It seems like the legendary Swedish pop group ABBA might have taken their final public bow together. In a heartfelt chat on the “Rosebud With Gyles Brandreth” podcast, Bjorn Ulvaeus revealed that their recent gathering at the Royal Vasa Order ceremony could be their last public appearance as a quartet. The members were honored with this prestigious Swedish knighthood, but the moment was tinged with bittersweet nostalgia.
Ulvaeus described the ceremony as "very quiet and very elegant," and shared a poignant moment with his bandmates. “We stood there quietly, accepting it out of the king’s hand, and Frida (Lyngstad) said to me afterwards, ‘This might be the last occasion.’ It was very sad, and I thought about that afterwards. We’re not getting any younger,” he mused.
When asked by host Gyles Brandreth if the group often meets up, Ulvaeus replied, "In public, very rarely." The thought of this being their last public appearance hit hard. “I hope not,” Ulvaeus added, “It’s very sad.”
This revelation follows the group's discussion about the future of their virtual concert, ABBA Voyage, in a chat with NME last year. Once the show wraps up in London in 2026, the group hopes to take ABBA Voyage global, with potential stops in Asia, Australia, and North America.
The band's last album, "Voyage," released in 2021, featured hits like "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don’t Shut Me Down." When asked about the possibility of more new music, Ulvaeus firmly stated, “No, ‘Voyage’ was the last you’ll ever hear from us.” However, he left the door open for future projects, utilizing emerging technologies.
“There will be new exciting formats in the future that we know very little about right now,” Ulvaeus added. “AI, the metaverse, there are lots of interesting and exciting things happening creatively that ABBA might be involved in as well.”
Last month, Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson participated in a Q&A session celebrating the second anniversary of ABBA Voyage. They entertained the idea of the Voyage live band performing at Glastonbury. “Oh yes! It’s a brilliant idea,” said Ulvaeus. “They’re a great band, why shouldn’t they play?”
Texas' Sharleen Spiteri asked if they’d ever considered joining the band on stage during a Voyage show. Andersson replied, “Definitely. Maybe if they play Glastonbury and need an extra piano player…”
ABBA Voyage continues into 2026, so whether this really is the end of public appearances for ABBA or just the beginning of a new era remains to be seen. Stay tuned, because with ABBA, you never know what musical magic might be around the corner.
