Member of Abba
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$200 Million
"I can spot empty flattery and know exactly where I stand. In the end, it's really only my own approval or disapproval that means anything." Agnetha Faltskog rose to fame as a member of the pop-group, ABBA. In the years since ABBA disbanded, Faltskog has gone on to carve out a serious role for herself as a musician. Faltskog has helped to sell over 380 million records around the world with her work as a member of ABBA.
After ABBA split up in the 80s, Faltskog would go on to start a career as a solo artist. Faltskog would release several albums during the 80s and 90s while also dipping her toes into the realm of acting. Now borderline retired, Faltskog spends the bulk of her time on a private island that she owns in Stockholm County in Sweden. Faltskog has left an amazing impact on the world of music, so it is only fair that we learn a little bit about her.
Ready to Rock
Ase Agneta Faltskog was born on April 5, 1950, in Jonkoping Smaland in Sweden. Faltskog was the first daughter of Knut Ingvar Faltskog and Birgit Margareta Johansson. Ingvar managed a local department store while Birgit was a dedicated homemaker. Ingvar was interested in music and showbiz, and he has been cited as an instigating factor for Faltskog's pursuit of music. Ingvar passed away in 1995 at the age of 72 while Birgit would pass away in 1994 at the age of 71. Faltskog has a younger sister named Mona.
Faltskog began to immerse herself in the world of music at a young age. Faltskog would write her first full song at the age of six. The song was titled 'Tva Sma Troll' which translates to 'Two Little Trolls'. By the time that Faltskog was ten-years-old, she had been taking piano lessons for years while also singing at the local church in the choir group. Faltskog would form her first band as part of a trio alongside Elisabeth Strub and Lena Johansson. The group of 10-year-olds would play several gigs before deciding to disband in pursuit of other projects.
While Faltskog could have graduated from high school before pursuing her professional career, that wasn't to be the case. When Faltskog turned 15, she dropped out of school in order to start pursuing her musical career.
Rise of ABBA
After dropping out of school in order to become a professional musician, Faltskog would quickly find herself making big moves. While Faltskog was forced to work as a telephonist for a firm, she quickly found herself a spot in a dance band headlined by Bernt Enghardt. Faltskog was brought on to sing in the group and Faltskog quickly realized that her group had a future. Faltskog would leave her boyfriend in order to tour the world as a singer for two years. Faltskog would write her first hit song, 'I Was So in Love', about the experience. The track would help Faltskog gain critical acclaim as a solo artist, a trait that would come in handy throughout her career.
Faltskog would see her career take a massive leap forward just two years later. Karl Lundkvist was a former musician as well as a record producer at Cupol Records. Also a friend of the band, Lundkvist agreed to listen to a demo tape sent over by Enghardt. Lundkvist instead was interested in Faltskog rather than the entire band. Lundkvist would sign Faltskog to a contract then and there, thus giving her the chance to spread her wings as a solo artist. Faltskog would release her first single through the label in 1967, a single titled, 'Jag Var Sa Kar'. The song would sell 80,000 copies in Sweden alone. Faltskog would continue to grow her star throughout the late 60s and early 70s, releasing a number of singles and albums as a solo artist.
In 1968, Faltskog would first meet Bjorn Ulvaeus. At the time, Ulvaeus was a member of the band, the Hootenanny Singers. The two would later form a relationship before eventually having two children together, Linda Elin Ulvaeus and Peter Christian Ulvaeus. Bjorn and Faltskog would become two of the founding members of ABBA alongside Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. Bjorn and Faltskog would end up getting married with the shared understanding that their relationship was not to interfere with the band. Bjorn and Faltskog would get divorced seven years later. True to their word, both Ulvaeus and Faltskog left their personal issues outside of the studio, thus continuing to work together.
Faltskog would release a hit solo album in 1975 under the title, Elva Kvinnor I Ett Hus. The album was recorded in between sessions for the ABBA records, Waterloo and ABBA. Shockingly, Faltskog's solo album would sit on the charts longer than any other record released by ABBA. With that being said, Faltskog's solo records never charted as high as ABBA's work. Faltskog would find 18 of her songs on the Top Radio Chart in Sweden with 'Jag Var Sa Kar' peaking at #1 and 'Tio ar Med Agnetha' peaking in the same position.
Eventually, ABBA would fold in on itself. The group would disband in 1982, though no official announcements were made regarding the status of the pop group. Instead of hesitating, Faltskog jumped right back into her solo career. Faltskog would release several records in her days after ABBA, including Wrap Your Arms Around Me (1983), Eyes of a Woman (1985), Kom Folj Med I Var Karusell (1987), I Stand ALone (1987), My Colouring Book (2004), and finally A in 2013.
Outside of her work in the world of music, Faltskog also landed a leading role in the 1983 feature film, Raskenstam as Lisa Mattsson. Faltskog currently resides on an island in Ekero, Stockholm, in Sweden. Faltskog lives with her son, Peter Christian, as well as his wife and family. Faltskog has since completely retired from the entertainment world.
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