Tove Lo
A Swedish pop force who turned her most intimate heartbreaks and neuroses into chart-topping, brutally honest anthems.
Born 1987 (age 39)·Swedish singer and songwriter·Birthday: October 29·Millennials
Biography
Born Ebba Tove Elsa Nilsson in Stockholm, Tove Lo's path to pop stardom was forged in the city's gritty indie music scene. She spent years writing for other artists and playing in a rock band before her 2014 breakout single 'Habits (Stay High)' reframed pop music as a vehicle for raw, unfiltered confession. Her music, a blend of synth-driven hooks and lyrical vulnerability about love, sex, and mental health, carved out a new space in mainstream pop, earning her a reputation as a fearless truth-teller. Albums like 'Queen of the Clouds' and 'Lady Wood' presented concept-driven narratives that resonated globally, establishing her not just as a hitmaker but as an artist who made personal catharsis a public spectacle.
Millennials
1981–1996
The first digital natives. Grew up with the internet, came of age during 9/11 and the 2008 crash. Highly educated, deeply indebted, slower to marry and buy houses. Redefined work, identity, and what it means to be an adult.
Tove was born in 1987, placing them squarely in the Millennials. The events that shaped this generation — the internet revolution, 9/11, and the 2008 financial crisis — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Tove Was Born
The biggest hits of 1987
#1 Movie
Three Men and a Baby
Best Picture
The Last Emperor
#1 TV Show
The Cosby Show
Tove's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1987Born
Black Monday stock market crash
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $72,400Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Walk Like an Egyptian" — The BanglesBest Picture: The Last Emperor
1992Started school
LA riots after Rodney King verdict
Gas: $1.13/galHome: $84,300Min wage: $4.25/hrPresident: George H.W. Bush"End of the Road" — Boyz II MenBest Picture: Unforgiven
2000Became a teenager
Y2K passes without incident; contested Bush-Gore election
Gas: $1.51/galHome: $119,600Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Breathe" — Faith HillBest Picture: Gladiator
2003Could drive
US invades Iraq; Human Genome Project completed
Gas: $1.59/galHome: $146,000Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"In Da Club" — 50 CentBest Picture: The Lord of the Rings: The Return of the King
2005Could vote
Hurricane Katrina devastates New Orleans; YouTube launches
Gas: $2.30/galHome: $167,500Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: George W. Bush"We Belong Together" — Mariah CareyBest Picture: Crash
2008Turned 21
Barack Obama elected first Black US president; financial crisis
Gas: $3.27/galHome: $153,100Min wage: $6.55/hrPresident: George W. Bush"Low" — Flo RidaBest Picture: Slumdog Millionaire
2017Turned 30
#MeToo movement; solar eclipse crosses the US
Gas: $2.42/galHome: $195,000Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Donald Trump"Shape of You" — Ed SheeranBest Picture: The Shape of Water
2026Age 39 today
Gas: $3.91/galPresident: Donald Trump
Key Achievements
- Her 2014 single 'Habits (Stay High)' reached the top 10 on the Billboard Hot 100 and has been streamed billions of times globally.
- Her debut album 'Queen of the Clouds' was certified platinum in several countries and spawned multiple international hits.
- She co-wrote the 2016 global hit 'Close' for Nick Jonas and has written songs for artists like Ellie Goulding and Lorde.
- She received a Grammy nomination for Best Pop Duo/Group Performance for her feature on Flume's 2016 track 'Say It'.
Did You Know?
Her stage name, Tove Lo, combines 'Tove', her grandmother's name, and 'Lo', the Swedish word for lynx, an animal she loved as a child.
She was a member of the Swedish indie rock band Tremblebee before launching her solo career.
She is a trained gymnast and dancer, which influences her energetic and often acrobatic live performances.
She has a tattoo of a wolf on her arm, a symbol of her loyalty to her close-knit group of friends from back home.
“I write about things that are hard to talk about, but easy to sing about.”
