Upon winning the 2007 season of Pop Idol in Sweden, Marie Picasso embarked on a solo career, beginning with her chart-topping debut album, The Secret (2007). Born Lilly Marie Pettersson on April 24, 1979, in Västerås, Sweden, Picasso's singing career unsuccessfully commenced in 2002 when she sang the theme song for the German television show Eva — Ganz Mein Fall, "Tell the World," but failed to leverage this performance into a recording contract. She did manage to secure some airtime on television, however, appearing on shows including Big Brother. In 2007 she won the television singing contest Pop Idol in Sweden, which catapulted her to fame. Signed to Sony BMG, she released a couple singles late in the year, including a cover of "Flashdance ... What a Feeling," which became a minor hit, and "This Moment," which became a smash hit, debuting at number one on the Swedish singles chart. Her full-length album debut, The Secret (2007), was released two weeks later and also debuted at number one.