Agnetha Fältskog


Before ABBA

Agnetha Ase Fältskog was born in Jonkoping in Southern Sweden on April 5th 1950. She first performed at the age of six at a Christmas Party for elderly people organised by her Father. By the age of 15, Agnetha, who idolised Connie Frances, was already singing regularly with a dance
band, and being a guest star with others.

Then in 1967 a tape was sent to a talent scout called Littler Gerhard by one of his distant relatives which contained Agnetha singing in the background, and it was this which grabbed his attention, to lead him asking the 17 year old Agnetha for a full audition tape.

The tape contained a song called 'I Was So In Love' which clinched her a deal with CBS-Cupol (which lasted until 1975 hence 'Agnetha appears courtesy of CBS-Cupol' on the first few Abba Albums) and by 1968 was a smash hit in Sweden. This started Agnetha's career and she had hits
throughout the late 1960s/early 1970s. Then in 1970 she was to be guest on a Swedish Television show, and another guest just happened to be Bjölrn Ulvaeus....

After ABBA

In 1983, Agnetha Fätskog also decided to go solo, and this time she chose Mike Chapman (who had produced Blondie) and released her first after-Abba solo album called Wrap Your Arms Around Me. This, like Frida’s album “Somethings Going On” attained number 18 in the UK Album charts.  The first single release from the album (The Heat Is On) reached #38, another single was released off the album called Can't Shake Loose, a song which does not exactly bring good luck to Agnetha. This is because she was due to sing it Noel Edmond's Late Late Breakfast Show, but she fell over as soon as she entered the studio just before singing, however despite being shaken she continued to sing, much to the delight of the audience and Noel Edmonds! This went on to gain Agnetha a Golden Egg Award for the best cock-up!

Eyes of a Woman was to be Agnetha's second solo LP released in 1985, reaching the Top 50 and remained in the charts for a few weeks. However, none of the singles off the album charted. It must be said however, that in Sweden Agnetha's albums sold in excess of 100,000s of copies!

Agnetha's Final solo album was released in 1987 in Sweden, 1988 elsewhere, called "I Stand Alone" which was produced by Peter Cetera of Chicago fame. This did fairly well in the UK, as Agnetha again came to the UK to do some promotion by appearing on Wogan and BBC's
Breakfast Time. The main single off the album reached the Top 60 in the UK.

Since this album, Agnetha has not released anything on an international scale other than a compilation of hits sung in english, titled That’s Me Greatest Hits, but has had other singles and a compilation album in Sweden in both English and her native tongue. 

She remains resolute that she will never again sing with the other three members of ABBA as a group. She continues to live a very private life, and who can blame her.

TO BE CONTINUED.....