show. There she talked about the long silence and the process of making the upcoming album to be released before 2018's end. Robyn also released a mini-documentary featuring the song and a tribute to her fans who were missing her and her new music for years. On 19 September 2018, Robyn announced her upcoming album is titled ''
Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
'' to be released on 26 October 2018. In November 2018, Robyn announced she would be touring across North America and Europe come 2019. The trek kicked off on 5 February 2019 and ended that April. On 27 September 2019, she performed in
Kungsträdgården Kungsträdgården ( Swedish for "King's Garden") is a park in central Stockholm, Sweden. It is colloquially known as ''Kungsan''. The park's central location and its outdoor cafés makes it one of the most popular hangouts and meeting place ...
in Stockholm during the international climate strikes. Before singing ''
Ever Again "Ever Again" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, recorded for her eighth studio album ''Honey''. It was released as the fourth single from the album on 17 June 2019 along with an accompanying music video. The song was included on ''Rollin ...
'', she also told the audience she had met climate researcher Johan Rockström. In February 2020, she accepted the award for Songwriter of the Decade at the 2020
NME Awards The ''NME'' Awards is an annual music awards show in the United Kingdom, founded by the music magazine '' NME'' (''New Musical Express''). The first awards show was held in 1953 as the ''NME'' Poll Winners Concerts, shortly after the founding ...
. In March 2020, global critic aggregator Acclaimed Music ranked "
Dancing On My Own "Dancing On My Own" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 20 April 2010 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Body Talk Pt. 1'' (2010), the first in her ''Body Talk'' series. "Dancing On My Own" was produced b ...
" as the greatest song of the 2010s. After cancelled promotion, gigs, and festivals starting that year amid the
COVID-19 pandemic The COVID-19 pandemic, also known as the coronavirus pandemic, is an ongoing global pandemic of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The novel virus was first identi ...
, Robyn launched a series of live-stream DJ sets from Stockholm, ''Robyn Presents Club DOMO'', and also participated in
Record Store Day Record Store Day is an annual event inaugurated in 2007 and held on one Saturday (typically the third) every April and every Black Friday in November to "celebrate the culture of the independently owned record store". The day brings together fa ...
with a series of previously unreleased remixes of tracks from her record ''
Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
'' for limited-release vinyl then streaming by her favorite DJs, artists and collaborators, including Joe Goddard, Avalon Emerson,
Robert Hood Robert Hood (born 1965 in Detroit, Michigan) is an American electronic music producer and DJ. He is a founding member of the group Underground Resistance as a 'Minister of Information' with Mad Mike Banks and Jeff Mills. He is often conside ...
,
Louie Vega Luis Ferdinand Vega Jr. (born June 12, 1965), as known as "Little Louie" Vega, is an American DJ, record producer and Grammy Award winner remixer of Puerto Rican ancestry. He is one half of the Masters at Work musical production team. Biograph ...
,
Soulwax Soulwax are an electronic band from Ghent, Belgium. Centred around brothers David and Stephen Dewaele, other current members include Igor Cavalera and Stefaan Van Leuven. They were first noticed after the release of their album '' Much Against Ev ...
, Kim Ann Foxman, Young Marco,
The Blessed Madonna Marea Stamper (born 1977), better known by her stage name the Blessed Madonna (formerly the Black Madonna), is an American DJ, producer and musician. ''Mixmag'' named her the DJ of the year in 2016. She founded her own record label called We Sti ...
, Patrick Topping and
Planningtorock Jam Rahuoja Rostron (born 25 January 1972), better known by their stage name Planningtorock, is an English electronic musician and record producer who lives in Tallinn, Estonia. Identity & Pronouns Rostron identifies as transgender and non- ...
. The next two years Robyn collaborated on
SG Lewis SG, Sg or sg may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music * "SG" (song), a 2021 song by DJ Snake, Ozuna, Lisa, and Megan Thee Stallion * Gibson SG, an electric guitar manufactured by Gibson Guitar Corporation * SG Wannabe, a South Korean music gr ...
and TEED's electropop track "Impact" with Channel Tres for the former's album ''
Times Time is the continued sequence of existence and events, and a fundamental quantity of measuring systems. Time or times may also refer to: Temporal measurement * Time in physics, defined by its measurement * Time standard, civil time speci ...
'',
Jónsi Jón Þór "Jónsi" Birgisson (; born 23 April 1975) is an Icelandic musician; he is the vocalist and multi-instrumentalist for the Icelandic post-rock band Sigur Rós. He is known for his use of a cello bow on guitar and his "angelic" falset ...
's
avant-pop Avant-pop is popular music that is experimental, new, and distinct from previous styles while retaining an immediate accessibility for the listener. The term implies a combination of avant-garde sensibilities with existing elements from popular ...
track "Salt Licorice" produced by A.G. Cook for the former's album ''
Shiver Shivering (also called shuddering) is a bodily function in response to cold and extreme fear in warm-blooded animals. When the core body temperature drops, the shivering reflex is triggered to maintain homeostasis. Skeletal muscles begin to s ...
'', and
Joakim Åhlund Frans Joakim "Jocke" Åhlund (born 9 August 1970 in Stockholm, Sweden) is a Swedish musician, producer and music video director. He is the lead guitarist and lead singer of the band Caesars, and a member of the bands Teddybears, Smile and Les ...
and
Björn Yttling Björn Daniel Arne Yttling (born 16 October 1974 in Umeå, Sweden) is a Swedish music producer, songwriter, and musician. His production and songwriting credits include Lykke Li, Chrissie Hynde, Primal Scream, Franz Ferdinand, Sahara Hotnights, A ...
's revived side project ''Smile''
psychedelic pop Psychedelic pop (or acid pop) is pop music that contains musical characteristics associated with psychedelic music. Developing in the late 1960s, elements included "trippy" features such as fuzz guitars, tape manipulation, backwards recording, ...
track "Call My Name" for their album ''Phantom Island''. In September 2021, ''
Rolling Stone ''Rolling Stone'' is an American monthly magazine that focuses on music, politics, and popular culture. It was founded in San Francisco, California, in 1967 by Jann Wenner, and the music critic Ralph J. Gleason. It was first known for its ...
'', from a poll of more than 250 artists, musicians, producers, critics, journalists and industry figures, ranked "
Dancing On My Own "Dancing On My Own" is a song by Swedish singer-songwriter Robyn, released on 20 April 2010 as the lead single from her fifth studio album, '' Body Talk Pt. 1'' (2010), the first in her ''Body Talk'' series. "Dancing On My Own" was produced b ...
" at number 20, between
Billie Holiday Billie Holiday (born Eleanora Fagan; April 7, 1915 – July 17, 1959) was an American jazz and swing music singer. Nicknamed "Lady Day" by her friend and music partner, Lester Young, Holiday had an innovative influence on jazz music and pop s ...
's " Strange Fruit" and
John Lennon John Winston Ono Lennon (born John Winston Lennon; 9 October 19408 December 1980) was an English singer, songwriter, musician and peace activist who achieved worldwide fame as founder, co-songwriter, co-lead vocalist and rhythm guitarist of ...
's "
Imagine Imagine may refer to: * Imagination Music Albums * ''Imagine'' (Armin van Buuren album), 2008 * ''Imagine'' (Eva Cassidy album), 2002 * ''Imagine'' (Janice Vidal album), 2012 * ''Imagine'' (John Lennon album), 1971 ** ''Imagine: John Lennon' ...
", on their reissued list of "The 500 Greatest Songs of All Time", the decade's highest entry on their list. Also that month Robyn signed a management contract with ''Young Artists'', the global division of ''Young'' (a music and arts organization founded in London) that still maintained her record label and distribution agreements apart from their own.


Personal life

Robyn's parents led an independent theatre group, and growing up in that environment influenced her sense of style: "I was around people who dressed up for work every day, and so the concept of how you can use clothes to change your personality or communicate who you are is very interesting to me." Robyn has two younger siblings. Robyn began dating Olof Inger in 2002, and they were engaged until 2011. She later became engaged to videographer Max Vitali, referring to him in a 2013 interview with ''Collection of Style'' magazine as her fiancé: "We became friends when we made the video for 'Be Mine', and now we work together a lot. He made all the videos for the last album." She and Vitali separated for a period of time following the release of ''Body Talk'', but had reconciled by 2018.


Legacy

British pop star
Charli XCX Charlotte Emma Aitchison (born 2 August 1992), known professionally as Charli XCX, is an English singer and songwriter. Born in Cambridge and raised in Start Hill, Essex, she began posting songs on Myspace in 2008, which led to her discovery ...
has expressed her admiration for Robyn's work, saying "Robyn has definitely been part of paving the way for pop stars who fall a little to the left of the Top 40 norm." Robyn's "triumph in rejection" has led to her status as an LGBTQ icon. Her debut, ''Robyn Is Here'', was instrumental in helping launch
Max Martin Karl Martin Sandberg (; born 26 February 1971),Max Martin
allmusic.com
known profess ...
's career in pop music, and creating demand for "white girl R&B singers, from
Mandy Moore Amanda Leigh Moore (born April 10, 1984) is an American singer, songwriter and actress. She rose to fame with her debut single, "Candy (Mandy Moore song), Candy", which peaked at number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100, ''Billboard'' Hot 100. Her de ...
to
Billie Piper Billie Paul Piper (born Leian Paul Piper; 22 September 1982) is an English actress and former singer. She initially gained recognition as a singer after releasing her debut single "Because We Want To" at age 15, which made her the youngest woman ...
." When Robyn turned down Jive Records' attempt to sign her in the United States, the label shifted their focus to a young artist named Britney Spears, with the head of Jive calling Spears "an American Robyn – a
Europop Europop (also spelled Euro pop) is a style of pop music that originated in Europe during the mid-to-late 1960s and developed to today's form throughout the late 1970s. Europop topped the charts throughout the 1980s and 1990s, with revivals and ...
teen queen, with an added dash of '
girl next door The girl next door is a young female stock character who is often used in romantic stories. She is so named because she often lives next door to the protagonist or is a childhood friend. They start out with a mutual friendship that later often ...
. Martin ended up producing much of Spears's debut album '' ...Baby One More Time'', and she was seen as "easier to control than the 'forceful' Swedish teenager." ''Robyn'' (2005) has been cited as a foundational pop album of the 2000s, cementing the validity of "
poptimism Rockism and poptimism are two ideological arguments about popular music prevalent in mainstream music journalism. Rockism is the belief that rock music is dependent on values such as authenticity and artfulness, and that such values elevate ...
" in music critics circles that "
ade Ade, Adé, or ADE may refer to: Aeronautics *Ada Air's ICAO code * Aden International Airport's IATA code *Aeronautical Development Establishment, a laboratory of the DRDO in India Medical * Adverse Drug Event *Antibody-dependent enhancement * A ...
indie nerds lighten up." It gained significant acclaim from indie magazine ''
Pitchfork A pitchfork (also a hay fork) is an agricultural tool with a long handle and two to five tines used to lift and pitch or throw loose material, such as hay, straw, manure, or leaves. The term is also applied colloquially, but inaccurately, to ...
'', which had only covered a few pop albums prior. Their acclaim "placed synthpop on the same level as earnest, artsy acts such as
Arcade Fire Arcade Fire is a Canadian indie rock band, consisting of husband and wife Win Butler and Régine Chassagne, alongside Richard Reed Parry, Tim Kingsbury and Jeremy Gara. The band's current touring line-up also includes former core member ...
and Sufjan Stevens." She was seen as "a bellwether for rock getting less rigid in introducing non-guitar sounds and for pop music becoming more dance-driven and experimental." Robyn helped shape contemporary
pop music Pop music is a genre of popular music that originated in its modern form during the mid-1950s in the United States and the United Kingdom. The terms ''popular music'' and ''pop music'' are often used interchangeably, although the former descri ...
by taking creative control, introducing
indie Indie is a short form of "independence" or "independent"; it may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Gaming *Independent video game development, video games created without financial backing from large companies *Indie game, any game (board ...
elements to mainstream pop, and including feminist and other political themes in her music long before it became acceptable for popstars to do so, with ''
Variety Variety may refer to: Arts and entertainment Entertainment formats * Variety (radio) * Variety show, in theater and television Films * ''Variety'' (1925 film), a German silent film directed by Ewald Andre Dupont * ''Variety'' (1935 film), ...
'' attributing her work as a savant and pioneer in the accelerated rise of the alternative-pop genre starting in the late 2000s. She has been recognized as an important influence by Carly Rae Jepsen, Lorde,
Taylor Swift Taylor Alison Swift (born December 13, 1989) is an American singer-songwriter. Her discography spans multiple genres, and her vivid songwriting—often inspired by her personal life—has received critical praise and wide media coverage. Bor ...
, and
Christine and the Queens Héloïse Adélaïde Letissier (; born 1 June 1988), known professionally as Christine and the Queens and Redcar, or occasionally simply Chris, is a French singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Nantes, he started learning piano at the age o ...
. ''
NPR National Public Radio (NPR, stylized in all lowercase) is an American privately and state funded nonprofit media organization headquartered in Washington, D.C., with its NPR West headquarters in Culver City, California. It differs from other ...
'' Jessica Hopper deemed Robyn "The 21st Century's Pop Oracle", while ''
The New York Times ''The New York Times'' (''the Times'', ''NYT'', or the Gray Lady) is a daily newspaper based in New York City with a worldwide readership reported in 2020 to comprise a declining 840,000 paid print subscribers, and a growing 6 million paid d ...
'' Caryn Ganz called her "Pop's Glittery Rebel".


Discography

* '' Robyn Is Here'' (1995) * ''
My Truth ''My Truth'' is the second studio album by the Swedish singer Robyn. It was released on 17 May 1999 by Bertelsmann Music Group, BMG Sweden. Robyn collaborated with the producers Ghost (production team), Lindström & Ekhé, Christian Falk, Billy M ...
'' (1999) * '' Don't Stop the Music'' (2002) * ''
Robyn Robin Miriam Carlsson (born 12 June 1979), known as Robyn (), is a Swedish pop singer, songwriter, record producer, and DJ. She arrived on the music scene with her 1995 debut album, ''Robyn Is Here'', which produced two ''Billboard'' Hot 100 t ...
'' (2005) * ''
Body Talk Pt. 1 ''Body Talk Pt. 1'' is the fifth studio album by Swedish singer Robyn, released on 11 June 2010 by Konichiwa Records. It is the first part of the '' Body Talk'' series, which consists of three mini-albums. The only single from the album, "Dancin ...
'' (2010) * ''
Body Talk Pt. 2 ''Body Talk Pt. 2'' is the sixth studio album by Swedish singer Robyn, released on 6 September 2010 by Konichiwa Records. The album is the second part of the '' Body Talk'' trilogy, which consists of three mini-albums, all released during 2010 ...
'' (2010) * '' Body Talk'' (2010) * ''
Honey Honey is a sweet and viscous substance made by several bees, the best-known of which are honey bees. Honey is made and stored to nourish bee colonies. Bees produce honey by gathering and then refining the sugary secretions of plants (primar ...
'' (2018)


Awards and nominations


See also

* Popular music in Sweden


References


External links

* * {{Authority control 1979 births Living people Ariola Records artists English-language singers from Sweden Interscope Records artists Jive Records artists Musicians from Stockholm RCA Records artists Singers from Stockholm Sommar (radio program) hosts Swedish women record producers Swedish dance musicians Swedish electronic musicians Swedish expatriates in the United States Swedish women singer-songwriters Swedish pop singers Swedish women in electronic music Synth-pop singers 20th-century Swedish women singers 21st-century Swedish women singers Ministry of Sound artists Electropop musicians