The pretty sound of M2M - SOUNDS FAMILIAR by Baby Gil

It all started when Don’t Say You Love Me, a recording by an unknown duo named M2M was featured in the soundtrack of the motion picture Pokemon, the First Movie soundtrack. Sounding sweet and pretty with hints of a female version of the Bee Gees and a younger Wilson Phillips, the song became an instant hit and grew to such phenomenal proportions that it all but dominated the local hit charts late last year.

The Norwegian invasion continued on to 2001 as the little-girl vocals of M2M followed up its debut with other big sellers like Mirror Mirror and Pretty Boy. As of today, the duo is poised for more hits from its debut album Shades of Purple, Kids are now singing their Dear Diary, which would also make a good single. They are also listening to Your Song, the M2M take on the Bee Gees classic Too Much Heaven, as though the hit from the ’80s is the newest concoction in the charts.

M2M is made up of Marit Larsen on guitar and vocals and Marion Ravn. They both lived in a small town outside Oslo and met when they were only five years old. Aside from playing they also started singing and dancing together as kids. This led to roles in local productions of musicals like Annie, The Sound of Music, Bugsy Malone and The Wizard of Oz.

Both were sure they want to go into the music business early in their lives and they made the first big step when they recorded their first album in 1994. The collection of Norwegian songs for children was a big success and gave the duo a nomination in Norway’s version of the Grammys for Best Children’s Album.

It would have been quite easy for Marion and Marit to come up with a second volume but they wanted to go into pop songs for older children. They wanted to record a real pop album in English that will reach a big number of people. They also wanted to write all the songs and play some of the instruments.

To do this Marion set about learning how to play the piano. A fan of Eric Clapton, Marit took up the guitar. Then they began writing songs. The very first original composition they recorded was Girl in Your Dreams, which Marion wrote when she was only 13 years old.

Some more songs later, their demo album was picked up by Atlantic Records. The US based label liked the fresh innocent sound of the girls and put them under contract. It also helped that Marit and Marion looked every bit as sweet and pretty as the music they make. It was also decided that their original name of M&M would be changed because there is the candy brand M&M and there is the American rapper, Eminem.

The name chosen was M2M after a contest in their native Norway for a name for the promising group. The two M’s stand for the first letters of their names. The numeral 2 stands for 2. So it is Marit to Marion or Marion to Marit and there is no chance that there will be billing problems here.

Don’t Say You Love Me, which was inspired by some boys they knew broke M2M into the international market. After that it was fairly easy to get the promo machine going and to introduce the girls to other countries with the release of the album Shades of Purple.

Why Shades of Purple? Purple is a sweet but spicy color. It is also quite trendy and suits the fashion conscious duo. Truth to tell, a great deal of the appeal of M2M rests on the girls’ wholesome good looks and up to the minute wardrobe.

Shades of Purple contains two versions each of the big selling singles Don’t Say You Love Me, Mirror Mirror and Pretty Boy. Also included are The Day You Went Away, Girl in Your Dreams, Give a Little Love, Everything You Do, Don’t Mess with My Love, Dear Diary, Do You Know What You Want, Smiling Face, Our Song, and Why.

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Hip hop dominates the hit singles of the week list according to Billboard Magazine’s Hot 100. These are as follows: Ms. Jackson by Outkast; Stutter by Joe Featuring Mystikal; It Wasn’t Me by Shaggy Featuring Ricardo RikRok Ducent; Again by Lenny Kravitz; Love Don’t Cost a Thing by Jennifer Lopez; Don’t Tell Me by Madonna; Independent Women Part 1 by Destiny’s Child; If You’re Gone by matchbox twenty; Angel also by Shaggy Featuring Rayvon; and He Loves U Not by Dream.