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Andersson and Ulvaeus (in »Wetten, dass..?« End of 2021): No real Abba reunion for the »Waterloo« anniversary either
Photograph:
Frederik Kern/Geisler-Fotopress / picture alliance
Swedish band Abba has rejected speculation about a performance at the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC) 2024 in Sweden. A joint appearance of the four singers at the music show was "out of the question," Abba co-founder Benny Andersson said on Thursday in an interview with the BBC's Newsnight. I don't want that. And if I don't want to, the others don't want to either. It's the same for all four of us. If someone says no, that's a no," he said.
Abba singer Björn Ulvaeus, who was also present at the interview, added: "We can celebrate 50 years of Abba without being on stage."
At this year's ESC in Liverpool, the Swede Loreen won with her song »Tattoo«. This will be the seventh time Sweden has hosted the ESC next year – 50 years after Sweden's first victory at the European music competition thanks to Abba and her hit »Waterloo«.
In addition to »Waterloo«, Abba became world famous with hits such as »Dancing Queen« and »Mamma Mia«. Over the past 50 years, they have sold more than 400 million albums. The band broke up in 1982 after Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus and Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson divorced. All four are now over 70 years old. Over the past 50 years, they have sold more than 400 million albums.
Since 2022, the four musicians have been performing in a high-tech concert show in the form of so-called "abbatarians". At »Abba Voyage« in London, the real voices of the four stars can be heard, but only digital holograms appear. The interview with the BBC took place on the occasion of the show's one-year anniversary. The reactions of the audience had "exceeded all expectations," according to Ulvaeus.
feb/AFP