Play

Originally assembled as a Swedish dance-pop quartet, Play first included Rosanna Munter—professionally known as Rosie and born in 1987—who had played a lead role in the movie Eve and Adam; teen fashion model Faye Hamlin, born in 1987; Anna Sundstrand, born in 1989 and a relative of legendary actress Greta Garbo; and Anais Lameche, born in 1987 and sister of pop singer Amanda. Laila Bagge, wife of writer/producer Anders Bagge (aka Bag), selected the girls following a casting call and introduced the young ensemble to Sony Music. After appearing live during the 2001 TeeNick Presents: Aaron's Party Tour, Play entered the U.S. market with the single "Us Against the World" and issued its self-titled debut album in June 2002. The record reached number 74 on the Billboard Top 200 soon after release, and the group completed numerous North American performances through a partnership with Limited Too.

Replay, Play's second album from 2003, advanced further on the charts by entering at number 67 and lingering in the Billboard Top 200 for several months. Carrying an R&B-soaked sound with Hamlin serving as lead singer, the project gained additional visibility when the video for "I Must Not Chase the Boys" entered MTV's TRL countdown. A series of live shows and television appearances, many backed by Limited Too and Clickits, took place over the ensuing months. Despite mounting U.S. success, sixteen-year-old Hamlin chose to exit the group in October 2003 to pursue college; she formally departed Play in December after recording one final track, a revised urban version of "Hard Knock Life."

Following Hamlin's departure, thirteen-year-old Janet Leon joined as the new lead singer, and the lineup prepared a fresh studio album. Issued in 2003, Don't Stop the Music—distinct from the Robyn album of the same name—underperformed commercially. Play Around the Christmas Tree likewise failed to chart, after which the group issued the 2005 compilation Girl's Mind, drawn solely from the Hamlin era, before entering hiatus in September 2005.

During the break, Janet Leon launched a solo career with the 2009 album Janet and nearly reached the top of the Swedish charts with lead single "Let Go." When Play reassembled in late 2009, Leon was absent from the reduced lineup that now comprised Lameche, Hamlin, and newcomer Sanne Karlsson. The trio performed on the television program Made in Sweden and released Under My Skin in April 2010. Although "Famous" attained number one in Sweden—Play's first chart-topping single anywhere—Hamlin again exited, leading Emelie Norenberg to join as a quick replacement in 2011. This fourth and final incarnation of Play lasted only briefly before the group declared its official breakup in May 2011.