Among her best known songs are "Private Emotion", a (duet with Ricky Martin) from his multi-Platinum album Ricky Martin (1999), and "All 'bout the Money", which was nominated for a Grammy Award in 1998.
She gained much popularity in the West after her single "How Crazy are You?" was used as the main theme music for the Xbox video game Dead or Alive Xtreme Beach Volleyball.
Meja was born Anna Pernilla Torndahl in Nynäshamn, Stockholm County. She had her stage debut at "Ystads City theatre" at the age of 7. She was brought up in a musical family, her grandfather, Per Lundkvist, was a composer of both classical and contemporary music and her mother, a recording artist as a child before choosing a path as a painter.
In 1986, at the age of 16, she moved to Mallorca, Spain, to study. She was introduced to American jazz trumpet player/singer Stephen Frankevich and started to take vocal lessons with singer Deborah Carter.
Meja went to Stockholm in 1990. She sang in different bands there before getting out on tour as a backup singer for the Swedish group Rob n Raz DLC in 1991. In 1992 Meja moved to Los Angeles to continue her studies at the Musicians Institute in Hollywood. She graduated from the vocal program in late 1992 then returned to Sweden.
n 1993, Meja worked with the dance project Legacy of Sound. She co-wrote with Anders Bagge the first single, "Happy", from the album Holy Groove. The song reached the Top 10 on Billboard's Hot Dance Music/Club play, and it peaked at number 68 on the Top 100 during a 12-week stay on the chart. "Happy" was released in over 20 countries. Meja recorded one more album with Legacy of Sound in 1994, Tour de Force.
Meja teamed in 1995 with Swedish manager Lasse Karlsson, manager of Ace of Base, and writer/producer Douglas Carr to provide the vocals for the demo The Juvenile titled The Goldeneye.
The first solo album Meja, was released in 1996, with songs co-written by Billy Steinberg. In 1997 Meja had her first concert tour in Japan: The Flower Girl Jam Tour.
Meja released the album Seven Sisters in 1998. Later that year Columbia (Sony) launched the album in the U.S with the single "How Crazy Are You?"
Meja went to Miami in 1999 to record "Private Emotion", a duet with Ricky Martin for his debut album Ricky Martin. After shooting a video for the song, Meja stayed in Los Angeles to work on her next album Realitales (2000) with Steinberg. She also co-wrote two tracks for the album in London with Stephen Lipson. The artwork for this album was shot by Swedish director Jonas Åkerlund.
In 2003 Meja started to work with her former Sony Music boss, Richard Ogden. The album Mellow was released in 2004, with songs in Portuguese ("Água de Beber", "Dindi") and Spanish. She covered a Caetano Veloso song "O'Leaonzinho" that she named "Little Lion." The album was produced by Hamish Stuart. One song, "Simple Days-Walking the Distance", was used in the Japanese film Lakeside Murder Case.
In 2006 Meja went back to Los Angeles to collaborate again with Steinberg on a new album, also working with writers Jeff Barry, Billy Gibbons, Jed Leiber and Boz Boorer.
The first single "At the Rainbow's End" was released in June 2009, the second single "Regrets (I Have None)" in August, and the album Urban Gypsy was released on her own label Seven Sisters Network in October on a license deal with Sony Music. A remix of Mando Diao's "Dance with Somebody" was released early 2010.
The first release from the album Stroboscope Sky was the single "Blame it on the Shadows" (2013) produced by Ebbot Lundberg. Meja teamed with producer Nicolas Gunthardt and together with his sister Alessandra they wrote "Yellow Ribbon" which served as the theme song for the album. "Yellow Ribbon" was released as a single in collaboration with Amnesty International/Free the Angola 3 to help raise awareness of the case of Albert Woodfox. A remix EP was released with remixes by Deep Forest, Dj Swami, Gota Yashiki, DF Tram, NORD and more.
Regrets
Meja Lyrics
Jump to: Overall Meaning ↴ Line by Line Meaning ↴
(m.beckman/m.blomdahl/c.waltz/m.landquist)
Look, look what have I done
I Tried to rescue a dreamer
The beat is kinda heavy and the moon crashed down
Yes, it did
Look, look is it a crime
my baby´s out of tune and he stole my crown
But regrets i Have none
No regrets I have none
1.
Look, look it felt so good
the moon crashed down
while we did what we could
crash bang, I´m standing empty handed
Ohohoh, the line is thin
Should I give up or just give in?
I did it for love like lovers do
But most of all I did it for you
Chorus
Look, look what have I done
I Tried to rescue a dreamer
The beat is kinda heavy and the moon crashed down
Yes it did
Look, look is it a crime
To wanna be a redemer
my baby´s out of tune and he stole my crown
But regrets i Have none
No regrets I have none
2.
Sweet, sweet, the cut is deep
I give what I get and I get what I need
Still here standing open hearted
Ohohoh from where I´ve been
I walking on red and stopping at green
I did it for love like lovers do
But you should know I could have done anything for you
Chorus
Bridge
Life is sweet, why dig in to deep?
When I can walk the sunny side of the street
No regrets i have none
Life is good I put on repeat
I meet you down the sunny side of the street
No regrets I have none
In Meja's song "Regrets", the lyrics reflect a sense of introspection and reflection on a past relationship. The singer muses about their actions and decisions in the relationship, expressing a mix of regret and acceptance. The lyrics begin with a look back at trying to save a dreamer, someone who may have had lofty aspirations but ultimately caused disappointment. The imagery of the heavy beat and crashing moon signifies a dramatic and perhaps inevitable end to the relationship.
As the lyrics delve deeper into the singer's emotions, they acknowledge the bittersweet feeling of trying to make things work despite the challenges faced. The line "I did it for love like lovers do" reveals a genuine effort put forth in the relationship, even if it did not turn out as planned. The singer questions whether to continue pursuing this love or let it go, reflecting the internal struggle of holding on or moving on.
The chorus repeats the themes of trying to rescue the dreamer and feeling out of sync in the relationship. The singer acknowledges feeling betrayed and having their pride taken away, yet asserts that they have no regrets about the choices made. This juxtaposition of conflicting emotions highlights the complexity of human relationships and the ability to find peace amidst turmoil.
In the bridge, the lyrics shift towards a more optimistic outlook on life and relationships. The singer emphasizes the importance of staying positive and focusing on the good things in life, even after facing heartache. The repetition of "Life is good I put on repeat" suggests a mantra of resilience and moving forward without dwelling on regrets. Ultimately, the song seems to convey a message of acceptance, growth, and finding peace in letting go of the past.
Line by Line Meaning
Look, look what have I done
Reflecting on my actions and decisions
I Tried to rescue a dreamer
I attempted to save someone chasing their dreams
The beat is kinda heavy and the moon crashed down
The situation felt intense and overwhelming
Yes, it did
Acknowledging the outcome
Look, look is it a crime
Questioning if it's wrong
To wanna be a redemer
To desire to be a savior or helper
my baby´s out of tune and he stole my crown
Feeling betrayed by someone close
But regrets i Have none
Not dwelling on any regrets
No regrets I have none
Absolutely no regrets
Sweet, sweet, the cut is deep
Acknowledging the pain and depth of the situation
I give what I get and I get what I need
Exchanging and receiving what is necessary
Still here standing open hearted
Remaining vulnerable and open
Ohohoh from where I´ve been
Reflecting on the past
I walking on red and stopping at green
Navigating through difficult decisions
Life is sweet, why dig in too deep?
Appreciating the good moments and not overanalyzing
When I can walk the sunny side of the street
Choosing positivity and optimism
Life is good I put on repeat
Repeating the positive aspects of life
I meet you down the sunny side of the street
Optimistically looking forward to meeting you in a positive place
Lyrics © BMG Rights Management, Kobalt Music Publishing Ltd.
Written by: MATTIAS BLOMDAHL, MEJA ANNA PERNILLA KULLERSTEN, MARTIN LANDQVIST, CHRISTIAN WALZ
Lyrics Licensed & Provided by LyricFind