Look at me now: ABBA to perform with digital avatars in London live shows
ABBA are releasing their first new album for almost 40 years and will perform at London live shows with digital versions of themselves.
Band members Björn Ulvaeus, 76, and Benny Andersson, 74, announced the release of a ten song album called Voyage during a press conference yesterday. It will be the first new album the band has released since they parted ways in 1982.
The reunion tour will take place in May 2022 at the specially built ABBA arena in East London which has capacity for an audience of 3,000. The concert will feature digital versions of ABBA as they looked at the height of their success in 1979.
The “Abba-tars” were created with help from an 850-strong team from Industrial Light & Magic, founded by George Lucas, using motion capture technology.
Two new songs were aired during yesterday’s press conference with Bjorn Ulvaeus explaining the meaning behind I Still Have Faith In You. He said: “It is about realising it is inconceivable to be where we are. No imagination can dream up that.
“To release an album after 40 years and still be the best of friends and enjoying each other’s company and still have total loyalty. Who has experienced that? Nobody.”
ABBA’s music has remained popular with audience worldwide since the group split. The musical Mamma Mia!, based on the group’s iconic songs, became a worldwide hit and movie versions of the show featured Meryl Streep, Dame Julie Walters, Colin Firth and Pierce Brosnan.
Ticket sales for the Voyage reunion concert will go live on Tuesday.