Abba: Good melodies and shops: Björn Ulvaeus from ABBA is 80

“Mamma Mia”, “Waterloo”, “Dancing Queen” – All of these ABBA hits would not exist without him. Björn Ulvaeus – easy to recognize in the music videos of the Swedish pop group than the radiant man with his shoulder -length hair and the guitar – but is more than just one “B” in ABBA. Ulvaeus, who turns 80 today, is also a successful entrepreneur and is committed to the rights of musicians.

Ulvaeus grew up on the Swedish southeast coast. As a teenager, he started playing guitar. With his folk band Hootenanny Singers, he had initial successes in Sweden in the 1960s and toured the country. During this time he also met Benny Andersson, who was later to be his Abba bandmate. The two became friends and began to compose songs together. At that time, nobody knew that Ulvaeus and Andersson would once become one of the most important songwriting duo in the pop history of the 20th century.

Two couples who found a band

During one of his television appearances, Ulvaeus met his musician colleague Agnetha Fältskog. He immediately fell in love with the small gap between the incisors, as Ulveaus once said in an interview. The two became a couple and married a few years later.

At about the same time, Ulvaeus’ musical partner Andersson came together with the singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Soon the friends of friends had the idea of ​​founding a band together. In 1973 they published their first album as ABBA; The band name consists of the first letters of the first names of the four Swedes.

Abba had their big breakthrough when they won the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with the song “Waterloo”. One hit followed after the other and a world tour. Almost all songs composed Ulvaeus together with Andersson, most of the lyrics come from Ulvaeus alone.

After years of success, the leaf turned for the guitarist. First of all, his marriage broke up with a felling cog, with which he has two children. In 1982 the pop quartet dissolved.

Not just an extraordinary songwriter

In the period to Abba, it was shown that Ulvaeus is not only an extraordinary songwriter, but also a successful entrepreneur. An example of this is the musical “Mamma Mia!”, Which is based on the Songs of Abba and was involved in the formation of Ulvaeus. The musical has been performed in different locations for more than 25 years.

Later it was adapted for two films – the Ulvaeus co -produced -; There is also a “Mamma Mia!” Dinner show in several European cities. In addition, Ulvaeus has invested in several companies and real estate – among other things in a hotel in his old home town Västervik, which today heads its youngest daughter.

Interest in AI and new technologies

In addition to a sense of good business, Ulvaeus has a pronounced passion for digital technologies. He is particularly fascinated by artificial intelligence – and its impact on the music industry. “Artificial intelligence will write songs that are better than some of the approximately 100,000 songs that appear new to Spotify every day. I am absolutely certain,” said Ulvaeus in the conversation of the German Press Agency.

The Swede is also committed to ensuring that new technologies are used in favor of musicians. A few years ago, he presented software that is supposed to ensure that songwriters receive the royalties they are entitled to and thus a fair payment. “I want future songwriters to have the same chance as Benny and I back then,” said Ulvaeus to the German press agency at the time.

Ex-ABBA members are still friends

Perhaps his preference for new technologies was jointly responsible for the fact that he approved the “Abba Voyage” project a few years ago after he had excluded the opportunity to work with his former ABBA colleagues for decades. Not for personal reasons – according to Ulvaeus, the four members are still friends. But because the musical motivation was missing, as he said.

The spectacular concert show “Abba Voyage” in London has been seen for almost three years, for which its own, state -of -the -art arena was built. At the concerts, the four members of the Swedish pop phenomenon can be seen as fully animated, digitally rejuvenated versions that sing their world hits. The vocals of the so-called “Abba-Tare” comes off the assembly line and is accompanied by a live band. On the occasion of the new show, the four ABBA members also recorded a new album entitled “Voyage”.

Ulvaeus does not eat pastries – although he loves it

But not only when it comes to new trends, Ulvaeus can keep up with the boys. He also keeps himself fit physically. He moves regularly, if no pastries eat – although he love it – does not smoke and he also gave up alcohol years ago, said Ulvaeus of the Swedish newspaper “Dagen’s Nyheter”.

It certainly did not detract from his youthfulness that after the end of his second marriage – he had been married to journalist Lena Ulvaeus for around 40 years – found a new love. He has been married to Danish Christina Sas for a good six months. She is almost 30 years younger than Ulvaeus.