Lykke Li

Lykke Li is the stage name of Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, a Swedish singer, songwriter and model from Ystad, Sweden. She is associated with alternative rock, art pop, dance-pop, dream pop, electropop and indie pop, and her music is also described as drawing on electronic elements.

Background

She grows up in a family with musical connections. Her mother, Kärsti Stiege, is a photographer and former member of Tant Strul, and her father, Johan Zachrisson, is a musician from the Swedish reggae/progg group Dag Vag. Her brother, Zacharias Zachrisson, also works in music. Her family moves frequently, including periods in Stockholm, Portugal, Nepal and India, and these different environments contribute to the cultural influences in her work.

She spends several months in Brooklyn, New York, at 19, then returns to Sweden before going back to Brooklyn two years later to record her debut album.

Career

Her debut album, Youth Novels, is produced by Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn and John with Lasse Mårtén. It is known for its confessional lyrics and sparse production. The single “Little Bit” draws wider attention and helps establish her profile. Her early releases are also noted for reaching audiences in the indie scene.

She continues with Wounded Rhymes in 2011 and I Never Learn in 2014, with those albums presenting a more emotionally direct style. Wounded Rhymes earns two Swedish Grammy Awards in 2012, for Artist of the Year and Album of the Year.

Alongside her solo work, she collaborates with Kleerup and Röyksopp, providing vocals on “Until We Bleed,” “Miss It So Much” and “Were You Ever Wanted.” She also appears on television programmes including Conan and Skavlan in 2011.

LIV and later work

In 2016, she co-founds the band LIV with members of Miike Snow and Peter Bjorn and John. She releases So Sad So Sexy in 2018 and Eyeye in 2022. These records are described as showing a move toward a more mainstream pop sound on the former, and a more introspective and experimental approach on the latter.

Across her career, Lykke Li is known for sensuous, ethereal vocals and for combining melancholy lyrics with varied electronic and pop production.