Björn Ulvaeus has teased ABBA’s upcoming reunion (Picture: Dan Wooller/REX)

Björn Ulvaeus has discussed ABBA’s new material, saying the reunion ‘strengthens, solidifies and confirms our bond.’

The band’s first new tracks in 37 years – I Still Have Faith In You and Don’t Shut Me Down – are set to be released in 2020.

Teasing the music, Björn said: ‘When the ladies went into the studio and stood by their mics and started singing, then, oh, it’s that sound — the quality of the two ladies when they sing.’

Speaking to The Sun, Björn also explained that ‘coming together like that, for me at least, strengthens and solidifies and confirms our bond.’




ABBA – comprised of Björn, Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad – is known for hits like Dancing Queen and SOS.

Speaking about Agnetha and Anni-Frid, Björn added: ‘They are very much involved and they think this is great. They love it. Technically it is very advanced and complicated.’

The band, who split in 1982, announced their new music in April 2018.

During their final years Björn, 74, divorced Agnetha, 69, while Benny, 72, and Anni-Frid, 73, were also wed, but split before the band’s demise.

Björn called the reunion proof of ‘two former married couples getting along very well.’

ABBA in their heyday (Picture: Jorgen Angel/Redfern)

Asked whether the band would have stayed together if the couples hadn’t split, he said: ‘We could never have just gone on with ABBA having one hit every five years or so. No! It was never in the cards.’

ABBA will give fans the chance to see their hits and new songs on an upcoming digital tour, performed by computer-generated avatars, or ‘Abbatars’.

However, the complex and technical nature of the show means fans are still in for a bit of a wait to hear the new songs.

Speaking about when you know you’ve written a hit, Bjorn said: ‘The thing is you never know. I mean, in our heyday, we kind of knew the next single would be played and so forth, but we never knew if it was going to reach number one, if people would like it.

‘It’s easy to forget that there is a before, and in the “before” you don’t know. You take a risk and that’s what I still do.’

ABBA shot to fame after winning The Eurovision Song Contest in 1974.

Their music has inspired two blockbuster musical movies: 2008’s Mamma Mia! and last year’s Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again.

MORE: ABBA star Bjorn Ulvaeus U-turns on third Mamma Mia! film – but confirms new music will drop in November