While she was best known internationally as a jazz singer, Babs also competed as Sweden's first annual competition entrant in the Eurovision Song Contest 1958.

Despite being cast as the well-behaved, good-hearted, cheerful girl, the youth culture forming with Babs as its icon caused outrage among members of the older generation.

A vicar called the Babs cult the "foot and mouth disease of cultural life".

[2] Among other works, Babs participated in performances of Ellington's second and third Sacred Concerts which he had written originally for her.

[6][7] Between 1973 and 2004, Babs and her husband resided in Costa del Sol, Spain, while still working in Sweden and internationally.