Linn Berggren facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Linn Berggren
Berggren in 2002
Background information
Birth name	Malin Sofia Katarina Berggren
Also known as	Linn
Born	(1970-10-31) 31 October 1970 (age 54)
Origin	Gothenburg, Sweden
Occupation(s)	Singer, songwriter
Instruments	Vocals
Years active	1987–2007
Associated acts	Ace of Base

Malin Sofia Katarina Berggren (born 31 October 1970) is a Swedish singer and songwriter. She is best known for being a member of the famous pop band Ace of Base.

Linn, as she is often called, loved music from a young age. In 1987, she started the band Ace of Base with her sister Jenny, her brother Jonas, and their friend Ulf Ekberg. Before the band became popular, Linn sang in her church choir. She was born in Gothenburg, Sweden.

In 1990, Ace of Base signed with a record company called Mega Records. At that time, Linn decided to pause her plans to become a teacher to focus on music.

In 1997, Linn said she "wanted to sing" but "never wanted to be a singer." This meant she enjoyed singing but didn't like being famous. After 1997, she started to appear less in public. Her last public appearance was in 2002. Her brother Jonas has said that Linn has been living a quiet life since then.

Ace of Base

Being the Lead Singer (1992–1996)

When Ace of Base released their first album, Linn was the main singer on most of their hit songs. She was also often the main focus in their music videos. However, on some songs like "The Sign", both Linn and Jenny sang lead parts.

Linn also helped write some of the band's songs. She played a big part in changing the song "All That She Wants" from a happy-sounding tune to a more serious one.

In 1994, a difficult event happened at the Berggren family home. A fan attacked Jenny and her mother with a knife. Linn was not home at the time, but this incident deeply affected her.

When the band released their second album, The Bridge, Jenny started to sing more lead parts, and the attention became more equal between the two sisters. Linn also wrote and produced more songs for this album. After the album was finished, it was reported that Linn had some problems with her voice.

From late 1995, Linn began to feel uncomfortable with how famous the band had become. She said, "this business, I don't want to be in it for too long." She also mentioned her fear of flying, which was a big problem because the band had to fly a lot for their music tours. In 1995 alone, they took 179 flights! This made Linn dislike touring.

In 1996, while promoting The Bridge in Asia, Linn left early. The other band members continued without her. Her last performance as the main singer was in May 1996, singing "Beautiful Life" at the World Music Awards.

Behind the Scenes (1997–2003)

In 1997, there were talks about Linn releasing a solo song called "Lapponia." It was meant to be part of a documentary about Sápmi culture, but it was never officially released.

Starting in 1997, Linn began to appear at concerts mostly in the background, often playing keyboards. In her last TV interview in 1997, she said she wanted to "try what Jenny has done" and not be the main focus anymore. Sometimes, she would perform in the background even when the band was on big stages, like at the World Music Awards.

When the albums Flowers and Cruel Summer were released in 1998, some early photos showed Linn equally or more in focus than her bandmates. However, many later photos used for promotion and in the album booklets showed her looking unhappy or were even blurred. For example, in the Flowers album booklet, her image was strangely hidden behind a blue line design.

According to Jonas, a turning point for Linn was when she was asked to record the song "Everytime It Rains" for the Cruel Summer album in 1998. Jenny had already recorded it, but the record company wanted Linn to sing it alone. This made Linn want to step back even more.

Linn's singing parts were also reduced on these albums. In music videos, her appearances became much shorter, and she no longer pretended to sing her parts. Sometimes, her image in videos was blurred or barely there. She even walked off the set of the "Cruel Summer" music video because she didn't want to be in the front.

The band's managers gave different reasons for Linn's behavior. They said she had voice problems or that her fear of flying kept her from events. However, she also missed events in cities like Gothenburg where she wouldn't have needed to fly. The other band members said Linn was always a shy person and preferred Jenny to be the leader. Ulf Ekberg once said Linn had a "camera phobia," meaning she was afraid of cameras. The knife attack in 1994 might have also made her less willing to appear in public. In 2007, Ulf said Linn simply "did not want to participate."

In the "C'est la Vie (Always 21)" music video from 1999, Linn looked happier and more involved. Her image was no longer blurred. However, she still didn't pretend to sing her parts, and her screen time was less than the others. Around this time, the band often promoted their music as a duo with Jenny and Ulf.

Linn's last public appearance was in September 2002, during the promotion of the album Da Capo. She appeared on a German TV show and pretended to play keyboards in the background. Her final appearance with Ace of Base was in the "Unspeakable" music video, filmed in December 2002. This video showed her in close-up shots for the first time since 1996. Linn has not been photographed since that year.

Taking a Break (2004–2007)

In 2005, Jenny mentioned that Linn might want to return to the spotlight, but Linn remained out of public view. In late 2005, the band performed a series of concerts in Belgium, but Linn did not attend. During this time, Linn did record backing vocals for a song called "High Life" for Jenny's other band, Arose.

In 2006, it was said that Ace of Base had recorded six new songs with both Linn and Jenny singing. Some of these songs were later released in 2015 on an album called Hidden Gems.

Leaving the Band (2007)

On 30 November 2007, Ulf Ekberg announced that Malin Berggren had officially left the band. She would not be on their new album. The band had already been performing mostly as a trio (Jenny, Jonas, and Ulf) for about ten years before her departure. Jenny confirmed Linn's departure, saying, "She hasn't been part of Ace of Base for several years." Ulf explained that Linn "has no craving to be famous, she loved her fans, but the fame factor was not for her." The remaining band members promised Linn they would never ask her to rejoin.

Personal Life

Linn is very good with languages. Her main language is Swedish, but she also speaks English and German very well. She can also speak Spanish, Russian, and French.

Not much is known about Linn's private life outside the band. Unlike the other band members, she has kept her personal relationships private. As of 2015, Jonas confirmed that he still sees Linn often. He said she is enjoying a peaceful life and is not interested in fame or returning to music.

Linn's Contributions to Ace of Base Music

Singing

Linn sang on almost all original Ace of Base songs, except for these:

• Fashion Party (Jenny, Ulf, & Jonas)
• My Mind (Jenny & Ulf)
• Dimension of Depth (instrumental)
• Ravine (Jenny)
• Experience Pearls (Jenny)
• Wave Wet Sand (Jenny)
• Mercy Mercy (Jenny)
• I Pray (Jenny & Ulf)
• Donnie (US version) (Jenny)
• Don't Go Away (Jenny)
• Unspeakable (Jenny)
• Beautiful Morning (Jenny)
• Remember the Words (Jenny)
• World Down Under (Jenny)
• Wonderful Life (Jenny)
• What's The Name of The Game (Jenny)
• Show Me Love (Jenny)
• The Juvenile (Jenny)

Songwriting

Linn helped write these Ace of Base songs:

• Hear Me Calling (with Jonas & Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg)
• Strange Ways
• Whispers In Blindness (The "Dr. X-Ray" mentioned in this song is her father, Göran Berggren, who played the flute for the song.)
• Just N Image
• Lapponia (demo)
• Love in December (with Jonas & Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg)
• Beautiful Morning (with Jenny & Jonas Berggren)
• Change With the Light (with Jenny & Jonas Berggren and Ulf Ekberg)
• What's the Name of the Game (with Jenny & Jonas Berggren, Harry Sommerdahl, and Jonas von der Burg)
• Pole Position (with Jonas & Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg)
• Moment of Magic (with Jonas & Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg)
• Memories Forever (with Jonas & Jenny Berggren and Ulf Ekberg)

Song Production

Linn helped produce these Ace of Base songs:

• Strange Ways
• Whispers In Blindness
• Just N Image
• Lapponia

Other Contributions

• Performed at Princess Victoria's 20th birthday on 14 July 1997.

See also

In Spanish: Linn Berggren para niños