ABBA have shed more light on the direction of their long-awaited pair of new songs, while also appearing to play down speculation that they may record a new album.
The Swedish pop group announced the intention to record new material earlier this year – over 35 years on from their last foray into the studio. The tracks will arrive prior to a digital avatar tour which is set to take place next year.
Speaking at the red carpet premiere of the new film Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again in London last night (July 16), Bjorn Ulvaeus spoke about the direction of the two new songs.
“One of them is a pop tune, very danceable,” Ulvaeus said. “The other is more timeless, more reflective, that is all I will say. It is Nordic sad, but happy at the same time.
“I think that exuberant quality of the two ladies [Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad] together singing, that makes the saddest song a bit uplifting. I think that is what happens and that [it] is very organic: [it] isn’t calculated, [it] just happened that way.”
Ulvaeus’ bandmate Benny Andersson also appeared to dismiss the prospect of a full ABBA album emerging any time soon.
“Doing another album is like doing Mamma Mia 3: what is the point unless there is a good reason, good script, good environment? It is such a joyful experience, so that is a reason to do it.”
Back in May, Metallica covered ABBA’s ‘Dancing Queen’ during a live show in Sweden.