Ebba Forsberg was part of a wave of female singer/songwriters in the late '90s. Unlike many of her adult-alternative pop contemporaries, Forsberg wasn't directly influenced by alternative rock. Instead, she drew from classic pop and singer/songwriters to create a lush, melodic sound, which was showcased on her 1998 debut Been There.
A native of Sweden, Forsberg moved with her family to Tortola in the West Indies when she was five years old. Her older sister Kajsa Ribbing returned to Sweden after a year, but Forsberg and her familiy stayed in Tortola until she was 12. They then spent another year there before moving to South Africa, where she lived for eight years. During her time in South Africa, she became enamored with South African culture, jazz and pop, teaching herself how to play the piano and sing. As an adult, she returned to Sweden, where she worked as a supporting musician and vocalist for several popular Swedish acts.
Eventually, Forsberg reunited with her older sister Ribbing, and the two of them wrote the songs that formed the core of her debut album, Been There. Forsberg wrote the music, while her sister wrote the words. Her demo tape was circulated in 1997, and she signed to Maverick Records later that year. She collaborated with producer Mats Asplen on the arrangements for Been There, which was released in the spring of 1998. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, Rovi
