Björn Ulvaeus facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Björn Ulvaeus
KVO1kl
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Ulvaeus in 2025
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Björn Kristian Ulvaeus
25 April 1945 Gothenburg, Sweden
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| Years active | 1963–present |
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Lena Källersjö
(m. 1981; div. 2022)Christina Sas
(m. 2024) |
| Children | 4, including Linda |
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Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (born 25 April 1945) is a famous Swedish musician, singer, and songwriter. He is best known as a member of the supergroup ABBA. Björn also helped create popular musicals like Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia! He also co-produced the Mamma Mia! movies with his friend and fellow ABBA member Benny Andersson. Björn is the oldest member of the ABBA group.
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Early Life and Family
Björn Kristian Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg, Sweden, on April 25, 1945. When he was six years old, his family moved to Västervik. His parents were Aina and Erik Ulvaeus. Björn also has a sister named Eva. He completed his military service when he was younger.
Music Career
Before ABBA
Before ABBA became famous worldwide, Björn was part of a Swedish folk-pop band called Hootenanny Singers. They were very popular in Scandinavia. In 1966, Björn met Benny Andersson, who played keyboards for another band called the Hep Stars. They quickly became good friends.
Björn and Benny loved writing songs together. They wrote their first song, "Isn't It Easy To Say," which Benny's band soon recorded. They kept working together, helping each other's bands in the studio. In 1968, they wrote "A Flower in My Garden" and a hit song called "Ljuva Sextiotal."
In May 1969, Björn met Agnetha Fältskog, who would later become his wife and an ABBA member. Björn continued to tour with the Hootenanny Singers. He also worked as a producer at Polar Record Company with Benny. In 1969, they released their first song as a duo, "She's My Kind of Girl." It became a small hit in Sweden and a top-ten hit in Japan.
The ABBA Years
Björn's girlfriend, Agnetha Fältskog, joined him and Benny, and later Frida joined too. This group eventually became known as ABBA. Björn played the guitar in the band. He also sang lead vocals on several songs, including "People Need Love", "He Is Your Brother", "Rock'n Roll Band", "She's My Kind of Girl", "Honey Honey", "King Kong Song", "Watch Out", "Crazy World", and "Does Your Mother Know".
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Björn and Agnetha got married on July 6, 1971. They later divorced in July 1980. ABBA stopped performing together shortly after their divorce.
After ABBA
After ABBA took a break in 1982, Björn and Benny continued to work together. They created several successful musicals. These include Chess, which they wrote with lyricist Tim Rice. They also created Kristina från Duvemåla and Mamma Mia!, which uses many ABBA songs.
Björn and Benny were nominated for awards for their musical work. Their original cast recordings for Chess and Mamma Mia! were nominated for Grammy Awards.
In 2004, Björn appeared in a special video for the Eurovision Song Contest. This was 30 years after ABBA won the contest in 1974. All four ABBA members appeared in the video, but they filmed their parts separately.
Björn and Benny also received special awards for their contributions to music. These include "The Special International Ivor Novello Award" and "Lifetime Achievement Award."
In 2013, Björn and Benny, along with DJ Avicii, composed the anthem for the 2013 Eurovision Song Contest. The song was performed during the final show.
In 2016, there were talks about creating a virtual ABBA show using new technology. In 2017, Benny Andersson confirmed plans for ABBA to tour "virtually" using digital avatars. In April 2018, the four ABBA members announced they had recorded two new songs, "I Still Have Faith in You" and "Don't Shut Me Down".
In 2019, Björn helped arrange an English version of a Swedish musical film called A Piece of My Heart. He wrote English lyrics for the songs.
In 2020, Björn Ulvaeus became the President of CISAC. This is an international group for authors and composers.
On September 2, 2021, ABBA announced their virtual concert residency called "ABBA Voyage". They also announced a new album, their first in 40 years. The album, Voyage, was released worldwide on November 5, 2021. The "ABBA Voyage" show opened on May 27, 2022, in London.
Since November 2021, Björn and British actor Ian McKellen have posted fun Instagram videos. They show themselves knitting Christmas jumpers and other festive clothes. In 2023, it was shared that they would knit stage clothes for Kylie Minogue's concert residency.
In October 2023, it was confirmed that Björn Ulvaeus would be a main speaker at The Business Day in the United Kingdom in June 2024. He discussed the creation of ABBA Voyage, leadership, and how technology affects the music industry.
On March 21, 2024, all four members of ABBA received a special honor from the King of Sweden. They were appointed Commander, First Class, of the Royal Order of Vasa. This was a rare honor given to Swedes after almost 50 years.
Personal Life
Björn Ulvaeus married Agnetha Fältskog on July 6, 1971. They had two children: Linda (born 1973) and Peter (born 1977). They separated in 1979 and divorced in 1980.
Björn married Lena Källersjö in 1981. They had two daughters. They lived on a private island in Sweden for many years. From 1984 to 1990, they lived in the United Kingdom. Björn and Lena announced their separation in February 2022.
In 2021, while working on the Voyage album, Björn met Christina Sas. She was a product manager at Universal Music Group. They started dating in 2022 and married on September 21, 2024, in Denmark.
Björn is one of the owners of NoteHeads, a Swedish company that makes music software. He is also a member of Humanisterna, a Swedish organization that promotes humanism. He describes himself as an atheist and has spoken about his views on religion.
Björn has mentioned that he has some long-term memory loss, especially for specific events. However, he has said that reports about it were "hugely exaggerated." He also shared that he is not nostalgic about his time with ABBA, saying, "It was good while it lasted."
Björn is known in Sweden for supporting a "cash-free" society. He believes that using less cash can help reduce crime. He has reportedly lived without cash for over ten years. ABBA The Museum also operates without cash.
Tax Dispute Outcome
The Swedish Tax Agency once questioned Björn Ulvaeus about his taxes. They claimed he owed money for several years. Björn paid the taxes while the issue was being resolved. In October 2008, a court ruled in Björn's favor, confirming he did not owe the money.
Awards
Sweden: Royal Order of Vasa, Commander First Class (21 March 2024)
Discography
Björn Solo Singles
- 1968: "Raring"
- 1968: "Fröken Fredriksson"
- 1969: "Saknar du något min kära"
- 1969: "Partaj-aj-aj-aj"
Björn and Benny Singles
- 1970: "She's My Kind of Girl"
- 1970: "Hej, gamle man!"
- 1971: "Hey, Musikant"
- 1971: "Det kan ingen doktor hjälpa"
- 1971: "Tänk om jorden vore ung"
- 1972: "En karusell"
- 1972: "Love Has Its Ways"
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Sales | Album | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| SWE | SWE (Svensktoppen) | JAP | ||||
| "She's My Kind of Girl" | 1970 | — | — | 6 |
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Ring Ring |
| "Hej gamle man" | 5 | 1 | — | Lycka | ||
| "Livet går sin gång" | — | 14 | — | |||
| "Hey, Musikant" (Germany only) | 1971 | — | — | — | Lycka (2006 reissue) | |
| "Det kan ingen doktor hjälpa" | — | 9 | — | |||
| "På bröllop" | 9 | |||||
| "Tänk om jorden vore ung" | — | 1 | — | Lycka (1972 reissue) | ||
| "Love Has It’s Ways" (Japan only) | 1972 | — | — | — | Lycka (2006 reissue) | |
| "En karusell" | — | 12 | — | |||
| "Att finnas till" | 6 | |||||
| "—" denotes the single failed to chart or was not released. | ||||||
Björn and Benny Albums
- 1970: Lycka
- 1984: Chess (concept album with Tim Rice)
- 1986: Chess Pieces
- 1988: Chess: Original Broadway Cast Recording
- 1994: Chess in Concert
- 1996: Kristina från Duvemåla
- 1998: Från Waterloo till Duvemåla
- 1999: 16 favoriter ur Kristina från Duvemåla
- 1999: Mamma Mia! (Original Cast Recording)
- 2000: Mamma Mia! (Original Broadway Cast Recording)
- 2002: Chess på svenska
- 2005: Mamma Mia! på svenska
- 2008: Mamma Mia! – The Movie Soundtrack
- 2009: Chess in Concert (London)
- 2010: Kristina at Carnegie Hall
- 2013: Hjälp sökes
Gemini
- 1985: Gemini
- 1987: Geminism
Josefin Nilsson
- 1993: Shapes
See also
In Spanish: Björn Ulvaeus para niños
- List of Swedes in music
- Abbacadabra
