While premiering her first single in 10 years, Where Do We Go From Here?, Agnetha Fältskog appeared to hint that ABBA could make an appearance at next year’s Eurovision Song Contest.
The group shot to global fame in 1974 when they won the Contest in Brighton with their hit single Waterloo, launching a record-breaking global career that saw them become one of the most successful pop acts of all time.
As Eurovision returns to Sweden for its upcoming edition, there’s been much speculation as to whether the group could come together to celebrate the 50th anniversary and despite Björn Ulvaeus previously rubbishing the claims, the idea now seems like it could be a possibility.
Speaking on Zoe Ball’s BBC Radio 2 Breakfast Show, Agnetha teased: “You never know anything about ABBA and when we’re going to… well, I won’t say anything about that.
“I’d rather be quiet.”
Eurovision 2024 is headed to Malmö, Sweden following Loreen’s historic win in Liverpool this year, which saw her become the first female performer – and only the second person in history – to take home the trophy twice.
Meanwhile, Agnetha – who last reunited with ABBA at the launch of ‘Voyage’ – the group’s digital concert residency in east London – last year, is celebrating the 10th anniversary of her most-recent solo LP, ‘A’, with the reimagined ‘A+’.
Ahead of its October release, the singer has opened up about reworking the project alongside songwriter and producer Jörgen Elofsson, along with Anton ‘Hybrid’ Mårtensson, keeping the original vocals from 2013 but creating new music for 2023.
“A couple of years ago I heard one of the songs from my last album ‘A’ on the radio. I have lots of fond memories from making that album, so I couldn’t help but smile, time flies…” she penned in a letter to fans.
“Suddenly it hit me, what would the album sound like if we had made it today…? I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I reached out to the boys who produced ‘A’ back in 2013 – ‘What would you guys think about reimagining ‘A’ and making a totally new version of it?’ They loved the idea! ‘Let’s try!’”
She continued: “A while later I heard the first reworked song, and I must say I absolutely loved it! It sounded so fresh and modern, even better than I had imagined it!
“We named the album A+ and as a cherry on top we even recorded a brand new song! And that will be the first thing you´ll hear from me. Now I can’t wait to hear what you think about it! I hope you like it as much as I do!”
Elofsson added: “When we made the album ‘A’ ten years ago, it was a bit of a reaction against EDM and the dance music that dominated the pop world at the time.
“We therefore did something that was exactly the opposite, arranger Peter Nordahl created timeless string arrangements. Now, when we brought the songs into today’s music world, we were all surprised by how well it works. The songs have blossomed into the pop songs they are at their core. Anton, who wasn’t there last time, comes from a different generation and has played with completely different rhythms.”
‘A+’ is out October 13 via BMG and available to pre-order now.
