HERE WE GO AGAIN ... ABBA UNVEILS NEW SONGS

ALMOST four decades after they broke up, vowing never to get back together, Swedish superstars ABBA have announced they will release a new album.

The album Voyage, to be released on November 5, will be the group’s first new music in 40 years.

The group’s Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson said during a video launch in London that “we have made a new album with ABBA”.

They also revealed that a tour performed by digital avatars – termed “ABBAtars” – will be staged at a 3000capacity London venue in 2022.

In a live event, streamed worldwide, the group debuted two new songs, I Still Have Faith in You, a rousing emotional ballad, performed by the hologram avatars, and Don’t Shut Me Down, a classic ABBA disco belter.

Ulvaeus and Andersson said “it was time” to get back together.

“We’ve been longing for this for such a long time,” Ulvaeus told British DJ Zoe

Ball during the official launch in London.

“It’s new album and tour after 40 years – it’s incredible.

“First it was two songs and then I thought, why don’t we do a few more? And the girls said, yes.

“It’s inconceivable to release a new album after 40 years and still be best friends and still enjoy each other’s company and have total loyalty.”

Andersson also revealed that going back into the studio as a foursome was “emotional”.

“It was so great being back, the four of us – it was joyful, it was very emotional,” he said.

“The memories came rushing back, the bonds we had. It all came rushing back in a manner of seconds,”

Ulvaeus said.

“It’s the most fun thing you can do: to write songs.”

But putting a slight dampener on proceedings, the group’s frontwomen, Anni-Frid (Frida) Lyngstad and Agnetha Faltskog, did not appear at the London event with their bandmates. Ulvaeus, who was once married to Agnetha, said the two “don’t enjoy media like I do”.

The project was delayed by the pandemic and technological issues with the avatars.

These will be more sophisticated than previously seen in shows with holograms of singers such as Whitney Houston.

Producer Ludwig Andersson (Benny’s son), said the animated avatars would show “ABBA in their prime – 1979”.

The four pop stars were recorded in a studio playing live so their performance could be used to construct the ABBAtars.

“It’s not four people pretending to be ABBA – it is actually them,” Andersson said.