Maja Ivarsson – Liseberg

The Sounds’ magnetic frontwoman, Maja Ivarsson, took to the stage at Liseberg for a high-energy solo set that blurred the lines between past and present.

Drawing from her time with The Sounds, her recent solo material, and even her stint on Så mycket bättre, the show was a reminder of why she remains such a magnetic live performer.

Here's our take from the photo pit.

Iconic and Unfiltered: Maja Ivarsson Rocks Liseberg

Best known as the magnetic frontwoman of Swedish new wave band The Sounds, Maja Ivarsson has spent over two decades building a reputation as one of Sweden’s most iconic rock performers. With her striking voice, punk swagger, and synth-laced anthems, she's helped define a generation of indie-electro crossover. In recent years, she’s stepped into the spotlight as a solo artist—bringing with her both the energy of her band days and something a little more personal.

Maja Ivarsson lights up the stage with great confidence.

From Eurovision to Solo Identity

Having seen Maja perform several times with The Sounds in the past, I was curious to catch her in this new chapter. Her solo appearance at Liseberg—though still very much a band effort, complete with guitar, bass, drums, and synths—offered the perfect opportunity.

The show came on the heels of her appearance in this year’s Swedish Eurovision trials. While I have nothing against KAJ (who took the win), the rocker in me immediately gravitated toward Maja (as well as Scarlet). Ivarsson’s entry, Kamikaze Life, drew frequent comparisons to Kim Wilde’s Kids in America. I can hear the resemblance too—but I doubt Maja minds the comparison. The Sounds have always carried that ‘80s blend of guitars and synths, creating a sound that, for me, acted as a gateway between rock and electronica, crossing over to bands like Alice in Videoland, Ladytron, and Chvrches.

ICU. The Sounds’ singer is now performing solo — though still backed by a full band.

Live at Liseberg: Raw Energy and Rock Swagger

Back at Liseberg, Maja once again reminded me of Kim Wilde—not just in sound, but in style, with shoulder-length blonde hair, black coat, and fishnet stockings. A very cool and classy look, indeed.

Seeing her from the photo pit, Maja was as raw and energetic as ever—thumping her chest, spitting defiantly (I successfully dodged a loogie like the ninja I am), and prowling the stage like a true rock frontwoman. She didn’t hesitate to call out the crowd either, asking if they’d woken up yet after one of her high-octane bangers. It’s sassy, it’s confident — and exactly what you’d expect from Maja onstage.

Gym class with Maja Ivarsson as your instructor is no walk in the park.

A Setlist That Spanned the Spectrum

The show featured a dynamic mix of material: solo songs, The Sounds classics, and covers from her stint on the popular Swedish tv show Så mycket bättre. It struck me how her own songs were almost indistiguishable from The Sounds’ sonic palette—which further blurred the line between solo artist and bandleader.

The Så mycket bättre covers, on the other hand, brought a noticeable shift in mood. Norrländska präriens gudinna (originally by Olle Ljungström) gave the set a beautiful, mellow moment, followed by a soaring version of Sommartid (Magnus Uggla) with a brooding, slow-build intro that let her guitarist shine.

But it was the The Sounds’ hits that really got the crowd moving. No One Sleeps When I’m Awake remains a personal favorite, and Painted by Numbers was stuck in my head for the rest of the night—such an infectious banger! Other crowd-pleasers like Rock’n Roll and Seven Days a Week kept the energy high, while her cheeky new single Iconic held its own, meshing effortlessly with the old classics.

Up close and personal. The Sounds’ frontwoman blended upbeat originals with a few more low-key cover songs.

Safe but Powerful Finale

The encore may have been expected, but it still hit hard: Living in America followed by Kamikaze Life, closing the hour-long set with a bang. While the structure might’ve been safe, the delivery was anything but.

It’ll be interesting to see where Maja’s solo career goes from here—and whether we’ll hear more from The Sounds in the near future. Until then, her solo shows are more than enough to scratch that itch!