Agnetha Fältskog had her doubts about ‘ABBA Voyage’ when she began working on the project.
The singer reunited with the Swedish supergroup for the project, which features the band depicted as ‘ABBAtars’, digitally de-aged to their 30s, performing their biggest hits.
Work on the show – which features the new songs I Still Have Faith In You and Don’t Shut Me Down – resulted in the band’s first studio album in 40 years, but initially Fältskog was not convinced.
She told The Guardian: “I was a bit suspicious, I must say – you know, what is this. We were working the whole of February [2020] to prepare – it doesn’t sound so much, but it was, performing the songs with all these technicians and all the things on your body.
“We were working really hard and I’ll be totally honest, I was not so comfortable with it. But after maybe four or five days you get into it: OK, I’ll go there again. Also, the music helps, because it gives us a very special feeling.”
Admitting she’s now “proud” of the show, which plays nightly in its specially-built east London venue, she added: “Somewhere along the way I could just feel proud – they really want to see us again.
“I’m at home in my bed, and at the same time in London. It’s very cleverly done, isn’t it?”
It comes as the hitmaker releases ‘A+’ – her latest solo album, featuring reworkings of her 2013 LP ‘A’ produced by frequent collaborator Jörgen Elofsson along with Anton ‘Hybrid’ Mårtensson.
“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.”
READ MORE: Agnetha Fältskog inspired by Elton John, Dua Lipa while recording new album A+ [Exclusive]
