Faltskog, along with Anni-Frid Lyngstad, was a lead vocalist for ABBA. With her exceptional pop voice, she had the ability to get people dancing with some tracks while tugging at their heartstrings with others. Above all, she has established herself as one of the most intriguing music legends alongside her bandmates.

Currently, Faltskog enjoys a tranquil life in Sweden, but that doesn’t mean she has stopped creating new music. Now at 74, she looks fantastic!

It’s hard to find someone who hasn’t heard of ABBA. Whether you experienced their iconic performance of “Waterloo” live or weren’t even born yet, today’s 10-year-olds likely dance just as enthusiastically to their music as fans did back in the day.

ABBA – global icons.

Choosing a single favorite ABBA song is nearly impossible. This might be one reason they achieved such international fame; there’s an ABBA track for every occasion, whether it’s a moment of joy, sadness, inspiration, or reflection.

One interesting aspect of ABBA is that after the group disbanded, its members largely stepped away from the public eye. While they did continue to create music, they preferred a more private life away from fame. Agnetha Faltskog, in particular, embraced this quieter lifestyle.

So, what became of her after ABBA’s breakup? And how did she initially join the group? This is the captivating story of Agnetha Faltskog!

Agnetha entered the world on April 5, 1950, in Jönköping, Sweden. She was the eldest of two daughters born to Knut Ingvar Fältskog, who was employed at a department store, and her mother, Birgit Margareta Johansson.

Agnetha Faltskog – early career.

Agnetha Faltskog developed a passion for music at a very young age. She admired artists like Tom Jones, Petula Clark, and Dusty Springfield, showcasing her natural talent early on.

By the time she was just five, Agnetha had already penned her first song, inspired by two little “trolls.” She frequently visited her neighbor to play the piano and began formal lessons at the age of eight. Additionally, she participated in her local church choir.

In 1960, at the age of 13, she formed a band called The Cambers with two of her childhood friends. They performed at small events within their community, but two years later, Agnetha felt ready for a new challenge.

She then joined the Swedish folk music group Bernt Enghardt, which toured across Sweden, playing traditional dance music.

“They had a singer named Agneta before me who left,” Agnetha remembered. “They were looking for a new vocalist and had put up posters. When I auditioned, it was a bonus that I shared the name Agnetha.”

Faltskog juggled her job as a telephonist at a car company while touring with Bernt Enghardt, but it wasn’t the best situation for her.

At just 17, she released her debut single.

She often returned home late, around 2 or 3 in the morning, only to be expected back at work a few hours later. On one occasion, she even fainted at the car company, prompting her mother to issue an ultimatum.

“‘You can either work like a regular person or fully commit to singing,’” Agnetha remembered her mother saying. “It was an easy decision; I wanted to pursue singing.”

Agnetha spent two years performing with the Bernt Enghardt band before launching her solo career. When she released her first solo album, she chose to add an “h” to her last name.

At 17, she debuted with the single Jag var så kär [I Was So In Love], which quickly climbed to No. 1 on the Swedish sales chart in 1968. Shortly after, a young man named Bjorn Ulvaeus heard her song on the radio.

“I recall listening to Agnetha’s first single on the radio. There was something truly unique about her voice, especially since she had written the song herself – it was pure magic,” Benny shared in the BBC documentary Agnetha: Abba and After.

Benny Andersson remarked, “She performed a couple of songs back to back, both of which were great. She did some fantastic work, harmonizing beautifully with herself.”

The Birth of ABBA.

Bjorn and Benny, both exceptionally talented musicians, had collaborated previously. Agnetha’s career took off after her debut single, and soon she was set to perform alongside Bjorn Ulvaeus.

“We did a TV show together, and we shared a duet. That moment was truly magical,” he reminisced. “That night marked the beginning of our love story, and shortly after, we became a couple.”

While Agnetha and Bjorn were performing together, Benny found himself falling for another singer, Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

Suddenly, there were four incredibly gifted musicians in the same space, but they initially had no plans to form a band. However, Anni-Frid and Agnetha later provided backing vocals for the 1970 Bjorn and Benny album, Lycka [Happiness].

Before long, the four began collaborating. In 1972, they recorded “People Need Love,” which only saw limited success in Sweden. At that time, they were known as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid. They decided to enter Melodifestivalen, Sweden’s selection competition for the Eurovision Song Contest, performing the song “Ring, Ring.” They placed third, but the song went on to become a major hit in Sweden.

Ring, Ring expanded to various European nations, where it maintained its popularity. At this stage, the group was beginning to gain widespread recognition. A year later, in 1974, they would ultimately achieve their goals.

ABBA – The Triumph of ‘Waterloo’

Once again, they participated in Melodifestivalen, this time with a track called Waterloo. Their performance secured them the Swedish qualification, and before they took the stage at the Eurovision Song Contest in Brighton, they made a pivotal decision that would alter the landscape of music forever: they chose a new name for their group.

Thus, ABBA was born.

ABBA went on to clinch victory at the Eurovision Song Contest, a defining moment that many fans regard as the pinnacle of their history. However, Agnetha had other significant events unfolding in her life.

In 1971, she married Bjorn Ulvaeus, and by 1973, they welcomed their first daughter, Linda. Amidst the escalating ABBA frenzy, Agnetha was also expecting another child.

Juggling motherhood while being part of one of the world’s most successful bands was undoubtedly a challenge.

Interestingly, Agnetha later shared that she felt relieved they hadn’t won Melodifestivalen with Ring Ring, as she was just months away from giving birth to Linda.

Agnetha Faltskog reflected on her journey, saying, “I successfully balanced marriage, motherhood, divorce, and global fame during the 10-12 years we were with ABBA. It was definitely challenging, especially since my father, Bjorn, was often away too. We had to leave our kids behind, but we ensured they were well cared for.”

She added, “We weren’t on the road as much as people might assume. If we spent 14 days away, we made it a point to return home for 14 days as well.”

While the worldwide success of ABBA was incredible for all its members, Agnetha faced the emotional difficulty of being away from her children.

“It was really hard for me, and there were moments when I considered stepping away from the group. I often thought, ‘Can I manage this, or should I leave? How can we make this work?’ I insisted that we needed to spend as much time at home as we did touring,” Agnetha shared.

“I never truly intended to leave the group, but I would tell myself that to cope and help others understand how challenging it was.”

The triumph at Waterloo was monumental, marking the start of a new chapter in music history. However, winning Eurovision didn’t automatically lead to immediate success, and it took some time for ABBA to achieve their next major hit.

ABBA – hits.

Eighteen months later, they launched the song SOS, which also became a significant success. On the same album, titled ABBA and released in 1975, they introduced the track Mamma Mia, which soared to the top of charts worldwide.

In Australia, it held the No. 1 position for an impressive ten weeks, igniting an ABBA craze that was nothing short of wild. Australia ultimately celebrated the group with six Number One hits, solidifying its status as one of the most ABBA-enthusiastic countries.

In the years that followed, ABBA continued to release numerous albums, and their hits kept coming. Tracks like Fernando and Dancing Queen quickly gained popularity, with the latter becoming the group’s only No. 1 hit in the United States.

By this time, ABBA had established themselves as one of the most beloved bands globally, and rightly so. Their impressive catalog of hits includes classics like Money, Money, Money, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Chiquitita, The Winner Takes It All, Super Trouper, Take A Chance On Me, and Lay All Your Love On Me.

In 1979, as ABBA launched their sixth album, Agnetha and Bjorn were navigating their divorce. Fortunately, it was a civil separation, allowing the band to continue their professional endeavors without disruption.

Agnetha Faltskog expressed her feelings about the divorce through music.

The song “The Winner Takes It All” was inspired by their split, and Agnetha was the one to perform it.

“It’s quite touching that he wrote it right when we were going through our divorce. I didn’t mind at all,” Agnetha shared. “Performing that song was incredible because I could infuse it with so much emotion.”

“I was comfortable sharing it with the audience,” she continued. “It felt completely right. There’s so much depth in that song.”

In a 2013 interview with the Daily Mail, Agnetha reflected on her divorce from Bjorn, noting that they maintain a positive relationship, especially for the sake of their two children.

“Bjorn and I have worked through the pain,” she explained. “It’s a friendly situation. Love has its highs and lows, but I choose to stay hopeful. I haven’t shut any doors.”

Two years later, Anni-Frid and Benny, who tied the knot in 1978, also went their separate ways. By 1982, the band felt they had reached the end of their journey together.

Solo Endeavors.

They released a compilation album titled The Singles – The First Ten Years, featuring their greatest hits along with two new tracks. However, as New Year’s Eve approached that year, ABBA chose to take a hiatus.

The group mentioned that they could reunite after a few years if they wished, but that reunion never materialized.

Instead, Agnetha pursued a solo career, releasing several songs, with the standout hit Wrap Your Arms Around Me being the highlight of her three albums from the 1980s.

After experiencing some success, she opted to step back from the limelight. Agnetha preferred a more private life away from fame. To this day, she resides on an island near Stockholm, Sweden, and she still looks fantastic!

Faltskog made the decision to step away from ABBA and leave her high-profile career behind, which many found to be quite enigmatic.

“I’m not really mysterious.”

Her choice to withdraw from the limelight seemed puzzling to some. Yet, Agnetha Faltskog felt frustrated by this interpretation.

“I’ve often been labeled as mysterious, but that’s not the case,” she shared with The Guardian. “I consider myself quite down-to-earth. My life is filled with many other joys; I have my children, grandchildren, two dogs, and a lovely home in the countryside. I lead my own life.”

Agnetha is now a proud grandmother to three grandchildren, though they are still largely unaware of her past as a global icon.

“I enjoy spending a lot of time with my grandchildren,” Faltskog mentioned. “They love it when we sing together. It’s wonderful to hear them, and they really have talent. I don’t discuss ABBA and my past with them much, but as they grow older, they’ll learn more. The oldest, Tilda, is starting to understand a bit more.”

The Guardian reports that Agnetha Faltskog’s net worth is around $20 million, and it could rise soon with rumors of an ABBA reunion.

ABBA is set to release new music.

Faltskog last put out an album in 2013, but Bjorn Ulvaeus has announced that new songs from ABBA are on the way.

“There will definitely be new music this year; it’s no longer a possibility, it’s a certainty,” Ulvaeus shared with the Herald Sun.

“We’re all really close friends. For the first time in 40 years, the four of us were in the studio together, and it’s incredible to reflect on everything we’ve experienced. It’s hard to put into words, but the bonds between us are incredibly strong.”

I absolutely adore Agnetha Faltskog’s voice. She was a genuine superstar, and I truly hope to see her performing live again soon.

What’s your favorite ABBA song? Feel free to share your choice in the comments! And don’t forget to share this article to celebrate ABBA!