Lykke Li

Lykke Li (real name Li Lykke Timote Svensson Zachrisson) is a Swedish musician, born in Stockholm on March 18 1986. Her parents are both involved in creative fields, with her father a member of Swedish band Dag Vag and her mother a photographer. She is currently signed to Atlantic Records but has previously released on EMI and her own LL Recordings. Her music has featured in a host of films and TV shows, including Pretty Little Liars, The Vampire Diaries and Sorority Row. In 2009, she wrote the song ‘Possibility’ for the Twilight: New Moon movie.

Li released her debut EP ‘Little Bit’ in 2007, following it with her first album ‘Youth Novels’ a year later. The LP was originally only released in Sweden, Norway and Denmark but later was given a wider release throughout Europe and, eventually, America. The record was produced by Bjorn Yttling of Swedish group Peter, Bjorn & John, and Lasse Marten.

The singer delivered her second album in 2011. ‘Wounded Rhymes’ was again produced by Yttling and featured the singles ‘Get Some’, ‘Sadness Is A Blessing’, ‘I Follow Rivers’ and ‘Youth Knows No Pain’. Li has claimed it was influenced by the Alejandro Jodorowski film, The Holy Mountain.

Three years later, Li’s latest album ‘I Never Learn’ followed, completing what she described to NME as a “trilogy” of records about being a woman in her twenties. The album’s lead single, ‘No Rest For The Wicked’, was later remixed to include a contribution from rapper A$AP Rocky.

Most recently, Li has collaborated with U2, singing on ‘The Troubles’, the last track on their free download album, ‘Songs Of Innocence’. Meanwhile, she has been following other paths outside of music, including modeling (in 2010 she became the face of Levi’s Curve ID collection) and acting, making her film debut in Swedish movie Tommy in 2014.