Fever Ray

Early Life

Karin Elisabeth Dreijer was born on April 7, 1975, in Gothenburg, Sweden. From a young age, they showed a passion for music, starting to play guitar at the age of ten. This early interest led to the formation of the band Honey Is Cool in 1994. Before fully committing to a music career, Dreijer worked as a web designer and made a significant move to Stockholm in 1998, which would pave the way for their future in the music industry.

Career

Dreijer's career took off when they formed the electronic music duo The Knife with their brother Olof Dreijer in 1999. The duo released their self-titled debut album in 2001, but it was their second album, "Deep Cuts" (2003), featuring the hit single "Heartbeats," that brought them international acclaim. They gained further recognition with their live performances, notably the Silent Shout Tour in 2006. The Knife also ventured into opera, composing "Tomorrow, in a Year" in 2009, based on Darwin's work. After releasing their final album, "Shaking the Habitual," in 2013, the duo disbanded in 2014.

Dreijer then embarked on a solo career under the alias Fever Ray, debuting with a self-titled album in January 2009. The lead single, "If I Had a Heart," became widely popular, featured in several TV series, including "Vikings." In addition to music, Dreijer composed the soundtrack for the feminist film "Dirty Diaries" in 2009.

Personal Life

Karin Dreijer is known for keeping their personal life private. In a 2017 interview, they revealed they had been married and had changed their name after a divorce. Identifying as queer and gender-fluid, Dreijer transitioned from using she/her pronouns to they/them in English and hen in Swedish in 2019. They are a proud parent of two daughters and shared in a 2023 radio interview that they are autistic, adding another layer to their multifaceted identity as an artist.