Laleh (singer) facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Laleh
Laleh in 2014
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 (Persian: لاله پورکریم; born 10 June 1982), known simply as Laleh, is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and record producer. She also plays guitar, piano, and manages a record company.

Laleh started her music career in 2005 with her first album, also called Laleh. It became the best-selling album in Sweden that year. She has released eight more albums since then. Laleh sings in English, Swedish, and Persian, which is her parents' native language.

In 2011, she became very popular after appearing on the Swedish TV show Så mycket bättre. On the show, artists sing their own versions of other artists' songs. Her performances were loved by many, and it helped her career grow even more.

Her 2012 album, Sjung, included the famous song "Some Die Young". This song became a symbol of remembrance after the 2011 Norway attacks. It was a huge hit in Norway and Sweden. Laleh later signed a deal with Island Records in 2014. She has also written and produced songs for many other artists, like Shawn Mendes and Demi Lovato.

Laleh's Early Life and Family

Laleh was born in 1982 in a city called Bandar-e Anzali in Iran. When she was very young, her family moved to Azerbaijan, then to Minsk, and later to a refugee camp in Sweden. The name Laleh means "tulip" in Persian. Tulips are a popular symbol in Iranian culture.

She moved to Sweden when she was eight years old. She later moved to Gothenburg for school. At Hvitfeldtska High School, she studied music. She grew up listening to classical music, ballet, and circus music. Later, she became interested in punk, reggae, and jazz. She taught herself to play guitar, percussion, and saxophone.

Laleh's father, Houshang Pourkarim, was an artist and journalist. He passed away in 1994. He drowned while trying to save a woman who had fallen from her canoe. Laleh's mother, Atefe, was a refugee from Georgia. When they arrived in Sweden, Laleh learned Swedish very quickly.

Before becoming a singer, Laleh was an actress. She had a big role in the Swedish movie Jalla! Jalla! in 2000. This movie was very successful.

Laleh's Music Journey

Starting Her Music Career (2003–2005)

Laleh began her music career in 2003. She started her own company, 'Lost Army'. Then, she signed a deal with Warner Music Sweden to release her music. Her first album, Laleh, came out in 2005. Part of the money from the album went to charity. It was the best-selling album of the year in Sweden and reached number one on the charts.

Critics praised the album, even though some thought it had too many different music styles. The first song from the album was "Invisible (My Song)". Another song, "Live Tomorrow", became even more popular. In 2005, Laleh won many awards, including Artist of the Year and Producer of the Year at the Swedish Grammis awards.

New Albums and Tours (2006–2010)

Laleh performing on stage in 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, the songs from this album didn't become big hits.

After a break, Laleh released her third album, Me and Simon, in 2009. This album had a more folk-pop sound. She found inspiration for her songs from nature after moving to a smaller town in northern Sweden. The first song from this album, "Simon Says", was popular.

During these years, Laleh toured in Scandinavia, Britain, and Germany. She wanted to be fully ready before performing in other countries.

TV Success and "Some Die Young" (2011–2012)

In 2011, Laleh joined the TV show Så mycket bättre. Her performances on the show were very popular. Her cover of Eva Dahlgren's "Ängeln I Rummet" ("Angel in the Room") became a top song in Sweden. She even set a record by having ten songs on the top digital charts at the same time.

Her fourth album, Sjung ("Sing"), was released in January 2012. The main song, "Some Die Young", quickly became a hit. It reached number one in Norway and was certified many times platinum. The song became very important after the 2011 Norway attacks, offering comfort to many. Laleh performed the song at the official memorial concert in Oslo and at the Nobel Peace Prize Concert.

She went on a successful tour in Sweden and Norway in 2012, with many sold-out shows.

Working in the United States (2013–2015)

Laleh's fifth album, Colors, came out in 2013. Sadly, her mother passed away shortly after the album's release, so Laleh had to cancel many promotional events.

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 on life.

This period also marked Laleh's first steps to become known outside Scandinavia. She signed with Universal Music Germany and later with Island Records in the United States. In 2014, she released an EP called Boom. She also recorded a version of "Chiquitita" for UNICEF and performed it at the United Nations General Assembly.

In 2015, Laleh started writing and producing songs for other famous artists. She co-wrote songs for Demi Lovato's album Confident and for Tori Kelly's album Unbreakable Smile. She also worked with Adam Lambert on his song "Welcome to the Show".

New Albums and Big Concerts (2016–Present)

While living in the US, Laleh created her album Kristaller ("Crystals") in 2016. The song "Bara få va mig själv" ("Just be myself") became her most successful song in Sweden. She won Producer of the Year and Pop of the Year at the 2017 Grammis awards for this album. She also toured Sweden with a symphony orchestra.

She released two more albums, Vänta! ("Wait!") in 2019 and Postcards in 2020. Postcards featured acoustic versions of songs she had written for other artists.

In 2022, Laleh started a new company called Palang, which means "Leopard" in Persian. This company works with Universal Music Group. Laleh wants to use Palang to help other Swedish artists, especially women, in music production. Her first release with this new company was the album Vatten ("Water") in March 2022, which 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. She sold 15,000 tickets in the first hour! The concert was broadcast on TV. In 2023, she will tour again and perform at Ullevi and Tele2 Arena in Stockholm, making her the first Swedish female solo act to headline these big venues.

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

Extended Plays (EPs)

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

Awards and Nominations

See also

In Spanish: Laleh para niños

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