November 2, 2021
WRITTEN BY:
Melinda Head

ABBA: Merging the Physical and the Digital Worlds

ABBA is eternal. Bring on ABBATAR. Dazzle us. We know you will

The epitome of the 70’s, ABBA has done it all, including stepping back into the game 40 years after it ended in 1982. And Sweden’s beloved ABBA is doing it in style, with a custom-built venue in East London and the use of technology that is expected to leave us all in awe.

“A new album after 40 years is absolutely incredible … it’s inconceivable to be where we are. No imagination would dream up that. To release a new album after 40 years and still be the best of friends … Who has experienced that? Nobody.” (Bjorn Ulvaeus, ABBA)

With an estimated net worth today of about $900 million, their new album, ‘Voyage’, and much anticipated show, developed by George Lucas’ visual effects company (Industrial Light & Magic) will push ABBA far beyond and into the Billion Dollar Club.

The Past

ABBA is an acronym formed from the first letters of each group member’s first name: Agnetha, Bjorn, Benny and Anni-Frid. It’s that simple.

Winners of the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with the song ‘Waterloo’, ABBA never looked back.

I won’t bore you with the rise-to-fame details, divorces and tragedies. You can Google that yourself, or plan a trip to the band-owned ABBA Museum in Stockholm. I love the museum’s slogan: ‘Walk in. Dance out’.

ABBA Museum

Today is about celebrating ABBA, so here are links to the group’s Top 10 songs. We know you’ll want to listen to each one of them with your dancing shoes on as you belt out the sometimes corny lyrics. We’d love for you to post your ABBA performance.

1. Dancing Queen (1976)

2. Knowing Me, Knowing You (1976)

3. Take A Chance On Me (1977)

4. Mamma Mia (1975)

5. The Winner Takes It All (1980)

6. Waterloo (1974)

7. Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight) (1979)

8. The Name Of The Game (1977)

9. Does Your Mother Know (1979)

10. S.O.S (1975)

The Present

Today, members of the group range in age from 68 to 73 years old, the same age cohort that developed the Internet.

ABBA has shown its love-of-tech chops before. Long after the group had broken up, a brilliant idea was hatched by Calle Astrand, which was revealed in 2004, on the occasion of the 30th anniversary of ABBA’s ‘Waterloo’ Eurovision Song Contest victory.

ABBA will not physically need to be present during the upcoming Voyage shows, which will feature the group’s digital avatars instead. This once-in-a-lifetime tech-centric show will last 1 hour and 40 minutes without an intermission, will be repeated 8 times per week, and run for 4 years as of May 27, 2022. The hype machine is already well-fueled, and the group’s new album, ‘Voyage’, will be released 3 days from now, on Friday, November 5th.

The purpose-built 3,000 capacity ABBA Arena, complete with a live 10-piece band and private dance booths, is housed at London’s Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. Designed by world-renowned STUFISH Entertainment Architects, the hexagonal venue can be transported and repurposed elsewhere. Las Vegas and Stockholm have been rumored to be next in line after London.

The new, purpose-built ABBA Arena in East London. STUFISH Entertainment Architects also has the Rolling Stones, U2, Pink Floyd, Elton John, Lady Gaga, Beyonce, Madonna and the Cirque du Soleil on its client list

Got the travel bug anyone? I do! Let’s hope COVID travel-hassles are mostly gone by May 27th. I am optimistic. In the meantime, ABBA songs are timeless and a great way to uplift your spirits as the days become shorter.

“Who can live without it. I ask in all honesty. What would life be without a song or a dance? What are we?” (ABBA)

Now challenge yourself and your friends to our ABBA Quiz of the Day, by downloading Quizefy from the app store if you haven’t already done so, then see how much you know and Strut Your Smart. Our ABBA Quiz of the Day is only available today, then it disappears. We’ll be back again every Tuesday with a special blog posted at www.quizefy.com, along with a new trivia quiz on the same topic as the blog. Don’t forget to follow Quizefy in social media, so we can remind you of upcoming blog and quiz content.

Coming Up For Quizefy

Every day:  a new trivia Quiz of the Day on continuously changing topics. Available for 24 hours only

Every Tuesday:  our FACT-ory blog on www.quizefy.com, with a matching Quiz of the Day in our Quizefy app. Read our blog for hints that will improve your Quizefy score

Every Sunday:  the Week in Review, our comprehensive review of national and global events in the past 7 days. This would be a great addition to your Sunday routine

Always:  trivia questions on a myriad of topics that you can choose yourself
Tuesday, March 26th: March Madness
Wednesday, March 27th: Nutrition Month
Thursday, March 28th: Triglycerides Day
Friday, March 29th: Vietnam War Veterans Day
Saturday, March 30th: Pencil Day
Sunday, March 31st: Week in Review
Monday, April 1st: April Fools' Day
Click here to Download Quizefy
About the Author

A serial entrepreneur, Melinda is a sociologist and statistician who believes there is no currency with greater value than knowledge

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