Stars (Roxette song)

1999 single by Roxette

"Stars" is a song by Swedish pop music duo Roxette, released on 26 July 1999 as the third single from their sixth studio album, Have a Nice Day (1999). It was their first – and only – foray into the techno subgenre and features a children's choir in the song's chorus. A remix of the song by production collective Almighty served as the version which was predominantly played on European radio. The song became a hit throughout Europe, particularly in Scandinavia and in Germany, where it became the album's best performing single. Its music video was directed by Anton Corbijn.

"Stars" was originally demoed as a guitar driven rock song, but its arrangement was overhauled in the recording studio. Lead vocals were performed by Marie Fredriksson, and the song features a children's choir in the chorus. Per Gessle was inspired to incorporate a children's choir in to one of his songs after hearing Keith West's 1967 single "Excerpt from A Teenage Opera".

Jørn Holmen from Gjesdalbuen picked the song as the "highlight" of the record. He wrote that "this techno embossed song shows that Roxette has partially managed to innovate themselves." Brendon Veevers from Renowned for Sound wrote that "Stars" "showed us exactly what Roxette were capable of doing when they ventured outside of their signature power ballad comfort zones. Though Have a Nice Day as a whole was techno coated, Stars showed a prominent change of direction for Roxette. Its children’s choir chorus and Marie’s power house vocal delivery are stunning and contrasting features within the tracks electronic and energetic construction."

The song's music video was directed by Anton Corbijn, and Fredriksson described making it as a "hilarious experience". It begins with a drunken Gessle passed out in a cardboard box in an alleyway, with a sign emblazoned with the word "Me" hanging around his neck, although he is then transformed into an unidentified man. Meanwhile, Fredriksson awakens in a large bed inside a palace, surrounded by servants, who begin dressing her in royal attire. She leaves the palace and ventures down a crowded street, and is surrounded by men all wearing similar signs around their necks. After stumbling over the man in the cardboard box, she begins reading the song's lyrics to him from a royal decree. During the song's first chorus, she becomes distracted by a passing children's choir and begins dancing frenetically, dropping the royal decree in the process. Disturbed by the scene, the man runs away and steals a boat, but is chased by Fredriksson who then jumps into the river after him. She once again becomes distracted during the song's second chorus when she is surrounded by a raft of serenading ducks. Enamored by Fredriksson, the man beckons her into the boat, and he emerges from the river carrying her in his arms. They are then seen emerging from a church in wedding attire. The video ends with a series of montages depicting the couple at a large dining room table throughout various stages of their lives: first accompanied by an infant child, then by two teenagers and, finally, as an elderly couple alone, walking arm in arm toward the camera.

The song became a hit throughout Europe, particularly in Scandinavia. The single charted highest in Finland, peaking at number nine. The song also charted in the top thirty in both Spain and Switzerland,

RegionDateFormat(s)Label(s)Ref. (Reference)Europe1999 7 26CDRoxette Recordings, EMI Records, EMI