A Delightfully Sensitive Person
AGNETHA AND ABBA ON VIDEO
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Sometimes a person’s fate is to change the course of history.
In Agnetha Fältskog’s case, she became an international superstar from 1974 to 1982 as a member of ABBA.
VOICE OF AN ANGEL
She is remembered by many as the blonde Swedish dream-girl next door whose fashions and video appearances were imprinted upon the minds of many a young man who could not help but falling madly in love.
She is referred to often as “a goddess with an angelic voice”.
IN THE BEGINNING
ABBA was made up of two young couples from Sweden, all extremely talented musically – who had been trying since 1972 to come up with a winning formula - the two oppositely striking girls on vocals, and their husbands on guitar and keyboards. In fact, the name comes from Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid.
Although the group called it quits in 1983, their status has been catapulted into the realm of legend. In some ways, ABBA is more popular now – 24 years after they stopped recording, and Agnetha’s impact upon the present generation is just as thrilling.
Apart from her involvement in ABBA, Agnetha’s (pronounced ‘ah-NEE-ta’) talent may be greatly under appreciated.
THE SEXIEST BUM IN ROCK AND ROLL
To many, she was just a prop on a stage manipulated as an international boy-toy. Once declared as having ‘the sexiest bum in rock and roll’ in fact, this woman can sing, and has a voice as charming as you’ll ever hear. Agnetha was already a pop star in Sweden before joining the famous group, and it is a joy to hear her sing ‘unplugged’ as it were, from the harmonies and overdubs that were ABBA’s trademark sound.
** Video: Agnetha singing 'My Love, My Life' from 1976 (3:55)
As a person, Agnetha Fältskog’s life was tremendously complicated by her involvement with the supergroup. Not only was she the wife of ABBA’s guitarist, Björn Ulvaeus (married 1971, separated 1978, divorced 1980); she had an acute fear of flying and desired to be close to her two children (age 1 and 5) who were born during her career with the group. This was one of the major reasons why ABBA did not tour very often.
OVERNIGHT SENSATION
When ABBA burst onto the international music scene on Saturday April 6, 1974 as winners of the European Song Contest with ‘Waterloo’, Agnetha was twenty-four, newly married, and had just given birth to her first child.
Agnetha’s life was changed forever, but for better – or worse?
** Video: European Song Contest - Waterloo 1974 (4:01)
Her persona was literally re-invented. As Agnetha achieved instant international fame with the new group, a previous career as one of Sweden’s most successful pop singers, with a hit #1 single at the age of 17, and having released five studio albums between 1968 and 1975 was foregone.
FOR BETTER OR FOR WORSE
In a way, Agnetha Fältskog’s career did a reversal once she became involved with Anni-Frid, Björn, and Benny.
Agnetha had a career as a very popular local performer and songwriter, but now shared her fame and a stage with Frida, her attractive co-star.
In addition, all of the music and lyrics she sang (usually about unrequited love) were written by a team of hit-producing formula writers; Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Stig Anderson, their part-time lyricist and manager – using a special dummy lyric technique called ‘Swenglish’, that allowed them to easily translate into various languages.
GOING IT ALONE
Agnetha did not resume her solo career until 1983. She went through a lot of self-sacrifice; to the point of remaining in ABBA during her separation and divorce, which was kept hush-hush from fans.
By this time, however – the fame had taken its toll. Agnetha had never been very comfortable with her stardom and legions of swooning fans. In fact, she claims to still be a very shy person.
Although still recording solo albums up until 1987, she began to withdraw from public life. She ceased to actively promote her records, and rarely traveled outside of Sweden.
A failed marriage in 1990 and a series of personal tragedies including a near-fatal bus accident, her mother’s suicide, and being the victim of intense stalking by a mentally unstable ex-boyfriend lead her to live quite privately in a remote farmhouse (on an island) and rarely does she travel without male bodyguards.
AGNETHA TODAY
In a 2004 interview, her first in seventeen years, Agnetha said that she did not sing ABBA songs during all that time, and even wondered if she still had “her voice”. But she said also “not a day went by that I did not think about ABBA”.
** Video: My Colouring Book Interview
"I think I'm very much the same person I've always been. Very down-to-earth. Of course I also have my flaws, but I'm a very nice person. Down-to-earth. Normal. Curious about life and I don't like stress.
I try to keep it very quiet around me, as good as I can. It's not so easy nowadays. But I easily get stressed and I'm also a very anxious person.
Agnetha became a grandmother in 1991 when her daughter Linda gave birth to a baby girl.
"I enjoy being outdoors, going for a lot of walks and I try to spend a lot of time with my children, I also have a grandchild and it's an incredible experience."
Agnetha says that it’s hard to keep a low profile these days. No wonder, with the popularity of Björn and Benny’s smash hit musical ‘Mamma Mia!’ breaking international records, the release of ‘ABBA: The Movie’ and new collections of the famous pioneering rock video singles (on DVD).
** Video: Kristian Luuk TV Interview: subtitled (5:48)
Indeed, Agnetha still sings like an angel – her album ‘My Colouring Book’, released in 2004 has sold more than 500,000 copies worldwide and met with critical acclaim.
She sings the classic oldies from the sixties in impressive, haunting style as only she can – with incredible sensitivity and that distinctive Agnetha clarity. "When I hear her now it eclipses all what she did with ABBA"
** Video: 'If I thought You’d Ever Change Your Mind' (3:20)
** Video: 'Sometimes When I’m Dreaming' (3:11)
** Video: 'Sealed with a Kiss' – slideshow (2:33)
AGNETHA’S LAST ALBUM… HOPE NOT!
One last note: When asked why ABBA broke up, Agnetha replied:
"Because it was not ‘fun’ anymore. It was too intense. If we had taken it a bit slower I think we could have stretched it out about five more years...
The most ‘fun’ part about ABBA was winning the European Song Contest in 1974, but I no longer need any thrills like that... This last album (2004) may be my last, I don’t know."
Rumours have it that Agnetha is recording a new album of original songs for release in 2007 or 2008 and has said that when the creative bug hits her ‘anything can happen’!
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * A * B * B * A * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
OUR LAST VIDEO EVER (2004) – Celebrating 30 years of success
One last fling for Agnetha, Björn, Benny, and Anni-Frid
(quote from Abbasite):
"If you were to do a brand new video with a band that doesn’t exist anymore, how on earth would you go about it?... Why not build a story around a doll version of one of those groups?"
Director Calle Åstrand decided that ABBA would be the group most suitable for such a treatment, and contacted Björn Ulvaeus. The former ABBA member liked the idea, but asked the director to develop it a bit further.
Naturally, the other three former ABBA members were also informed about the idea. They were sent an outline of the video story and immediately gave the project their full support.
Björn, Benny and Agnetha all visited the studios to film their cameo parts in the video. However, Frida was unable to fit a Stockholm visit into her schedule at the time of the main filming, so her scenes were shot in London in April 2004, around the time of the celebrations for the 5th anniversary of the Mamma Mia! musical.
But with the aid of a little technical trickery, Agnetha and Frida are actually seen together in the same shot – the first such picture to reach the public in almost two decades.
ABBA - Our last video ever! (stereo)
Appropriately, the video was aired before 100 million viewers in the spring of 2004, upon the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ABBA’s Eurovision Song Contest victory with ’Waterloo’.
* * * * * * * * * * * * A * G * N * E * T * H * A * * * * * * * * * * * *
So for better or for worse; we have the performer to consider on the one hand, and the effect of the performer on the other hand. In the case of Agnetha Fältskog it can be said that the prize of super-stardom should not be taken by those who are not immune to the side effects.
Agnetha’s ride with ABBA was a shaky one and it was not without emotional scars that are still healing. May you find your true love and happiness yet, Agnetha!
Credits:
Photos: Agnetha Then and Now (a thoroughly documented and enjoyable site. Thanks, Pam!) EVERY PHOTO IS LINKED TO THE PAGE IT COMES FROM.
http://members.fortunecity.com/abbacrazy/
Agnetha interview:
http://members.fortunecity.com/abbacrazy/id30.htm
Our Last Video Ever:
http://www.abbasite.com/infocus/index.php?ret=/infocus/index.php&id=1441&flash=yes
ABBA Biography:
http://www.abbaannual.com/Biography.htm
h2g2 (BBC):
http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/A3163033
abbafan09
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=abbafan09
sims111
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Sims111
Ljus85
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Ljus85
Noxeema
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Noxeema
Brightnights
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=Brightnights
virgisa
http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=virgisa
Technorati Tag(s): ABBA , Agnetha , Agnetha Faltskog.
Article by Ted Ollikkala, TEDUCATION.com, Singapore
Photos by: Agnetha Then and Now,
http://members.fortunecity.com/abbacrazy/
2 comments:
Just mention 'the blonde from Abba' to men of a certain age and their eyes kind of glaze over. She will forever be etched in many men's minds as the icon of Abba. They wanted her, and women wanted to be her.
It's amazing how many younger fans she has, too - today's teenagers and twentysomethings. I was born in 1976, and when, at around age 17, first seeing and hearing footge of this group from the 1970s, was instantly struck hard by this ethereal, beautiful, slightly enigmatic blonde.
The stark reality of her amazing musical talent has since grown on me, her gorgeous, clear soprano voice, articulating every last drop of emotion from every note and word. And she really did look amazing too ... undoubtedly the glamorous visual magnet of the group, and right up there among the best looking women in 1970s public life.
She was and is a true star, of the type that really doesn't come around very often at all!
I was born in 1960 and the funny thing was that in the 70's I was not into them. My friend Donna was. However, recently, about 7 years ago, I rediscovered them. Fantastic.
In the 70's I was listening to Jethro Tull, Outlaws, you name it, as well as the Beatles and Pearl and Jimmy. The list goes on. I lived in Sweden in the 70's for a time. They are great. I love their music and it brings back the 70's for me.
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