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ABBA’s new music will be released ‘eventually

ABBA’s new music will be released "eventually".
The ‘Dancing Queen’ hitmakers haven’t made a studio LP since 1981’s ‘The Visitors’ but Bjorn Ulvaeus and the other three members – Agnetha Faltskog, Benny Andersson and Frida Lyngstad – have recorded two brand new tracks, one of which is titled ‘I Still Have Faith In You’, for an upcoming BBC documentary, and the other ‘Don’t Shut Me Down’.
It was previously reported that the songs could be released by summer, but that is unlikely with Bjorn unsure himself when they will emerge.
Speaking to Richard Allinson in an upcoming interview on Magic Radio, he said: "Yeah, yes there will be a new song, a couple of new songs coming. But I’ve been saying this for such a long time … I’m not saying when anymore. I’m just saying we have them and they will be released eventually."
The songs are "finished" though, and the 74-year-old Swedish icon explained how they try to "emulate The Beatles" when it comes to getting every part of the song perfect.
Asked when he knows a track is complete, he said: "It is when you feel that every note is where it should be and I don’t mean just the chorus.
"Some people give up when they have a great chorus, they think the verse is not that important.
"But we never worked that way.
"We try to emulate The Beatles in that respect that every part of the song is important, every instrumental, every little backing vocal, every note is important.
"So, that’s how we worked and then its instinct you know, that, yes this is it, you just know."
ABBA were one of the most commercially successful acts in pop music, topping the charts worldwide from 1974 to 1982, but Bjorn admitted "you never know" when you are onto a hit.
He said: "The thing is you never know. I mean in our heyday we kind of knew the next single would be played and so forth, but we never knew if it was going to reach number one, if people would like it. It’s easy to forget that there is a before, and in the ‘before’ you don’t know. You take a risk and that’s what I still do."
ABBA’s music has featured in two blockbuster musical movies, 2008’s ‘Mamma! Mia’ and last year’s ‘ Mamma! Mia: Here We Go Again’, and, although Bjorn doubts there will be a third film, he wouldn’t rule out doing something for Amazon Prime or Netflix.
He said: "We don’t have any plans but it’s an interesting arena and I wouldn’t be surprised if someone you know suddenly turned up having a great idea for that arena as well. But it hasn’t happened yet."
Listen to Magic Radio with Björn Ulvaeus this Sunday from 7pm.