‘MOST BELOVED STAR'
POP icon Marie Fredriksson bravely battled radiation damage and 17 years of gruelling cancer treatment before her death aged 61.
The singer - famed for her hit It Must Have Been Love with Swedish duo Roxette - died in hospital yesterday after finally succumbing to the illness.
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Marie had defied the odds after being diagnosed with a brain tumour when she collapsed while jogging with her husband in 2002.
Doctors gave her only a 20 per cent chance of survival - but she fought back to health and went back on the stage to the delight of her millions of fans.
The "aggressive treatment took its toll" and she was forced to quit for good in 2016, her manager said today.
A statement confirming her death added: "It is with great sadness that we have to announce that one of our biggest and most beloved artists is gone."
Roxette bandmate Per Gessle led the tributes today.
He said: “Time goes by so quickly. It’s not that long ago we spent days and nights in my tiny apartment listening to music we loved, sharing impossible dreams.
"And what a dream we eventually got to share!
"Thank you Marie, thank you for EVERYTHING.
"You were a truly unique musician, a singer on a level we will hardly ever experience again. "You painted my black and white songs with the most beautiful colours."
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Per also said: "You were a wonderful friend for over forty years.
"I am proud, honoured and happy to have shared so much of your time, your talent, your warmth, generosity and humour.
"All my love goes to you and your family. Things will never be the same."
Roxette went on a seven-year hiatus while Marie recovered from punishing rounds of cancer treatment.
It left her with severe radiation damage - and her 2004 solo album The Change was dedicated to her experiences in hospital.
But they began touring again in 2009 and the following year Marie and Per sang at the royal wedding of Sweden's Princess Victoria.
Marie is survived by husband Mikael Bolyos, 62, and their two children, daughter Ines Josefin, 26, and son Oscar, 23.
Roxette got together in 1986 and are one of Sweden's most successful groups with 19 top 40 hits and four top ten albums in the UK.
Other hits included The Look, Joyride and Listen To Your Heart. They sold 75million albums worldwide.
Marie also had a successful solo career with hit ballads such as Faith and Still Smelling Love - which she sang at Princess Madeleine's wedding in 2013.
In 2013 she released her last solo album, NU, with songs in Swedish.
But three years ago she said she could no longer perform because after the ravages of her disease.
Per said last year: "She's been amazing.
"I don't know how many hundreds of concerts we did over the last five years and it was entirely thanks to her energy that it was possible to do."
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Marie's manager said today: "During the comeback years Marie was an amazing trooper, overcoming the many rigours of touring in order to meet her fans on stage again and again.
"But by 2016, the show was finally over when Marie's doctors advised her to stop touring and focus on her health."
Sarah Lindsell, chief executive of the Brain Tumour Charity, said: "We are very saddened to hear about Marie Fredriksson's death - and our hearts go out to her family and friends.
"Like Marie, many people suffer long-term health complications after their brain tumour diagnosis and treatment such as loss of sight, hearing and radiation injury."
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