More than 35 years after calling it a day, ABBA have confirmed that they have recorded two brand new songs.
All four members of the original group have come back together for the new tracks, the first of which, ‘I Still Have Faith In You’, will be debuted at the end of this year.
In a joint statement, band members Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad said: “The decision to go ahead with the exciting ABBA avatar tour project had an unexpected consequence.
“We all four felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces and go into the recording studio. So we did. And it was like time had stood still and that we had only been on a short holiday. An extremely joyful experience!
However, anyone hoping for a full-blown reunion will be disappointed, as ‘I Still Have Faith In You’ will be performed by the Abba “avatars” – virtual versions of the band – this December.
Gorel Hanser, a spokesperson for the group told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet: “You can not expect them to join forces on stage again. They will not do that.”
The band’s recent studio sessions were also described as “easy as anything”, with Gorel adding the new material would sound “familiar, but also modern”.
‘I Still Have Faith In You’ will debut as part of an upcoming TV special, produced by the BBC and US network NBC. The band add: “We may have come of age, but the song is new. And it feels good.”
The title of the second song has not been revealed, and the band have not said when fans will be able to hear it.
ABBA announced their “virtual and live experience” in 2016, a joint venture between Universal Music Group and Simon Fuller, who famously managed the Spice Girls at the height of their success, and is behind their mysterious upcoming reunion project.
They have previously turned down multiple reunion offers, with reports suggesting they even said no to an alleged £1 billion to reunite for a new world tour.
It’s sure to be an exciting year for ABBA fans, with a sequel to the jukebox musical ‘Mamma Mia!’ also scheduled for release this summer, with the film’s original cast all set to return, alongside newcomers Lily James and Cher.
