Björn Ulvaeus, 76, and Benny Andersson, 74, were spotted arriving in London on Thursday before making a “historic” announcement about the band.
The group, which also features Agnetha Fältskog, 71, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, 75, is expected to announce new music Thursday afternoon as part of a “sensational comeback.”
The quartet previously said they would never reform despite their huge worldwide popularity and reach over 400 million album sales in 50 years.
Retouch: ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus (left) and Benny Andersson were spotted arriving in London on Thursday before making a “historic” announcement about the band
Looking forward to it! The group (Agnetha Faltskog, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid Lyngstad) is expected to announce new music on Thursday afternoon as part of a “sensational comeback”.
The band, which is so famous for both their bright outfits and catchy melodies, enjoyed phenomenal success with a series of graphic hits in the 1970s and early 1980s after winning Eurovision in 1974 with the song Waterloo.
The group split in 1982 and has firmly resisted all offers to work together as an original lineup again.
Still, later Thursday fans are expected to delight in news about a new collaboration.
Singers of hits such as Dancing Queen, The Winner Takes It All and Take a Chance on Me, said they will make a “historic” announcement at 5.45pm UK time.
Explosion of the past: It was previously reported that the band was to make a holographic show of their past hits, with the images imagined above
Although the details are unknown, the group is expected to announce the release of their first new songs since the 1980s and the release of a new theatrical show in which they will act as the hologram “Abbatars”.
Last week, the band announced on Twitter, “Thanks for waiting, the journey is about to begin.”
A website promises a “historic live broadcast” and Universal Music Group would hold an event at the ArcelorMittal Orbit observation tower at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park in East London.
They’re back! ABBA will have to break their 39-year hiatus as they appear to be releasing new music (Bjorn Ulvaeus, left left, Benny Andersson, left right, Agnetha Faltskog, left front, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad pictured in 1974)
The Sun reported last week that successful Dancing Queen producers were gearing up to release a show called Abba Voyage, which will see holograms of their youngsters cast on stage to perform their songs.
A source said: “ABBA is finally back and they plan to release their first new music in 39 years.”
Abba Voyage will follow the group’s comeback and create a theater built specifically in East London for their hologram show, which is set to premiere next month.
The informant added: “Bjorn, Benny, Agnetha and Anni-Frid will all be there on the opening night. And finally they will unveil their Abba-tars, who are like holograms of themselves.
“The show will feature the Abba-tars performing and talking to the audience. It will be like taking a step back in time for those who watch it.”
Back: The group consists of Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad (photo together in 2016)
ABBA is said to have partnered with Pop Idol creator Simon Fuller to bring the show to life.
Plans for the resurgence have been in place since 2019, but were delayed due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
It comes after reports last month revealed that the group had planned to hold a press conference in Stockholm, prompting a wave of speculation that a huge announcement could be on the cards.
The Swedish quartet announced in 2018 that they planned to record new songs for the first time in 35 years and last year it was confirmed that they had more songs than originally planned.
Show: According to The Sun, the successful producers of Dancing Queen are preparing to launch a show called Abba Voyage that will see “ABBAtars” of their young people broadcast on stage to perform their songs
Despite the news, ABBA has had to delay releases, which include I Still Have Faith In You and Don’t Shut Me Down, as well as its ABBAtar hologram tour.
The band member, Bjorn Ulvaeus, joined by Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Frida Lyndstad, are part of the group that surpassed the cards, he told journalist Geoff Lloyd.
In an episode of his Reasons To Be Cheerful podcast, the radio presenter explained, “I have to spend an hour with ABBA’s Bjorn Ulveaus via Zoom. They’ve recorded five new songs.
“They should have been out by the end of last year. These tour holograms will come out.
Premise: The Abba Voyage will follow the group’s comeback and the creation of a theater built specifically in East London for their hologram show, which is set to open next month
‘Due to technical difficulties and the pandemic, things are delayed. But he promised me that the new ABBA music will be released in 2021 ‘.
In a statement announcing the new songs, ABBA said at the time: “The decision to move forward with ABBA’s exciting avatar tour project had an unexpected consequence.
“The four of us felt that after about 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and get into the recording studio.”
Bjorn later explained that the plans had been delayed until at least 2020 due to the technical complexity of the program they are creating.
The Waterloo group followed different paths in 1982 at the height of their careers, and in recent years Bjorn divorced his bandmate Agnetha, while Benny and Frida also separated.
In 2016 they performed together for the first time in decades in 2016 at a private event, which marked the 50th anniversary of the first meeting between composers Bjorn and Benny.
Important announcement: the Swedish quartet announced in 2018 that they planned to record new songs (in the 1980 image)