the Mamas
{{short description|Swedish soul and gospel group}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=March 2023}}
{{Infobox musical artist
| image = The Mamas Melodifestivalen 2020 presskonferens 4.jpg
| caption = LaMotte, Haynes and Yonas Manna at a Melodifestivalen press conference in 2020.
| image_upright = 1.2
| origin = Sweden and United States
| current_members = {{Unbulleted list|Ashley Haynes|Loulou LaMotte|Dinah Yonas Manna}}
| past_members = {{Unbulleted list|Paris Renita}}
| associated_acts = John Lundvik
| years_active = 2019–2023{{efn|Indefinite hiatus}}
| label = Universal Music Sweden
}}
The Mamas are a Swedish-American pop and soul group. They won Melodifestivalen 2020 with their single "Move", which reached number one in Sweden in March 2020.
Career
The group consists of Ashley Haynes (born 19 January 1987 in Washington, D.C.),{{Cite web|url=https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2020-02-02/the-mamas-vi-flyger-fortfarande|title=The Mamas: Vi flyger fortfarande|website=Sydsvenskan|date=2 February 2020 |access-date=2 February 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202074646/https://www.sydsvenskan.se/2020-02-02/the-mamas-vi-flyger-fortfarande|archive-date=2 February 2020|url-status=live}} Loulou LaMotte (born 16 April 1981 in Malmö){{Cite web|url=https://www.discogs.com/artist/2350033-LouLou-Lamotte|title=LouLou Lamotte|website=Discogs|language=en|access-date=1 February 2020}} and Dinah Yonas Manna (born 5 September 1981 in Stockholm). Founding member Paris Renita left the group in 2019.{{cite web|url=https://universalmusic.se/artist/the-mamas/|title=The Mamas|work=Universal Music Sweden|date=12 November 2019 |language=sv-SE|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200125133037/https://universalmusic.se/artist/the-mamas/|archive-date=25 January 2020|access-date=1 February 2020}}
As a four-piece, the group provided backing vocals for John Lundvik's Melodifestivalen 2019 entry "Too Late for Love".{{cite web|url=http://www.gp.se/1.15108940|title=Här är kvinnorna bakom John Lundvik|last=Eriksson|first=Anna Karolina|date=16 May 2019|work=Göteborgs Posten|language=sv}} Lundvik went on to win the competition and got to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2019 held in Tel Aviv, Israel, with the Mamas continuing to provide backing vocals.[https://www.thelocal.se/20190517/swedens-john-lundvik-strorms-into-eurovision-final Sweden's John Lundvik storms into Eurovision final] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191225002507/https://www.thelocal.se/20190517/swedens-john-lundvik-strorms-into-eurovision-final |date=25 December 2019 }} The Local Retrieved 2 February 2020 The song finished 5th in the grand final on 18 May 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://sverigesradio.se/sida/artikel.aspx?programid=478&artikel=7225958|title=Miss i Eurovision – Sverige kom femma|date=22 May 2019|access-date=7 March 2020|newspaper=Sveriges Radio}}
In late 2019, it was announced that the Mamas (without Paris Renita) would take part in Melodifestivalen in 2020, this time in their own right with their entry "Move".{{Cite web|url=https://www.svt.se/kultur/i-dag-presenteras-artisterna-for-melodifestivalen-2020|title=Här är artisterna som tävlar i Melodifestivalen 2020|date=26 November 2019|website=SVT Nyheter|language=sv|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200201025405/https://www.svt.se/kultur/i-dag-presenteras-artisterna-for-melodifestivalen-2020|archive-date=1 February 2020}} They performed in the first heat on 1 February 2020 in Linköping, and qualified directly for the final that took place on 7 March 2020 in the Friends Arena in Stockholm.[https://eurovision.tv/story/sweden-national-selection-melodifestivalen-2020 Robin Bengtsson and The Mamas to Melodifestivalen final] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200202164405/https://eurovision.tv/story/sweden-national-selection-melodifestivalen-2020 |date=2 February 2020 }} eurovision.tv Retrieved 2 February 2020
The Mamas went on to win Melodifestivalen 2020 with a total of 137 points, earning the right to represent Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest 2020 held in Rotterdam, Netherlands.{{Cite web|url=https://wiwibloggs.com/2020/03/07/sweden-the-mamas-win-melodifestivalen-2020-with-move/251622/|title=Sweden: The Mamas win Melodifestivalen 2020 with "Move"|date=7 March 2020|website=wiwibloggs|access-date=7 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200315135731/https://wiwibloggs.com/2020/03/07/sweden-the-mamas-win-melodifestivalen-2020-with-move/251622/|archive-date=15 March 2020|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/melodifestivalen/a/K39LxE/the-mamas-vinner-melodifestivalen-2020|title=The Mamas vinner Melodifestivalen 2020|last1=Thornéus|first1=Ebba|last2=Demirian|first2=Natalie|date=7 March 2020|website=Aftonbladet|language=sv|url-status=live|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200308073125/https://www.aftonbladet.se/nojesbladet/melodifestivalen/a/K39LxE/the-mamas-vinner-melodifestivalen-2020|archive-date=8 March 2020|access-date=8 March 2020|last3=Ek|first3=Torbjörn}} However, the contest was cancelled in March 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.{{Cite web|url=https://www.expressen.se/noje/eurovision-song-contest-2020-stalls-in/|title=Eurovision Song Contest 2020 ställs in|last1=Emanuelsson|first1=Felicia|last2=Lindstedt|first2=Moa|date=18 March 2020|website=Expressen|language=sv|url-status=live|access-date=18 March 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200318214611/https://www.expressen.se/noje/eurovision-song-contest-2020-stalls-in/|archive-date=18 March 2020}}
They returned the following year and participated in Melodifestivalen 2021 with the song "In the Middle". They performed in the fourth heat on 27 February 2021{{Cite web|url=https://www.aftonbladet.se/a/0KBPqE|title=LISTA: De tävlar i Melodifestivalen 2021|website=Aftonbladet|date=December 2020 |access-date=4 December 2020}} and qualified directly for the final which was held on 13 March 2021 at the Annexet in Stockholm. The Mamas finished in 3rd place in the final with a total of 106 points.
The Mamas played on the Swedish Socialdemocratic Workers Party international workers day celebrations in May 2021.{{Citation|title=Första maj 2021| date=May 2021 |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uj0hAVzI_Ts|language=en|access-date=3 May 2021}} In November 2021, they released their third EP Won't Let the Sun Go Down.
In April 2023, the Mamas announced that they would go on indefinite hiatus to pursue their solo careers.{{Cite tweet|number=1649030830147223555|user=scandipop|title=Swedish group The Mamas, who won Melodifestivalen in 2020 but had their Eurovision Song Contest cancelled due to COVID, have announced that they are pausing the band to focus on their solo careers.}}
Discography
=Extended plays=
=Singles=
=Other charted songs=
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center;" |
| scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:17em;"| Title
! scope="col" rowspan="2" style="width:1em;"| Year ! scope="col"| Peak chart positions ! scope="col" rowspan="2"| Album |
|---|
| scope="col" style="width:3em;font-size:85%;"| SWE Heat. |
| scope="row"| "Shine a Light"
| 2020 | 7 | All I Want for December |
Notes
{{notelist-ua}}{{Noteslist}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{Commons category-inline|The Mamas}}
{{s-start}}
{{s-bef |before=John Lundvik
with "Too Late for Love"}}
{{s-ttl |title=Melodifestivalen winner |years=2020}}
{{s-aft |after=Tusse
with "Voices"}}
{{s-end}}
{{Sweden in the Eurovision Song Contest|state=autocollapse}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2020|state=autocollapse}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Mamas, The}}
Category:Musical groups established in 2019
Category:Swedish musical trios
Category:Swedish soul musical groups
Category:Musical backing groups