Lill-Babs
Barbro Margareta Svensson was born on the 9th of March 1938 in Järvsö, a small village north of Stockholm. She lived with her parents Ragnar and Britta Svensson for nine years inside a tiny cottage that lacked running water. Her first public singing voice emerged at age 11 within a local church. A colleague of her father played the accordion to accompany her during these early performances. The young girl made her official debut at Barnens dag in Järvsö in 1953. Soon after this event she began performing with Lasse Schönning's orchestra. Radio listeners heard her on the program Morgonkvisten in 1954. Simon Brehm, a record producer who liked what he heard, took her to Stockholm. He arranged her professional debut at the Bal Palais restaurant. Brehm became her manager until his death in 1967. He gave her the stage name Lill-Babs as a play on words connecting to the famous singer Alice Babs.
Lill-Babs represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Cannes during 1961. She performed the song April april which had previously been sung by Siw Malmkvist in the national final. The competition did not bring victory but it opened doors elsewhere. She participated in Melodifestivalen three times without winning in 1960 and 1961 and again in 1973. Her entry into the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix in 1969 also ended without a win. Following the European contest she launched a career in West Germany where she acted in several films. Two English-language solo singles were released for the United States market. These international efforts showed her desire to reach audiences beyond Scandinavia despite mixed results in major competitions. The experience shaped her resilience as an artist seeking new markets throughout the early 1960s.
A meeting occurred between Lill-Babs and The Beatles in 1963 while she appeared as the main guest star on Drop-In. This teen music show aired on Sveriges Television or SVT. The band members who were then unknown asked for her autograph during the broadcast. Years later Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson of ABBA wrote and produced her hit song Welcome to the World in 1971. All four future members of ABBA sang on that track. She performed shows at various bars including Berns in Stockholm Trädgår'n in Gothenburg and Kronprinsen in Malmö. In the 1970s she played Annie Oakley in the musical Annie Get Your Gun at the Scandinavium arena in Gothenburg. Her connection to these musicians highlighted her role as a bridge between generations of Swedish pop stars.
Lill-Babs made her television debut in 1957 before hosting several programs over decades. On the 26th of December 1983 she was the main guest on Här är ditt liv which is the Swedish version of This Is Your Life. Host Lasse Holmqvist surprised her in the studio with a long line of ex-boyfriends appearing on camera. She presented multiple TV shows including Hemma hos Lill-Babs in 1987 Morgonlust in 1988 Vem tar vem in 1990 and Cocktail in 1991 all for SVT. A two-part documentary titled Lill-Babs Leva livet aired on TV4 in 2017 presenting her life story. In 2010 she participated in Så mycket brighter broadcast on TV4. Later in 2017 and 2018 she acted as a lesbian character named Gugge in Bonusfamiljen until her death required script changes. Her screen presence spanned from early variety shows to modern reality formats.
Barbro Svensson married singer Lasse Berghagen between 1965 and 1968. She then wed Norwegian footballer Kjell Kaspersen from 1969 to 1973. Three daughters were born into these unions: Monica Svensson born in 1955 Malin Berghagen born in 1966 and Kristin Kaspersen born in 1969. Her younger brother Lasse Svensson served as the drummer for rock group Tages from 1967 to 1969. He later played with Blond. An autobiography titled Hon är jag was released in 1996 detailing her personal history. The family connections extended beyond music into sports and theater circles. These relationships formed the private foundation of her public career spanning over six decades.
Lill-Babs died on the 3rd of April 2018 following cancer and heart failure. On that same day both SVT and TV4 changed their programming schedules so programs about her could air immediately. SVT broadcast the 2004 biographical documentary Lill-Babs i 50 year alongside the 2017 TV4 documentary. Her funeral took place at Järvsö Church on the 28th of May the same year. She was buried in the churchyard there where she had first sung in a church years before. In 2017 she had been inducted into the Swedish Music Hall of Fame. Her death marked the end of an era for Swedish entertainment but left behind a legacy documented through film and television archives.
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Common questions
When and where was Barbro Margareta Svensson born?
Barbro Margareta Svensson was born on the 9th of March 1938 in Järvsö, a small village north of Stockholm. She lived with her parents Ragnar and Britta Svensson for nine years inside a tiny cottage that lacked running water.
Who gave Lill-Babs her stage name and when did she die?
Simon Brehm gave her the stage name Lill-Babs as a play on words connecting to the famous singer Alice Babs. Lill-Babs died on the 3rd of April 2018 following cancer and heart failure.
Which songs did Lill-Babs perform at Eurovision Song Contest 1961?
Lill-Babs represented Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest held in Cannes during 1961 by performing the song April april which had previously been sung by Siw Malmkvist in the national final. The competition did not bring victory but it opened doors elsewhere.
How many times did Lill-Babs participate in Melodifestivalen without winning?
She participated in Melodifestivalen three times without winning in 1960 and 1961 and again in 1973. Her entry into the Norwegian Melodi Grand Prix in 1969 also ended without a win.
When was Lill-Babs funeral held and where is she buried?
Her funeral took place at Järvsö Church on the 28th of May the same year. She was buried in the churchyard there where she had first sung in a church years before.