Roxette Returns: Per Gessle on Legacy, Lena Philipsson, and South Africa’s Emotional Stage

By Kevin Rademeyer, Prescience Media Group

The stage lights will shine brightly once more, but for Per Gessle, every step into the spotlight carries both joy and poignancy. Roxette, the Swedish pop powerhouse that once ruled charts and hearts across the world, is returning to South Africa in 2025, nearly a decade after their last visit. It was here, in Cape Town, that Gessle’s late bandmate Marie Fredriksson performed for the very last time.

“Those memories are etched in me,” Gessle says, pausing as though weighing the weight of each word. “South Africa was the last place Marie and I stood together on stage. Coming back now feels emotional, but it also feels right. This tour is a celebration of what we created together.”

A New Voice, A Familiar Spirit

Roxette without Fredriksson might once have seemed unthinkable. Her voice was inseparable from the band’s sound, her presence its heart. Yet in Lena Philipsson, Gessle believes he has found not a replacement, but a partner capable of carrying the songs into a new chapter.

“I’ve known Lena for years—I co-wrote her first big hit back in 1986,” Gessle recalls with a smile. “But it wasn’t until we recorded together in 2023 that I realised just how extraordinary she is. Her voice doesn’t imitate Marie—it has its own power. And that’s the point. This isn’t about recreating the past, it’s about honouring it while letting it live on.”

Philipsson admits she was stunned when the invitation came. “When Per asked me, I nearly fell off my chair,” she laughs. “I grew up with Roxette’s music. These songs are part of my life too, so to sing them now, with Per, is something I never imagined. It’s exciting, humbling, and honestly a little nerve-wracking.”

The Soundtrack of a Generation

Fans can expect a setlist brimming with classics. It Must Have Been Love, The Look, Joyride, Listen to Your Heart—songs that defined not just a band, but an era.

“This isn’t about chasing the charts with new material,” Gessle explains. “It’s about the songs people already hold close. If you’re in the audience, you’ll know every single one. That’s what makes it special. It’s a shared memory between us and the fans.”

For him, playing those songs today carries a different kind of joy. “When I was younger, there was pressure—we were constantly trying to prove ourselves, to stay at the top. Now, it’s pure pleasure. To hear an audience singing back words you wrote thirty years ago… that’s a gift.”

South Africa’s Unique Connection

If there is one audience Gessle is especially eager to see again, it is South Africa’s. “The energy here has always been incredible,” he says. “The warmth, the passion—you feel it the moment you walk on stage. I remember fans knowing every word, every note. That’s unforgettable.”

This tour also marks Roxette’s first performance in Pretoria. “We’ve never played there, so that will be something new,” he adds. “I’m told I need to try a braai—a South African barbecue. I’ll happily give it a go!”

But beyond the food and the new venues lies something more profound. “It’s symbolic,” Gessle admits softly. “To begin this journey in the same country where Marie last sang with me… it ties the past to the present in a very meaningful way.”

Keeping the Flame Alive

The Roxette band joining Gessle and Philipsson includes familiar faces: Jonas Isacsson on guitar, Clarence Öfwerman on keyboards, and Christoffer Lundquist among others. For Gessle, surrounding himself with long-time collaborators keeps the spirit of the original group intact.

“When Jonas plays his solo in Listen to Your Heart, it’s like stepping back in time,” he says. “The sound is exactly as it was. It’s comforting, almost like Marie is still right there with us.”

As for the future, Gessle is pragmatic but hopeful. “We’re booked through 2025 and 2026. After that, we’ll see. But the world is big, and there are so many fans out there still waiting to hear these songs live. As long as people want them, we’ll keep playing.”

A Night to Remember

For South African fans, the upcoming concerts promise more than a greatest-hits show. They will be nights charged with memory, joy, and a sense of continuity.

“It’s not about me, and it’s not about starting over,” Gessle insists. “It’s about keeping the Roxette catalogue alive. Marie will always be irreplaceable. But music lives on, and this is my way of sharing that with the people who made it matter.”

On 26 February in Cape Town and 28 February in Pretoria, as the first notes ring out and the audience sings along, Roxette’s story will take another turn. Different, yes. But alive, vibrant, and unforgettable.