Laleh (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laleh
Laleh in 2016
Background information
Birth name	Laleh Pourkarim
Born	(1982-06-10) 10 June 1982 (age 43) Bandar-e Anzali, Gilan, Iran
Origin	Hammarkullen, Gothenburg, Sweden
Genres	Pop folk
Occupation(s)	Singer songwriter record producer guitarist pianist record company manager
Instruments	Vocals guitar piano keyboards saxophone drums
Years active	2000–2006 (actress) 2003–present (singer)
Labels	Warner Music Sweden Island Universal Music Sweden

Laleh Pourkarim (born 10 June 1982), known simply as Laleh, is a talented Swedish singer, songwriter, and music producer. She also plays guitar and piano. Laleh started her music journey in 2005 with her first album, which quickly became number one in Sweden. It was the best-selling album in the country that year!

Since then, Laleh has released eight more studio albums. She sings in English, Swedish, and even Persian, her parents' native language. In 2011, she appeared on a Swedish TV show called Så mycket bättre. On this show, artists sing their own versions of other artists' songs. Her performances were very popular and helped her become even more famous.

Her 2012 album, Sjung, featured the hit song "Some Die Young". This song became a special way for people to remember those affected by the 2011 Norwegian attacks. It sold incredibly well in Norway and Sweden. Laleh later signed a deal with Island Records in 2014. She has also written and produced songs for other famous artists like Shawn Mendes and Demi Lovato. Her latest album, Vatten, came out in 2022.

About Laleh's Early Life

Laleh was born in Bandar-e Anzali, a port town in Iran. In 1983, her family moved to Azerbaijan, then to Minsk, and later to a refugee camp in Sweden. The name Laleh means "tulip" in Persian. It is a popular girl's name and a special symbol in Iranian culture.

She moved to Sweden when she was eight years old and has dual citizenship. As a teenager, she moved to Gothenburg. There, she attended Hvitfeldtska High School, where she studied music. She grew up listening to classical music, ballet music, and circus music. Later, she became interested in punk, reggae, and jazz. Laleh taught herself to play guitar, percussion, and saxophone. She even formed a jazz band with her music teacher!

Laleh's father, Houshang Pourkarim, was an artist and journalist. He passed away in 1994 while trying to help someone. Laleh's mother, Atefe, was a refugee from Georgia. When the family arrived in Sweden, Laleh learned Swedish very quickly, in just eleven days!

Before her music career, Laleh was an actress. She had a big role in the Swedish movie Jalla! Jalla! in 2000. This movie was very successful in Sweden.

Laleh's Music Journey

Starting Her Music Career (2003–2005)

Laleh began her music career in 2003. She started her own music company called 'Lost Army'. She then signed a deal with Warner Music Sweden. She wrote, performed, and produced her first album, Laleh, which was released in 2005. A part of the money from the album went to charity.

This album was a huge success! It stayed on the Swedish music chart for 71 weeks and reached number one. Critics loved the album, even though some thought it had too many different music styles. The first song from the album, "Invisible (My Song)", reached number seven in Sweden. Another song, "Live Tomorrow", became even more popular.

In 2005, Laleh won many awards. At the Swedish Grammis (like the Grammys in the US), she was nominated seven times and won three awards. These included Artist of the Year, Producer of the Year, and New Artist of the Year. She also won Newcomer of the Year and Best Female Artist at the 2006 P3 Guld Awards.

New Albums: Prinsessor and Me and Simon (2006–2010)

Laleh performing in June 2009

Laleh performing in Landskrona in 2010

In 2006, Laleh released her second album, Prinsessor ("Princesses"). It reached number three on the Swedish album chart. However, it did not have any hit songs like her first album. Critics had mixed feelings about this album.

After a break, Laleh released her third album, Me and Simon, in 2009. This album had a more folk-pop sound. This might have been because she moved from a big city to a smaller town in northern Sweden. The first song from the album, "Simon Says", reached number forty-one. Another song, "Big City Love", also became popular through downloads.

During these years, Laleh toured in Scandinavia, Britain, and Germany. She wanted to be fully ready as an artist before touring more widely.

TV Success and Sjung (2011–2012)

In 2011, Laleh joined the TV show Så mycket bättre. Her cover songs on the show quickly became very popular. They often topped the Swedish iTunes download charts. Her version of Eva Dahlgren's "Ängeln I Rummet" ("Angel in the Room") became her most successful song in Sweden at that time.

Her fourth album, Sjung ("Sing"), was released on 25 January 2012. It received good reviews. The main song, "Some Die Young", was released a few days before the album. The album reached number one in both Sweden and Norway. "Some Die Young" became number one in Norway for eight weeks! It was certified fourteen times platinum there. The song became very important during the time of national mourning after the 2011 Norway attacks. Laleh was invited to sing it at the official memorial concert in Oslo in 2012. She also performed it at the 2012 Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

Laleh went on a successful tour in Sweden and Norway in 2012. Many of her concerts were sold out.

Colors and Working in the United States (2013–2015)

Laleh's fifth album, Colors, came out in autumn 2013. It was successful in Sweden and Norway. Laleh wanted this album to be more focused than her previous ones. Sadly, she could not promote the album much because her mother passed away shortly after its release.

In 2014, a documentary about Laleh called Jag är inte beredd att dö än ("I am not ready to die yet") was released. It showed her music, background, and thoughts about life.

This period also marked Laleh's first steps into the international music scene. In 2013, she signed with Universal Music Germany. Her song "Some Die Young" was re-released and became a top ten hit in Austria. In 2014, she moved to Los Angeles and signed with Island Records. She released an EP called Boom. Laleh also recorded a version of "Chiquitita" for a project supporting UNICEF. She performed this song at the United Nations General Assembly. In 2015, she wrote songs for artists like Demi Lovato and Tori Kelly. She also co-wrote and produced "Welcome to the Show" for Adam Lambert.

Kristaller, Vänta!, and Postcards (2016–2021)

While living in the US, Laleh wrote and produced a new album called Kristaller ("Crystals"). Five of its ten songs were in Swedish. The first song from the album, "Bara få va mig själv" ("Just be myself"), became her most successful song in Sweden. It was certified 4 times Platinum!

The album Kristaller won Pop of the Year at the 2017 Grammis. Laleh also won Producer of the Year for the second time. In late 2016, she toured Sweden, performing in large indoor arenas. Her shows included a symphony orchestra.

She released two more albums: Vänta! ("Wait!") in 2019 and Postcards in 2020. Postcards was a collection of songs she had written with other international artists, but in new acoustic versions.

New Record Label and Stadium Concerts (2022-Present)

In 2022, Laleh started a new music company and label called Palang. Palang means "Leopard" in Persian. This company is supported by Universal Music Group. Laleh wants her new company to help other Swedish artists, especially women, in music production. Her first release with Palang was the song "Leopard", followed by the album Vatten ("Water") on 25 March 2022. This album became her third number one album in Sweden.

On her 40th birthday in 2022, Laleh made history! She became the first Swedish female artist to headline a concert at the Ullevi stadium in Gothenburg. When tickets went on sale, 15,000 were sold in the first hour. The concert, which featured the Gothenburg Symphony Orchestra, was shown on Swedish TV. A documentary about the concert preparations was also broadcast.

In the summer of 2023, Laleh went on tour for the first time in four years. She performed another concert at Ullevi and a historic show at Tele2 Arena in Stockholm. She was the first Swedish female solo artist to headline at Tele2 Arena too! Laleh released her tenth studio album, Jag är, on 27 June 2025. On the same day, she started a summer tour to celebrate 20 years as a recording artist.

Laleh's Albums

Studio albums

• 2005: Laleh
• 2006: Prinsessor
• 2009: Me and Simon
• 2012: Sjung
• 2013: Colors
• 2016: Kristaller
• 2019: Vänta!
• 2019: Postcards (Songs Created For and With Friends)
• 2022: Vatten
• 2025: Jag är

Extended plays

• 2011: Tolkningarna
• 2014: Boom
• 2020: Vatten

Awards and Achievements

Laleh has won many awards throughout her career. Here are some of them:

See also

In Spanish: Laleh para niños

• List of famous Persian women
• List of Swedes in music
• Swedish pop music