Famous Swedish Lyricists & Songwriters

Record producer and songwriter Karl Martin Sandberg, better known as Max Martin, has created many 90s’ masterpieces such as Baby One More Time by Britney Spears and I Want It That Way by Backstreet Boys. He is also an 11-time winner of the ASCAP Songwriter of the Year award.

Neneh Cherry is a Swedish rapper, singer, songwriter, occasional DJ, and broadcaster. After starting her musical career in the early 1980s in London, Cherry went on to become one of the most decorated Swedish musicians of her generation. Over the years, Neneh Cherry has received many prestigious awards such as Brit Awards, MTV Europe Music Award, and NME Award.

Born Shahrzad Fooladi, to Iranian parents in Sweden, Snoh Aalegra had started writing songs by age 9 and signed with Sony at age 13. She changed her name after moving to the US and soared to fame with her chartbusting tracks such as I Want You Around and Find Someone Like You.

Robyn is a Swedish singer, record producer, songwriter, and DJ. Her debut album Robyn Is Here helped launch Karl Martin Sandberg's career in pop music. She has also been recognized as an influence by artistes like Taylor Swift, Lorde, Carly Rae Jepsen, and Christine and the Queens. Robyn has won many awards like AMFT Awards, GAFFA Awards, and Grammis Awards.

Tusse is one of trendiest Swedish singers with several singles to his credit. He came to Sweden with his aunt as an eight year boy, fleeing unrest in his native land. Congo. He won the Swedish Idol competition in 2019 and represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest in 2021. 

RedOne is a Moroccan-Swedish record producer, singer, songwriter, and record executive. He is credited with founding his own record label, RedOne Records. Over the years, he has collaborated with popular personalities like Lady Gaga, Akon, Nicki Minaj, Michael Jackson, and Jennifer Lopez among many other high-profile artists. He has several prestigious awards under his belt, including three Grammy Awards.

Swedish singer Maher Zain had moved to Sweden from Lebanon with his family at 8. A qualified aeronautical engineer, he is now known for his fusion of Eastern and Western music and for the religious overtones in his songs. He has also worked with UNHCR to support Syrian refugees.

A founding member of the the pop band Ace is Base, Linn Berggren as a child wanted to sing, but did not want to become a singer. Yet, she went on to become the principal lead vocalist for the majority of their singles and was generally the focus in the video. She quit her stellar career suddenly in 2007 to lead a quiet life.

Nina Persson soared to fame as the lead vocalist of the globally renowned Swedish band The Cardigans. Known for chartbusters such as Lovefool and Erase and Rewind, she interestingly aspired to be an artist instead of a musician in her younger days. She is also a cervical cancer survivor.

Linda Ulvaeus is a Swedish singer and actress. The daughter of popular singers Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, Linda started her career as a singer before going on to establish herself as a prominent actress. She has played important roles in films like Meningen med alltihopa and Quick.

Jennifer Åkerman is a Swedish model, singer-songwriter, and blogger. The youngest sister of Malin Åkerman, Jennifer followed in the footsteps of her sister and became a model. She also pursued a musical career and has contributed to the success of bands like Bella Tech and Bloke & Bird. In 2013, Jennifer showcased her dancing skills by participating in Let's Dance.

John Lundvik is a Swedish singer-songwriter and former sprinter. He achieved national recognition after composing songs for the wedding of Daniel Westling and Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden in 2010. John Lundvik has also composed songs for films. In 2019, he competed in Eurovision Song Contest where he represented Sweden with the song Too Late for Love. 

Swedish singer Tove Styrke first gained fame with the show Swedish Idol 2009. The renowned electropop singer was born to a musician father and a ballet instructor mother and was naturally inclined toward music. Best known for chartbusting tracks such as Say My Name, she often experiments with themes of fantasy and desire.

Swedish singer, songwriter, and record producer Loreen soared to fame after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2012. Born Lorine Zeineb Nora Talhaoui, the Moroccan-origin singer created chartbusting tracks such as Crying Out Your Name and My Heart Is Refusing Me. Politically and socially conscious, she was also a Swedish Committee for Afghanistan ambassador.

Swedish model, makeup artist, and photographer Ulla Agneta Andersson, or Ulla Jones, is best known as the former wife of music legend Quincy Jones. She met Quincy at a party at age 19. Known for movies such as Luftburen, she has also written a memoir and released an album.

Ilya Salmanzadeh is a Swedish-Persian singer, songwriter, and producer. He achieved international recognition after co-writing and producing Jennifer Lopez's First Love and Ariana Grande's Problem in 2014. He has also collaborated with other prominent artistes like Beyoncé and Kendrick Lamar. Ilya Salmanzadeh has won many prestigious awards like Teen Choice Award, MTV Europe Music Awards, and MTV Video Music Award.

A Swedish singer and songwriter, Léon shot to international fame with her first single, Tired of Talking. Her musical works comprise three studio albums and five EPs. She has also collaborated with English DJ, record producer and songwriter for a non-album single Hear Me Say. Belonging to a musical family, she began her career in teens with a hip-hop group.

Seinabo Sey is a Swedish singer who achieved popularity in 2013 when she released her international hit song Younger. She then released her debut studio album Pretend in 2015 which peaked at number four on the Swedish national record chart, Sverigetopplistan. Her second studio album I'm a Dream peaked at number six on Sverigetopplistan.

Felix Sandman is a Swedish singer, actor, and songwriter. He is best known for his association with the popular boy band FO&O. Sandman's popularity increased in 2019 when he became part of the main cast of Quicksand, the first Swedish Netflix series.

Sandro Cavazza is a Swedish songwriter of Italian origin. A former singer, Cavazza was part of the popular pop group Estraden. Sandro Cavazza is also known for his friendship with Avicii; the two collaborated often before Avicii's untimely death in 2018.

Swedish singer Frans Jeppsson Wall, also known as Frans, soared to fame after winning Melodifestivalen 2016. He also participated in Eurovision Song Contest 2016 and is best known for his football-themed songs such as Who's da Man and Fotbollsfest, the latter launched as a theme for the Swedish football team.

Ted Gärdestad was a Swedish singer, musician, songwriter, and actor. He achieved popularity during the '70s and '80s before he moved to the USA to dedicate his time to Osho's Bhagwan movement. Having suffered from anxiety for most part of his life, Ted committed suicide in 1997. His life and career inspired the 2018 biographical film Ted: För kärlekens skull.

Isak Danielson is a Swedish singer-songwriter best known for his 2018 song Always which is part of his debut studio album Yours. The album peaked at number 27 on Sverigetopplistan. Apart from recording songs, Isak Danielson has also appeared on popular TV shows like X Factor.

Talented Swedish musician Salem Al Fakir, along with Vincent Pontare, forms the song writing and production duo Vargas and Lagola that collaborates with various artists apart from releasing alternative pop music together. As a solo artist, he has released albums, such as This Is Who I Am, and Ignore This and has won several Swedish Grammy Awards and Swedish MPA Awards.

Laleh is an Iranian-Swedish singer, record producer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist, record company manager, and actress. She achieved popularity in 2005 when she released her eponymous debut album which became the highest selling album in Sweden in 2005. This multi-talented artiste has also won a number of awards including Grammis Awards and P3 Guld Awards.

Petra Marklund is a Swedish singer-songwriter best known for her hit single Cry for You which peaked at number one on Billboard's Hot Dance Airplay chart. The song is part of her third studio album In Orbit, which earned her a Grammi Award. Petra Marklund is also known for her hit single Mikrofonkåt, which was certified 8x Platinum in Sweden.      

Bjorn Skifs is a Swedish singer, actor, songwriter, and screenwriter. He is credited with forming popular musical groups, namely Slam Creepers and Blåblus. He is also known for his association with Blue Swede where he was the lead singer. Bjorn Skifs has also represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest on two occasions.

Sofia Karlberg is a Swedish singer-songwriter best known for creating covers of popular songs for her self-titled YouTube channel, which has millions of subscribers. Karlberg achieved popularity when her cover of Beyoncé's Crazy in Love went viral. In 2016, Sofia Karlberg signed a deal with Universal Music and released an original EP called Spotless Mind.

Anders Osborne is a Swedish-born American singer, songwriter, and guitarist. He is best known for performing in music festivals across the world. He has also released many albums and is the recipient of numerous Best of the Beat Awards.