ABBA announces new album and return to stage with 'Voyage' concert after 40-year hiatus

Popular Swedish pop band, ABBA is all set to get back together after being 40 years apart as they recently made an announcement of their return. Though they made the announcement three years ago, they have now officially announced their virtual concert showcasing their album, Voyage that will premiere in London May next year.

ABBA members assuring that they aren’t competing with Drake ahead of Voyage release

According to the reports by Variety, the songwriters of the group namely Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus, who are also part of the group, discussed how they created the album for their performance. When Andersson was asked about the album’s creation, he stated, “First it was just two songs, then we said, ‘Maybe we should do, I don’t know, a few others? What do you say, girls?’ They said yes, then I said why don’t we just do a whole album.”

While speaking about how the songs from the album, Voyage were about the members of ABBA and what they’ve meant to each other, Ulvaeus said, “When Benny played the melody, I just knew it had to be about us. It’s about realizing that it’s inconceivable to be where we are [today] — no imagination could dream up that, to release a new album after 40 years, and still be the best of friends and still be enjoying each other’s company and have total loyalty. Who has experienced that?”

Discussing further whether they were competing with the contemporary artists, Andersson clarified by saying, “We’re not competing with Drake and all these other guys. We can’t, because I don’t understand the ingredients in the songs that work today, so it’s impossible to emulate. I don’t mind Drake, I just don’t know what modern pop artists are doing.”

Ulvaeus then talked about the depth of their songs and how they were delivered, he added, “At our age, there’s a certain depth to the whole thing, musically and lyrically, and of course the way [Fältskog and Lyngstad] sing and the way they deliver.” 

Andersson further talked about how they decided to add more songs to the album while discussing with the team. He said, “We hadn’t recorded the other songs when we [filmed] this motion thing, but we said maybe we should do a couple more because it was so joyful to be together in the studio again, the four of us. Hearing Agnetha and Frida go for it again — and not knowing, really, if it was still there.”

ABBA's Voyage will open on May 27 at the ABBA Arena at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in London. Pre-registration for tickets opens at 6 pm Thursday, 2 September 2021, on abbavoyage.com with tickets on sale from 7 September. 

IMAGE: AP