Directory > Entertainment > Music > ABBA
Biographies
The story of ABBA’s four members is something like a soap opera,
and in this short space I can’t provide everything, there are other
sites that can give you the full, and often sad, details.
Perhaps the most important thing to understand about ABBA as a musical
force is that when the Eurovision Song Contest rocketed them to international
stardom in April 1974 they were already well-established in their home
country of Sweden. Not only that, but each of them was a professional
performer in their own right with many years of experience.
The band, ABBA, created a whole that was far greater than the sum of its
parts.
Benny Andersson
Benny had been part of The Hep Stars (1964-1969) – the Swedish Beatles.
He started writing in 1965 and had a lot of hits in Sweden. He met Björn
in 1966 and began writing songs with him. They recorded their first album
in 1970, called Lycka ("Happiness" in Swedish). He met Anni-Frid
in 1969 and they became a couple. He invited her and Agnetha to sing backing
vocals on his and Björn’s debut album in 1970.
For details of the rise of ABBA see the Band
page.
After ABBA he worked with Björn on various musical projects including
working with Tim Rice on the West End hit musical Chess and together they
worked on Mamma Mia, based on 24 ABBA songs.
Agnetha Fältskog
Agnetha was ABBA's youngest member and, at 17, had had a #1 in Sweden
and was one of the most popular Swedish female pop singers of the time.
She met Anni-Frid Lyngstad during a TV show in 1968 and Björn a few
months later. They married in 1970. In that same year Björn invited
her to sing backing vocals with Anni-Frid on his and Benny’s debut
album.
For details of the rise of ABBA see the Band
page.
She and Björn divorced in 1981 after the release of their final album
"The Visitors".
She released solo albums but withdrew from public life in 1988, though
occasionally making (non-music) appearances with Benny and Björn
(Anni-Frid did not get involved). In 1996 she published an autobiography
and in 2004 released a new, critically acclaimed album "My Colouring
Book".
Anni-Frid Lyngstad
Anni-Frid started singing at 13 with dance bands. She won a national competition
in 1967 and was signed by EMI. She had met Björn in 1963, and Agnetha
during a TV show in 1968. In 1969, she met Benny at a music contest again
while doing a tour and they became a couple. Benny invited her to sing
backing vocals with Agnetha on his and Björn’s debut album.
She continued individual performances and her own albums up until 1975,
after ABBA had been going for three years.
For details of the rise of ABBA see the Band
page.
She released another five solo albums but never achieved international
success. She withdrew from public life and married a German prince but
he died in 1999. Her daughter had been killed in 1998 in a car crash.
Björn Ulvaeus
Björn started fronting The Hootenanny Singers (1963 to 1974), at
18. He wrote for the band while also pursuing a solo career. His band
and Benny’s band (The Hep Stars) met on tour and in June 1966 he
and Benny decided to write together. They recorded their debut album together
in 1970, called Lycka ("Happiness" in Swedish). He met Agnetha
in 1968 and they married in 1970.
For details of the rise of ABBA see the Band
page.
He and Agnetha divorced in 1981 after the release of their final album
"The Visitors".
After ABBA he worked with Benny on various musical projects including
working with Tim Rice on the West End hit musical Chess and together they
worked on Mamma Mia, based on 24 ABBA songs.
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