She's been silent for nearly a decade, but now 'the blonde one' from the hit Swedish group is back at the age of 62

Abba's Agnetha Fältskog is causing a stir – with her first album in nine years



Age: 62.

Appearance: No-nonsense Scandinavian returning to work after a period in the wilderness.

I don't watch The Killing. This has nothing to do with The Killing. Agnetha isn't even Danish; she's Swedish.

I'm sure there's a difference, but I don't care what it is. Who is she? She's the blonde one from Abba.

I love Abba! What are they up to? They broke up in 1982.

Oh yeah. What's Agnetha been doing in the, um, interim? Keeping herself to herself, mostly. She's sometimes described as a recluse, although "publicity-reluctant" might be more accurate.

But did you not say something earlier about her returning to work? Well spotted. Agnetha is about to release her first album in nine years.

What's it called? A.

A? A what? A as in Agnetha. Abba, you will recall, was an acronym formed from the band members' first names, so it's fair to assume she's reclaiming her initial.

Can she handle the spotlight without her famous band to back her up? Fältskog is a respected singer-songwriter in her own right, with 18 solo Swedish chart singles and a string of international hits dating from before, during and after her work with Abba.

What about all the tiresome publicity? Won't she balk at having to pretend to date Justin Bieber? In the past the famously private Fältskog has shied away from doing any promotion, but this time she has been kitted out with a website, a Facebook page and a Twitter account, @agnethaofficial.

Is her new record any good? We shall see – it's not out until May. On the plus side she worked with Grammy-nominated producer Jörgen Elofsson, with whom she co-wrote her first song in many years. On the minus side, it contains a duet with Gary Barlow.

Could its release be a sign that Abba are getting back together? No. Abba consisted of two married couples who subsequently divorced, so the split has always had an air of permanence. Fältskog herself is said to be dead set against a reunion.

Do say: "Thank you for the music, and the occasional Facebook status update."

Don't say: "That's Agnetha with an A, and Fältskog with an umlaut."