A new ABBA album might actually be happening
Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (ABBA) pose on the red carpet upon arrival for the world premiere of the film “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” in London on July 16, 2018. (Photo by Anthony HARVEY / AFP) (Photo credit should read ANTHONY HARVEY/AFP/Getty Images)
A new ABBA album might actually happen, one of the band’s members has revealed.
The Swedish pop icons have reconciled recently, following decades in which they refused to appear together following their famously messy 1983 break-up.
Band members Benny Andersson, Frida Lyngstad, Agnetha Fältskog, and Björn Ulvaeus have made several appearances together, and have already been back in the recording studio to work on two previously-announced unreleased tracks.
Picture taken in 1974 in Stockholm shows the Swedish pop group Abba with its members (L-R) Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Agnetha Faltskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus (OLLE LINDEBORG/AFP/Getty)
Ulvaeus has teased that even more could be in the works following the release of single “I Still Have Faith in You” and the second, as yet untitled, track.
Speaking to the Evening Standard, he confirmed: “A new album, possibly. Or four songs or something like that—that’s possible.”
However, he firmly ruled out one specific course of action.
He said: “For us to perform on stage, that’s just not going to happen. That’s a definite.”
The foursome have explained they are reluctant to perform on stage together as they have aged since their original run.
Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson (ABBA) pose on the red carpet upon arrival for the world premiere of the film “Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again” (Stuart C. Wilson/Getty)
Unreleased track “I Still Have Faith in You” is expected to be aired for the first time in a TV special featuring animated ‘digital avatars’ of the band as they appeared in ABBA’s heyday, to promote an upcoming virtual tour.
The TV special was slated to air in December, but later reports have suggested that the project is not expected to surface until early 2019.
Speaking about the “wonderful” experience of recording the new songs, Ulvaeus said: “When we were all four in the studio that was amazing because we hadn’t been in a studio situation since the beginning of the Eighties.
“We were standing there in these familiar surroundings and we looked at each other and it took 15 seconds and we were back.”
ABBA in the 1970s (Getty)
In a previous statement, ABBA said: “The decision to go ahead with the exciting ABBA avatar tour project had an unexpected consequence.
“We all four felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and go into the recording studio. So we did. And it was like time had stood still and that we only had been away on a short holiday.
“An extremely joyful experience! It resulted in two new songs and one of them ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ will be performed by our digital selves in a TV special produced by NBC and the BBC.
“We may have come of age, but the song is new. And it feels good.”
There is definitely a lucrative market for more ABBA at the moment.
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, a sequel to the jukebox musical based on ABBA’s music, topped the box office in July.
In September, gay icon Cher released ABBA covers album Dancing Queen, which is expected to top album charts across the world.
UK Prime Minister Theresa May even busted a move to the band’s music at the Conservative Party conference on October 3.
