Hellborg began his music career in 1976 in Sweden touring with local rock acts. He was spotted by percussionist Reebop Kwaku Baah in a small club in Stockholm 1979 and he moved to London for a year to work with Reebop on different projects. He played the Montreux Jazz festival in Switzerland in 1981 and met Michael Brecker who introduced him to John McLaughlin, Billy Cobham and other fusion stars. He was asked to join John McLaughlin's reformed Mahavishnu Orchestra in 1983 and he stayed with McLaughlin until 1988 touring and recording with Mahavishnu Orchestra and also doing several duet tours with McLaughlin during this time.
In 1986 and 1987 he toured with a project featuring Ginger Baker on drums and Bernie Worrell on keyboards.
