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ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus reveals heartbreaking update on the future of Voyage

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Björn Ulvaeus from Abba has expressed doubts about whether the holographic Voyage shows will carry on if any band member passes away.

Björn Ulvaeus of Abba has questioned if the holographic Voyage performances can continue following the demise of a band member.

The legendary band that became globally recognized following their win at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo,” is made up of Björn, Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

Or:
The well-known band, which gained international acclaim after triumphing at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo,” consists of Björn, Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

Or:
The iconic band, which cemented their international fame by winning the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with “Waterloo,” is formed by Björn, Agnetha Fältskog, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

In a long-running series, the peak of ABBA’s popularity from the 70s is recreated, allowing viewers to enjoy digital versions (avatars) of ABBA perform in a specially designed concert venue.

As an ardent admirer of ABBA, I’m excited about the immersive virtual concert event happening in London – ABBA Voyage. Here, life-like digital versions of this legendary Swedish pop group bring their timeless classics to life on stage.

Nevertheless, the singer has raised questions about the upcoming unique concert, admitting to Radio Times that before their demise, the quartet must agree on whether they will carry on with the performances.

In an exclusive chat with Jane Mulkerrins for her Sunday morning program, I found myself pondering a query that had never crossed my mind before. To be completely honest, it’s a thought I hadn’t previously entertained.

It’s great you brought up that topic. Let me discuss it with the others, since we should agree ahead of time if it’s acceptable for all four of us to proceed in case something happens.

ABBA was formed in 1972 and  released eight albums between 1973 and 1981.

They’re renowned as one of the top-selling musical acts globally, having sold anywhere from 150 million to 385 million albums around the world.

The group had been disbanded since 1982 but their music still lived on in the intervening years.

In 1999, the popular compilation album ABBA Gold sold exceptionally well globally, and its music served as inspiration for the successful stage musical Mamma Mia. This production was later transformed into two motion pictures – Mamma Mia (2008) and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018).

In 2016, the team came together once more and embarked on a project for a virtual concert. They employed motion-capture technology from the visual effects studio founded by George Lucas, Industrial Light and Magic, to generate digital versions of ABBA called ‘ABBA-tars’, depicting the group as they appeared in 1979.

160 motion capture cameras were utilized for numerous hours by the team members to ensure a flawless motion-capture appearance, involving more than one billion computational hours from ILM.

In 2018, ABBA resumed creating new music as well, leading to their first studio album in four decades, titled “Voyage.” This album, reportedly their last, has garnered sales of more than 2.5 million copies across the globe.

On May 27th, the virtual concert known as “The Voyage” debuted at a specially designed location within London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. This event garnered praise from both audiences and critics, including the members of ABBA themselves.

In the performance, lifelike characters, produced with motion capture technology, share the stage with a lively 10-member band.

The concert is housed in a custom-built arena called the ABBA Arena.

The 90-minute concert includes such hits as Mamma Mia, The Winner Takes It All and Voulez-Vous. 

The employment landscape in London has been significantly boosted by Abba, with over 5,000 individuals finding work directly or indirectly associated with them. This includes personnel working at their venue, as well as those employed in various other industries.

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2025-07-13 22:21

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