Loreen

A little over a decade ago, in May 2012, Swedish vocal powerhouse Loreen changed the European pop game with her electro-pop stomper Euphoria. The emotionally charged anthem not only secured victory at the 2012 Eurovision Song Contest but also stormed the charts worldwide, reaching the number one spot in 21 countries. Loreen helped reshape the perception of Eurovision and continued creating distinctive, emotional pop in her home country, Sweden. Eleven years later, she made history as the second person—and the first woman ever—to win the contest twice. With her song Tattoo, she made her way through the global charts, entering the worldwide Spotify rankings just days after its release. Tattoo racked up one million plays on Spotify within just 24 hours and is now approaching the 500-million-play mark. In February and March, Loreen is embarking on a major European tour to properly celebrate her remarkable second ESC victory with her international fans. As part of this tour, she will make stops in Germany for three shows in Oberhausen, Berlin, and Munich between February 16 and March 4, 2025.

Trusting her instincts has been crucial to Loreen's artistic journey, something she has refined over the course of two introspective yet vastly different albums. With Heal (2012), an international dancefloor and chart hit, she followed up on the success of Euphoria with groundbreaking songs like My Heart is Refusing Me and We Got the Power. Five years later, she took a more experimental approach with the hip-hop-influenced Ride. This album also marked a shift in her creative process, as each of its ten atmospheric tracks was co-written by Loreen herself, alongside industry heavyweights like Fred Ball (Rihanna, Beyoncé) and Sterling Fox (Lana Del Rey, Britney Spears). Last year, she embraced synth-heavy, 80s-inspired electro-pop with her single Neon Lights.

While exploring these new sounds, Loreen received an email from her longtime collaborators Peter Boström, Jimmy Jansson, and Thomas G:Son. Attached was a draft of a song called Tattoo, along with the question: would she consider competing at Melodifestivalen (Sweden's Eurovision pre-selection) again? "I said, 'Hell no,'" she laughs. "But it just flowed. It became a process. It wasn't an immediate yes. I need things to have a purpose." The purpose of Tattoo, which Loreen adjusted lyrically to fit her personality, was its central message: "It's about fighting for love. Sometimes, because of the way we live today, people have this mentality that the grass is greener on the other side. But without darkness, there is no light. There's no love without hate. If you want to experience love, you have to accept the dark stuff that comes with it." By now, all of Europe has recognized the power of this song and its message: Tattoo reached the top of the Spotify, Deezer, and Apple Music charts in 19 European countries.

Loreen's career has always followed her own path—at her own pace. For her, trusting her intuition is more important than following what has been done before, which might explain why, after placing fourth on Swedish Pop Idol in 2004, she initially decided to work as a producer and director in television. It wasn't until Euphoria that her life shifted fully toward music—but still on her own terms. "It was the first time I allowed myself to create something from my heart," she says about the song. Now, she continues, "I feel more playful. I have the urge to interact with people, because what I really love is connection. I'm at a point where I'm simply speaking my truth all the time." It marks the beginning of a new chapter for the artist Loreen. Her latest single, Is It Love, continues her success story, having already surpassed 60 million streams.