Agnetha Fältskog facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Agnetha Fältskog
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Fältskog in 2013
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Agneta Åse Fältskog
5 April 1950 Jönköping, Sweden
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| Other names | Anna |
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| Children | 2, including Linda |
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Agnetha Fältskog (born on April 5, 1950) is a famous Swedish singer and songwriter. She is best known as a member of the super pop group ABBA. Agnetha first became popular in Sweden with her first album in 1968. She became a global star in the 1970s with ABBA, which is one of the most successful music groups ever.
After ABBA stopped performing together in 1982, Agnetha had a successful solo career. She released three albums and even starred in a movie. In the 1990s, she preferred a quiet life away from the public eye.
Agnetha took a break from music for 16 years. She returned in 2004 with the album My Colouring Book. In 2013, she released A, which was her most successful solo album in the UK. ABBA has since reunited, and Agnetha is back with the group.
Contents
Life and Music Journey
Agnetha's Early Years
Agnetha Åse Fältskog was born in Jönköping, Sweden, on April 5, 1950. She was the first of two daughters. Her father, Ingvar, loved music and entertainment. Her mother, Birgit, focused on their home and children. Agnetha's younger sister, Mona, was born in 1955.
Agnetha wrote her first song, "Två små troll" (Two Small Trolls), when she was just six years old. In 1958, she started piano lessons and sang in a local church choir. In the early 1960s, Agnetha formed a music trio called the Cambers with her friends. They performed in small places but soon stopped due to a lack of shows. When she was 15, Agnetha joined a local dance band. She left school and worked as a telephone operator while also singing with the band.
Agnetha has said that singers like Connie Francis, Marianne Faithfull, Aretha Franklin, and Lesley Gore greatly influenced her music.
Starting Her Career in Sweden (1966–1971)
Agnetha sang with the Bernt Enghardt band for two years. As the band became more popular, she decided to focus only on music. During this time, Agnetha broke up with her boyfriend. This inspired her to write a song called "Jag var så kär" (I Was So in Love). This song soon made her famous.
A record producer named Karl Gerhard Lundkvist heard a demo of the band. He was only interested in Agnetha and her song. Agnetha was worried because her bandmates would not be on the record. However, she decided to sign a contract with Cupol Records.
Her first single, "Jag var så kär," was released in November 1967. It quickly became number one in Sweden in January 1968 and sold over 80,000 copies. Her next two singles, "Utan dig" (Without you) and "Allting har förändrat sig" (Everything has changed), were also big hits in 1968. She also wrote "Försonade" (Reconciled) for the Eurovision Song Contest selection, but it was not chosen.
Agnetha became one of Sweden's most popular pop artists. In 1969, she released "Zigenarvän" (Gypsy Friend). This song was about a girl who falls in love at a Gypsy wedding.
In 1970, she released "Om tårar vore guld" (If Tears Were Gold). There was a disagreement about this song, and Agnetha later paid a Danish composer some money to settle it.
In 1972, Agnetha played the role of Mary Magdalene in the Swedish version of the famous musical Jesus Christ Superstar.
Joining ABBA and Early Solo Work (1971–1982)
Agnetha met Björn Ulvaeus in 1968. He was a member of the Hootenanny Singers. They met again in 1969. Her relationship with Björn, and her friendships with Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson, led to the creation of ABBA. Agnetha and Björn married on July 6, 1971. Benny played the organ at their wedding.
Their daughter, Linda Elin Ulvaeus, was born in 1973. Their son, Peter Christian Ulvaeus, was born in 1977. After seven years, Agnetha and Björn decided to separate in 1978 and divorced in 1980. They both agreed that their divorce would not affect ABBA. Their separation inspired Björn to write the lyrics for the famous ABBA song "The Winner Takes It All".
As a member of ABBA, Agnetha was sometimes known as Anna in other countries.
In 1975, Agnetha recorded her solo album Elva kvinnor i ett hus (Eleven Women in a House). She also produced this album herself. She worked on it between recording and promoting ABBA's albums Waterloo and ABBA. Agnetha's album stayed on the Swedish chart for 53 weeks, which was longer than any ABBA album. Most of the songs on the album were written by Agnetha.
Between 1968 and 1980, Agnetha had 18 songs on the Swedish radio chart Svensktoppen. Many of these songs were written or co-written by her. Her biggest hit was "Om tårar vore guld" in 1970, which was number one for 15 weeks.
In 1981, Agnetha recorded a Swedish Christmas album called Nu tändas tusen juleljus (Now a Thousand Christmas Candles Are Lit) with her daughter Linda. It reached number 6 on the Swedish album chart.
Agnetha also wrote a song for the Melodifestivalen contest in 1981, called "Men natten är vår" (But the Night Is Ours). She chose another singer, Kicki Moberg, to perform it.
Agnetha sang solo parts in many ABBA songs, including "Disillusion" (the only ABBA song she wrote), "SOS", "Take A Chance On Me", "The Winner Takes It All", and "The Day Before You Came".
Solo Career After ABBA (1982–1988)
ABBA stopped performing together around late 1982. In late 1982, Agnetha sang a duet with Swedish singer Tomas Ledin called "Never Again". It became a Top Five hit in Sweden. Agnetha also starred in the Swedish movie Raskenstam in 1982.
In May 1983, Agnetha released her first solo album after ABBA, called Wrap Your Arms Around Me. This album was very popular in Europe, reaching number one in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium, and Denmark. It sold 1.5 million copies in its first year. The song "The Heat Is On" from the album became a number one hit in several European countries.
Her next album, Eyes of a Woman, was released in March 1985. It sold well in parts of Europe. The main single, "I Won't Let You Go", was also successful.
In 1986, Agnetha recorded another duet, "The Way You Are", with Swedish singer Ola Håkansson. This song also became a number one hit in Sweden.
In 1987, Agnetha recorded a children's album called Kom följ med i vår karusell (Come Join Us On Our Carousel) with her son Christian. The album featured songs for children sung in Swedish. It was nominated for a Swedish music award in 1988.
In the summer of 1987, Agnetha went to California to record her fourth solo album after ABBA, I Stand Alone. This album was produced by Peter Cetera from the band Chicago. Released in November 1987, I Stand Alone was a big hit in Sweden, staying at number one for eight weeks. It became the best-selling album of 1988 in Sweden.
Break from Music and Return (1988–2010)
After I Stand Alone, Agnetha took a long break from the music industry for 17 years. During this time, she made very few public appearances. She spent her time on hobbies like astrology, yoga, and horse back riding at her home in Ekerö.
In 1990, Agnetha married Swedish surgeon Tomas Sonnenfeld, but they divorced in 1993.
In 1996, Agnetha's autobiography Som jag är (As I Am) was published in Swedish. An English version was released the next year. She also released several compilation CDs of her Swedish and English songs.
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In April 2004, Agnetha released a new single, "If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind". It reached number 2 in Sweden and number 11 in the UK. A week later, her album My Colouring Book was released. This album was a collection of cover songs from the 1960s. It topped the charts in Sweden and was very popular in other European countries.
In 2004, Agnetha appeared briefly in a comedy video for the Eurovision Song Contest semi-final. All four members of ABBA made cameo appearances in this video.
In 2005, Agnetha joined her former bandmates at the opening of the Mamma Mia! musical in Stockholm. She also attended the final show in 2007 with Björn.
In October 2008, a new collection of her songs, My Very Best, was released in Sweden. It included her Swedish and English hits from 1967 to 2004.
On July 4, 2008, Agnetha joined her former bandmates at the Swedish premiere of the Mamma Mia! movie. This was the first time all four ABBA members were photographed together in 22 years.
In January 2009, Agnetha and Anni-Frid Lyngstad appeared on stage at the Swedish Rockbjörnen Awards to accept an honorary award for ABBA.
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In February 2010, an exhibition called ABBA World opened in London. It included an interview with Agnetha. She also recorded an opening film for the exhibition's launch in Melbourne with Benny Andersson.
Recent Music and ABBA Voyage (2013–Present)
In May 2013, Agnetha released a new album called A. The album included a duet with Gary Barlow of Take That, called "I Should've Followed You Home".
By June 2013, 600,000 copies of A were sold in the first two months. The album reached the Top 5 in many countries and was her highest-charting album in the United Kingdom.
On November 12, 2013, Agnetha sang live on stage for the first time in 25 years. She performed with Gary Barlow at the BBC Children in Need Rocks 2013 concert in London.
In the summer of 2017, Agnetha joined her ABBA bandmates to record two new songs, "I Still Have Faith in You" and "Don't Shut Me Down". These songs were part of a plan that later became the amazing digital concert show, ABBA Voyage.
On September 2, 2021, ABBA announced their virtual concert residency "ABBA Voyage" and a new album. The album, also called Voyage, was their first studio album in 40 years. It was released worldwide on November 5, 2021. The ABBA Voyage show opened in London on May 27, 2022.
Agnetha released a new song called "Where Do We Go From Here?" on August 31, 2023. Her album A+ was released on October 13, 2023.
Agnetha's Personal Life
Agnetha married Björn Ulvaeus on July 6, 1971. They had two children: Linda Elin Ulvaeus (born in 1973) and Peter Christian Ulvaeus (born in 1977). They announced their separation in 1979 and divorced in 1980. Agnetha later married Swedish surgeon Tomas Sonnenfeld in 1990, but they divorced in 1993.
Agnetha lives in Ekerö, Stockholm County, and has four grandchildren.
Agnetha has a fear of flying. This fear became worse during ABBA's 1979 American tour when their plane had to make an emergency landing during a storm. She has said she needed therapy to help with this fear.
On March 21, 2024, all four members of ABBA were honored by King Carl XVI Gustaf of Sweden. They were given the Commander, First Class, of the Royal Order of Vasa. This was a special moment, as it was the first time in nearly 50 years that this Swedish honor was given to Swedish citizens.
Awards and Honors
Sweden: Royal Order of Vasa, Commander First Class (March 21, 2024)
Music Albums
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- Albums in German
- Geh' Mit Gott (1994)
Movies and TV Shows
| Year | Title | Role | Notes |
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| 1977 | ABBA: The Movie | Herself | |
| 1982 | Nöjesmaskinen | (Guest appearance) | |
| 1983 | Raskenstam | Lisa Mattson | Also known as Casanova of Sweden |
See also
In Spanish: Agnetha Fältskog para niños
