Agnetha Fältskog - The ABBA ICON: June 2013

An all new, sixteen pages long, interview with the individual members of ABBA will be published today in the newspaper Dagens Industri (DI). A translation of Agnetha's interview is included underneath, including a synopsis from the other interviews. The article includes the new pictures you can see here!

When everyone wondered why Agnetha did not come to ABBA museum inauguration, she sat in a hotel room in London with Jan Gradvall, seconded by DI Weekend. Jan Gradvall has made unique interviews with all four members of ABBA. The whole package is published in DI Weekend coming out tomorrow - a giant story over 16 pages. "It started as a fun idea for a chip meeting last winter, we listed dream interviews for spring and then was ABBA an obvious choice, says Andreas Johansson, head of DI Weekend.

It required a lot of planning and hard work to row the whole port. "We realized pretty quickly that we would not manage to reunite them, but thought we would instead send Jan Gradvall interviewing Agnetha, Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid separately".

The award-winning Jan Gradvall succeeded piece was even getting Agnetha Fältskog on the hook says a lot about his position. When ABBA museum was inaugurated Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid on location in Stockholm, but Agnetha Fältskog released her new album in London. Then, of course Jan Gradvall there and interviewed her. DI Weekend promises something special for all ABBA lovers. "We are incredibly pleased with the outcome, a long, extremely readable story about Abbas adversity. Extra fun is that we got hold of the photographer Larsåke Thuresson's previously unpublished photos of Bjorn, Benny and Agnetha from Thuresson's Photography Collection"

Agnetha Fältskog: I have a box of memories in my bedroom

While Björn, Benny and Anni-Frid inaugurated the ABBA museum, Agnetha met the world press and rested up in London.

In an interview in DI Weekend the legendary singer talks about what she has done during all the years beyond the limelight and talks about how she remembers all those she has loved:

- I have a small box of photo memories in the bedroom. It is perhaps more common among women than among men. In the box, I have pictures of people that I love and loved, children, grandchildren and dogs, she says.

It's the journalist and Expressen co-worker Jan Gradvall who have met all the ABBA members. Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson are interviewed in Stockholm, while Anni-Frid Reuss answers questions from Mallorca. But it is in London following Agnetha Fältskog as Gradvall lets the story begin.

Fältskog has checked in under a pseudonym at the luxurious Corinthia Hotel. She is not the only star there, also the team from the latest "Star Trek" doing interviews and actor Jeremy Piven. But it is Fältskog that makes people stop and take another look

She is not particularly sentimental total, at least not when it comes to music and records:

- No, I don't keep track of it. I gave away a lot to the ABBA Museum. I still have some LPs and CDs left, but they are in boxes. I rarely listen to what I've recorded. One exception is "The winner takes it all". I listen to it when I have low self-esteem. Then I can praise myself, 'You did that good" says the singer in DI Weekend. And without a doubt, she still has high demands on herself.

- It was interesting now that I started singing again after such a long break. I overdid it at first, got a sore throat. You have to use your stomach muscles, use the extra strength. It is only when you feel sure about the technique that you can express yourself a lot. I like being close to the microphone. I like to sit down when I sing in the studio.

Ahead of the comeback Fältskog took singing lessons, trained for months to get the right technique. The expression itself is not as problematic:

Singing sitting

- I myself think that I became a better singer, the more life experience I got. You get so much you want to share. And my way to share is through singinging. I put my feelings there.

She likes to sit while singing close to the microphone. If necessary laying down - for Gradvall she reveals a secret:

- When I did the sinfinging for "Thank you for the music" I laid down in the studio. We had tried various versions but didn't get it right. There is a recording where I sing like Doris Day. When we tried it again, I was pregnant with Christian (Agnetha and Björn's second child) and was about to give birth prematurely. I got orders by the doctor to just lie down and take it easy. But it was ABBA, the world was waiting for a new album. We solved it by carrying a kind of recliner into the studio. So I sang laying in the chair, it's that take which is on the album.

Several of the dedicated journalists on location in London had nearly killed for that kind of data. Even America's biggest morning show "The Today Show" is there. The interview with Fältskog takes place in the prestigious Abbey Road studios.

Teaches her grandchildren to play

Between all the interviews the star relaxes with walks in Soho, exercise and spa visits. Not so much sightseeing, given that it is Fältskog's first stay abroad for decades.

But the mythical Garbo image isn't quite accurate. Fältskog is happy to talk. She has not isolated herself over the years - she has been busy.

- People are wondering what I have done during all these years I have not been visible in the media, but I've been busy. I have a farm with horses to care for and I have grandchildren. When I sit by the piano today, it is usually to teach my grandchildren to play, teach them what the musical notes are called. They are very musical, funnily enough, but honestly more interested in horses than playing.

Personally, Fältskog is the moste interested in her loved ones. That's why she wrote the song "I keep them on the floor beside my bed" for her latest album "A".

- I have a small box of photo memories in the bedroom. It is perhaps more common among women than among men. In the box, I have pictures of people that I love and have loved, children, grandchildren and dogs. I wanted to write a song about that way of collecting and preserving memories. In the end, it still became a love song between a man and a woman, but that was the feeling I started with and wanted to express.

How often do you take this box out?

- Often.

This is what the ABBA-stars say in the interview:

"I have everything with me I need in the studio"

Anni-Frid Lyngstad

Age: 67 years old.

Lives: Zermatt in Switzerland.

Family: Has a son Hans Ragnar Fredriksson. Is the widow of Prince Ruzzo Reuss von Plauen. In 1998 her daughter Ann Lise-Lotte Fredriksson died. Living today with English Henry Smith.

"When I sing, I express everything I have experienced in my life. I have with me everything I have in the studio. My voice is the result of my collected experiences."

The singer also reveals that last album "The Visitors" is her favorite, because of what the group went through at that time is reflected in the music in a good way.

"I only listen to folk and classical music"

Benny Andersson

Age: 66 years old.

Lives: On the island of Djurgården in Stockholm.

Family: His chldren Peter Grönvall and Helene Odedahl. Married since 1981 to Mona Nörklit, with her, he has his son Ludvig.

"I've stopped listening to pop. I stopped when we did "Chess". Since then I've only listened to classical music and folk music."

But in connection with the Eurovision Song Contest, Benny made an exception and collaborated with Avicii. The reason? ESC-producer Martin Österdahl is the son of bandleader Marcus Österdahl who has worked with Lill Lindfors among others.

"We supported each other"

Agnetha Fältskog

Age: 63.

Lives: On Ekerö outside Stockholm.

Family: Children Christian and Linda from the relationship with Björn Ulvaeus and three grandchildren.

Agnetha remembers working with Anni-Frid."Several journalists who have interviewed me have raised the question about the rivalry between me and Frida. But there was none. On the contrary, we helped and supported each other all the time, especially on tours. If any of us had a cold, the oter one stepped in and pulled a bigger load in terms of singing. We always covered for each other."

"I could consider picking up the guitar"

Björn Ulvaeus

Age: 68.

Lives: Djursholm outside Stockholm.

Family: Has children Christian and Linda from the relationship with Agnetha Fältskog. Is now married to Lena Källersjö, with her, he has children Emma and Anna.

Björn on why he does not sing himself anymore. "It is possible that I could pick up the guitar in some context and sing "Omkring tiggar'n från Luossa" (one of the biggest hits on the Svensktoppen chart). Maybe I will if some day. But I have been asked to participate in "Så mycket bättre" and declined.So many days of taping, to expose myself in that way ... No, it's not for me."

AGNETHA: ABBA and AFTER … 11th June, BBC 1

Agnetha Fältskog’s extraordinary singing career began when she was only 15 years old. But in just two years she was knocking The Beatles off the top of the Swedish pop charts writing her own material.

This new programme features exclusive access to Agnetha in the studio and with her colleagues of both recent years and from Abba, assessing and celebrating her journey as Sweden's 'girl with the golden hair'.

Her self-penned debut single “Jag var så kar”, (I was so in Love) sold more than 80,000 copies and she fast became one of Sweden’s most popular music artists. However a chance meeting with Björn Ulvaeus lead to her marriage, winning Eurovision and the phenomenal ABBA years.

With ABBA’s success came hard work, TV appearances, vast crowds, demanding tours and for Agnetha being away from her children eventually caused her great turmoil.

Agnetha loved being in the recording studio and Frida & Agnetha without doubt gave the ABBA songs a distinct sound. However, many argue that ABBA would not have reached the same heights without Agnetha’s talent, pure voice and arresting beauty. For this shy girl from the small Swedish town of Jönköping it was a struggle to match up to co-star Frida who had a natural flair for performing.

After a much publicised divorce from Björn, and as ABBA eventually came to an end, Agnetha build a successful solo career after ABBA until she eventually walked away from the public eye traumatised by fame.

Since then the world’s press has engaged in an endless game of conjecture about the private life of a women catapulted to international stardom in 1974. But now after 25 years Agnetha Fältskog has stepped back into the limelight with new material after working with successful writer Jörgen Elofsson who has written for artists such as Britney Spears and Westlife.

Back writing again herself, she has also recorded a duet with singer-songwriter Gary Barlow on the album. The vocals were recorded separately and exclusively in this documentary Gary Barlow meets Agnetha for the first time.

This intimate and revealing programme features interviews with Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Gary Barlow, Tony Blackburn, Record Producer Peter Nordahl, Jörgen Elofsson and Sir Tim Rice

Exec Producer: Mark Cooper Producer & Director: Samantha Peters

Article from the Radio Times (click to view bigger file)