For more than two years, fans have been eagerly awaiting the promised new singles from Eurovision 1974 champions ABBA. But now, after multiple delays, group member Björn Ulvaeus is promising the new recordings will be coming out “sometime this year”.
Fresh from his recent appearance on Eurovision: Europe Shine A Light, the accomplished pop artist spoke with US broadcaster CNBC. He talked about Sweden’s unique response to COVID-19, but also gave an update on the new ABBA material that had first been teased two years ago.
Speaking to host Tania Bryer, Ulvaeus said the new ABBA recordings would be coming soon. “I think sometime this year. Yes, I think so.”
The musician also had good things to say about ABBA’s studio reunion. He said, “Oh, that was so great. It took half a minute and somehow we were back in time like we had been there yesterday as well. It was so strange. That feeling between us was extraordinary.”
The long wait for ABBA’s new songs
The new ABBA recordings have been a long time coming. ABBA’s last album, The Visitors, was released in 1981 and their last new music was released in 1983. The group last performed together in 1986.
In 2018, the group dropped the exciting news that they had recorded two new singles, which were set to be released as part of a Christmas special in December 2018.
However, later that year Ulvaeus confirmed that fans would have to wait a little longer for the new material. The Christmas special had been postponed to an unspecified date in 2019 — however, that year passed without any new ABBA material being released.
The two songs are said to be titled “I Still Have Faith in You” and “Don’t Shut Me Down”. Ulvaeus previously described one of the songs as being “like a pop song from the Seventies” and being “very danceable”. The other he described as being “more timeless, more reflective” and that “it is Nordic sad, but happy at the same time.”
ABBA — consisting of Agnetha Fältskog (70), Björn Ulvaeus (75), Benny Andersson (73), and Anni-Frid Lyngstad (74) — is one of the most successful bands of all time. After winning Eurovision 1974 with “Waterloo”, they went on to sell over 400 million albums.
What do you think? Are you looking forward to ABBA’s new recordings? Should they hurry up and release them? Tell us your thoughts below!
Favourite for win in 1974 was France, but they withdraw because dead of president.
Replying to Peter. Yes I do take your point about the video. But eighteen months. What are they making…. a Hollywood blockbuster. On your second point. That’s what I was saying myself. Why release two songs and make all the fans wait. Say nothing and release an EP when it’s the right time.
It’s sad that the girls are so low key.
off topic Do we have a list of confirmed singers for next year?
Sad for us yes, but I personally wouldn’t be so sad if I had my own archipelago
Agnetha’s quite active. She last released an album in 2015. Rumor has it she’s releasing another one next year.
What I don’t really understand about this is the fact that the two songs have been recorded and finished way back in 2018. Why haven’t they been released. I wonder if they have any reservations about the quality of the material. The problem with delaying the release indefinitely is that there is a chance that people will feel a little deflated when it actually gets released. An anticlimax maybe. ABBA should never have teased about any new material. They should have just said here you are folks… Please enjoy. Can you imagine the incredible response that there would be. All… Read more »
The video clips that come with the release of the songs were said to be more complicated to produce than was expected. Hence the delay. Although I wouldn’t be surprised if the real reason is the fact that they want to release more than two songs. There’s hoping …… 🙂
Peter, I agree – if they enjoyed the experience so much and two years have passed – it will have given them time to record more than two songs!
No, the reason is they are producing a computer generated image stage show, like the one in The Abba Museum in Sweden. They want it right.