Roxette singer Marie Fredriksson has died at the age of 61, following a long illness.

Marie was best known as one half of the Swedish pop duo, who had hits with tracks like Listen To Your Heart, The Look and It Must Have Been Love in the late 1980s and early 1990s.

Her family said in a statement to Swedish newspaper the Express: “Marie Fredriksson is most mourned by her husband Mikael Bolyos and their two children.

“It is with great sadness that we have to announce that one of our biggest and most beloved artists is gone. Marie Fredriksson died on the morning of December 9 in the suites of her previous illness.”

She had previously been diagnosed with a malignant brain tumour in the early 2000s, for which she underwent surgery and chemotherapy treatment.

Marie formed Roxette with fellow singer and guitarist Per Gessle in 1986, first enjoying success in their native Sweden before The Look became an unexpected hit in the US, despite them not being signed to a label there at the time.

The band’s biggest hit was It Must Have Been Love, which was famously featured on the soundtrack to Pretty Woman in 1990.

She also enjoyed success as a solo artist, topping the Swedish albums chart on more than one occasion with her own material.

Roxette continued to record music, releasing three singles between 2017 and 2018, although Marie announced that she had been advised to retire from touring due to ill health.

“Sadly, now my touring days are over and I want to take this opportunity to thank our wonderful fans that [have] followed us on our long and winding journey,” she said in 2016.