25 May 2023 , 18:18
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Abba ’s Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson say the band will not reunite for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden.
It will be the 50th anniversary of them winning the competition in Brighton with Waterloo – and some fans had a dream it might be a catalyst for them to perform at the show.
The pair told BBC Newsnight they do not want to get on stage with bandmates Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.
“I don’t want to,” said Benny, 76. “And if I don’t want to, the others won’t. It’s the same for all four of us – [if] someone says, ‘no’ – it’s a no.”
They also dismissed the idea they might compose the host nation’s entry.
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But organisers can find another way to say thank you for the music. “We can celebrate 50 years of ABBA without us being on stage,” added Björn, 78.
The pop legends in 2022 (Getty Images)ABBA Voyage, the virtual London concert, featuring digital recreations of the band has extended its booking period until next May.
Björn said: “If you build the right machine, and you build it well, then it exceeds the sum of its parts.
"The soul of the songs comes alive. And that soul isn’t just down to what you see on stage. It’s the stories and memories that come with it. Both yours and ours.”
Ulvaeus describes the response of audiences to the London show as "surpassing every expectation".
"That emotional connection was the important thing for us," he said.
ABBA after their Eurovision triumph in 1974 (Press Association)"We never knew until we started whether that would work.
"Their intellect is telling them that we're not there - but emotionally they are connected, which is a fantastic thing."
To summarise the whole project Andersson said: “Did we expect the response to be so intense? No. We didn’t know at all. And, do you know what? It’s always been that way. From day one. You start with a song and beyond that you have no control. Will people like it as much as we do? Will people ignore it?
"People will tell you that they know – people in the business. But no one ever knows. And it was the same with this”
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Since opening in May 2022, ABBA Voyage has welcomed over one million fans, with VIP audience members including Tom Hanks, Dua Lipa, Graham Norton, Mae Muller, Jack Whitehall, Olivia Rodrigo, Sir Barry Gibb and even British royalty, Queen Camilla.
The band are also considering building replicas of the structure in North America and Asia, and would like to take the immersive virtual reality show to Australia.