Raymond & Maria

In the early 2000s a Swedish twee pop group called Raymond & Maria registered strongly on the broader Scandinavian charts. Five musicians—Johan, Staffan, Per, Camilla, and lead singer Maria—established the band in 2002 and took its name from a well-known nightclub in Stockholm; drummer Mårten signed on shortly afterward. Their bright, tongue-in-cheek approach recalled the Cardigans and Hello Saferide, and that sensibility shaped the 2004 release Vi Ska Bara Leva Klart. Its lead track, the single “Ingen Vill Veta Var Du Kopt Din Troja” (“No One Wants to Know Where You Bought Your Sweater”), turned into an unexpected summer smash, climbing to the summit of the Swedish charts and remaining there for several weeks. The follow-up album, Hur Mycket Jag an Tar Finns Alltid Lite Kvar, appeared two years later.