Lykke Li

b. Li Lykke Timotej Zachrisson, 18 March 1986, Stockholm, Sweden. Raised in Sweden and Portugal, singer-songwriter Lykke Li was always interested in music while growing up (her parents had both been involved in the Swedish punk scene). After leaving school she embarked on a number of ultimately abortive collaborations with Swedish producers, before relocating to America and spending time in Brooklyn. The experience proved equally frustrating, however, until Björn Yttling of Peter Bjorn And John expressed interest in her four-song demo CD. The duo worked on her debut in New York and Stockholm, and the album was released at the start of 2008 on Li's LL Recordings label. Her quirky mix of electro pop and indie recalled early Björk, all breathy vocals and gently distorted beats, with Yttling's spartan production still managing to incorporate everything from a Theremin to a kazoo into the mix. The hypnotic single "Little Bit" helped propel the album to the top of the Swedish pop charts and attracted the attention of the international media.