ABBA announce virtual live experience
ABBA have confirmed they are to reunite – in virtual reality form.
The Swedish pop superstars split up in 1982 after 10 years together and have been the subject of reformation rumours for years, and now it has been confirmed they are getting back together for a new digital entertainment experience.
The ‘Dancing Queen’ hitmakers have teamed up with the Spice Girls’ former manager Simon Fuller and Universal for the unique project, which will allow fans to see and hear the group in a whole new way.
Simon, 56, said: "The creativity and ideas flowing from the members of ABBA over the past few months have filled me with great excitement. We are exploring a new technological world, with Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence at the forefront, that will allow us to create new forms of entertainment and content we couldn’t have previously imagined."
The project will involve all four members of ABBA, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog, who first came together in Stockholm in 1972.
Benny, 69, has described the experience as a "time machine", which will show fans the "essence" of the group.
He said: "We’re inspired by the limitless possibilities of what the future holds and are loving being a part of creating something new and dramatic here. A time machine that captures the essence of who we were. And are."
Frida, 70, hopes fans will appreciate them reforming for the unique creation.
She added: "Our fans around the world are always asking us to reform and so I hope this new ABBA creation will excite them as much as it excites me!"
Fans will have a little while to wait for the collaboration with further details expected to announced early next year.
The quartet last made a rare appearance together in June, marking the 50th anniversary of Benny and Bjorn’s first meeting at a private party at the Berns Salonger hotel in Stockholm.
However, though the foursome appeared on stage, only Agnetha and Frida sang, treating guests to a rendition of ‘The Way Old Friends Do’.
Prior to that they were all together for the opening of Stockholm’s ‘Mama Mia! The Party’, which was held on January 20, but they didn’t perform on that occasion.
The 70s group had previously been offered a mind-blowing $1 billion to reform for a reunion tour.
However, they turned it down because they weren’t interested in going on the road again.
At the time, Frida admitted: "No amount of money would change our minds. Maybe we sometimes say it would be good to do a song together again, just a recording and nothing else, but I don’t know if that will happen – so don’t say that we will."
