ABBA fans are to be treated to a sensational peek into the future, with the unexpected news of a comeback tour for the Swedish popstars as holograms! Amidst the ongoing clamour for the supergroup to perform together once again, an intriguing set of events is planned in 2018 featuring virtual reality and digital technology.
Trailblazers in 70s and 80s
Agnetha, Benny, Bjorn and Anni-Frid (Frida) were musical trailblazers in the 1970s and 1980s, developing from Eurovision Song Contest winners in 1974 into global celebrities. After Waterloo had delighted the aficionados around Europe, they grew into a dominant force in the Music industry and are now believed to have sold in the region of 400 million records around the world.
Simon Fuller involved
Rather than force their bodies and vocal chords through the rigours of performing in person, Simon Fuller in partnership with Universal intends to create “hyper-realistic digital humans” to take on their personas. Fuller, the man behind Pop Idol and most notably The Spice Girls, intends to create global gigs involving interactive ‘semi-live’ performances that could well point the way for future similar projects.
Backing from ABBA band members
The 69-year-old Benny seems to have given his blessing for the upcoming venture, commenting recently that the group are “inspired by the possibilities of what the future holds” and adding that they are “loving being a part of creating something new.” He imagined the concept of a ‘time machine’ which “captures the essence of who we were.
And are.”
Frida also seemed enthusiastic about the prospects for their holographic selves, expressing her wish that ABBA fans would be as excited by the new creation “as much as it excites me!”
Performed together earlier this year
There have been several very lucrative offers to tempt the hugely successful band back into the big time in recent years, with a tantalising performance back in June this year hinting that maybe there was still a chance for a re-union. That appearance at a gala event in their homeland (with a nod to Frida’s Norwegian roots) marked the first time for 30 years that the original members of ABBA had performed together.
