There have been tragedies in Agnetha Fältskog’s life.
Agnetha Fältskog, who rose to world fame from Abba, turns 76 today, April 5. His life has had glory and glitter, millions of records sold, but also divorces, his own mother’s suicide, persecution.
Agnetha was born in Jönköping on April 5, 1950. The turning point in her life was a meeting with Björn Ulvaeus in 1969. Two years later, they got married and had two children.
Agnetha Fältskog at 3 years old. PDO
The couple divorced in 1979, but something very significant had happened before that. In 1970, Agnetha and Björn founded the Festfolk group with Björn’s friend Benny Andersson and his wife Anni-Frid Lyngstad. The group’s name changed to Abba and it made a breakthrough in 1974 by winning the Eurovision Song Contest with its song Waterloo.
Abba’s popularity was wild. It became one of the most popular bands of all time. In addition to Waterloo, many other Abba songs, such as Mamma Mia, Dancing Queen, SOS, Knowing Me, Knowing You, Honey, Honey climbed the charts and have become evergreen classics.
The band was wildly popular. It performed to full audiences around the world.
Agnetha was admired, not only for her singing skills, but she was also objectified. Especially in Australia, a country where Abba was particularly popular, his backside was exposed.
– Don’t Australians have backsides, Agnetha wondered in an interview.
Agnetha Fältskog on stage in 1980. PDO
He was also asked to comment on his own backside.
– I don’t know what it’s like, I haven’t seen it.
The public was hard on Agnetha. He was the one who was most exposed.
Benny and Anni-Frid’s union had also ended. Abba eventually broke up in 1982, although they never officially announced their breakup.
After the breakup of Abba, Agnetha released several solo albums, until in 1988 she disappeared from the public eye for no less than 17 years.
Björn Ulvaeus, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson in 1977. PDO
In 1990, Agnetha married a surgeon by Tomas Sonnerfeld with. The union lasted three years.
In 1994, Agnetha’s life was hit by a great tragedy when her mother committed suicide. The father died the following year and Agnetha’s depression worsened.
A nightmare in your own yard
Agnetha had been disappointed in love several times during her life. In 1997, he met a Dutch forklift driver to Gert van der Graaf. The man was an obsessive fan who had fallen in love with Agnetha when he was 8 years old.
Agnetha Fältskog in 1983. PDO
Gert learned Swedish, moved to Sweden and bought a cottage in Ekerö near Agnetha’s home. This resulted, confusingly enough, in a relationship with Agnetha.
– His intense attention was such that I could no longer resist it, Agnetha herself said For Woman magazine.
The relationship ended in divorce two years later, and this is where Agnetha’s nightmare began. The Dutchman started stalking Agnetha. The man was bitter and angry. He appeared in Agnetha’s yard to stare, wrote more than 300 letters, was threatening, contacted Agnetha’s children and friends, followed Agnetha.
A restraining order was imposed on the man. He was expelled from Sweden, but he still continued his persecution. Agnetha no longer dared to leave her home.
Agnetha moved to live deep in the countryside, isolated from everything, just like the Swedish actress Greta Garbo once did.
– This is something I can’t let go of, not until I take my last breath. I never stop because he liked that I never stop, the man said in a few years ago Take a Chance in the document.
All of Abba were seen together for the first time in 22 years in 2008’s Mamma Mia! at the premiere of the film. Benny Andersson in his red jacket on the left, next to him Pierce Brosnan, Amanda Seyfried, Meryl Streep, Agnetha Fältskog, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Christine Baranski and Colin Firth. Björn Ulvaeus is in the picture on the right in his white jacket. PDO
Agnetha gave a few interviews in 2004, when her album came out. In 2008, Agnetha participated like the other members of Abba Mamma Mia! – to the premiere of the film in Stockholm.
Abba was filmed together for the first time in 22 years. Agnetha has since been seen a few times in public and has released new music.
In 2021, Abba released a new Voyage and a series of virtual Voyage concerts began in London. The members of Abba will appear as holograms at the concert.
All members were present at the premiere of the concert.
In May 2024, Abba received the 1st class commander’s badge of the Order of the Vaasa from the King of Sweden. PDO
Sources: Abbasite, Swedish Damtidning, Woman Magazine.
