Agnetha Fältskog is recording new material (Updated)

Agnetha appearing in the video for her single 'When You Really Loved Someone' — Agnetha appearing in the video for her single ‘When You Really Loved Someone’

Agnetha’s spokesman, Staffan Linde, told Swedish media outlets that Agnetha is working on new original material alongside Swedish songwriter Jörgen Elofsson. Elofsson has previously penned and produced tunes for the likes of Will Young, Britney Spears, Celine Dion and Westlife.

He could not say when the new album will be released but it was revealed that the album will probably be signed to the Universal Music label.

Predictably the story has been picked up around the world, with varying degrees of accuracy. Some going for the sensationalist angle, that Agnetha is “refusing” to record with her old bandmates “breaking the hearts of ABBA fans”, when nothing of the sort was even mentioned in the original statement.

There are also the usual references to Agnetha’s supposed status in Sweden as “Garbo the second”. There is also lots of mis-reporting regarding when she was last in the studio, most stating it was in the 90s, when of course it was around 2004, when she released the solo album My Colouring Book.

In the UK, My Colouring Book was certified as a silver recording with sales in excess of 60,000 units and reached No. 12 in the album charts. In Germany the album peaked at an even more impressive No. 6. Predictably, the album did best in the Nordic region where in Sweden alone it was a No. 1 and was awarded triple platinum album sales status.

The rumoured first single — ‘When You Really Loved Someone’

Update: 05 March 2013

The first single is likely to be a track penned by Gary Barlow and producer Jorgen Elofsson called When You Really Loved Someone.

An mp3 of the track along with cover artwork was advertised on Amazon.com and said to be released on 11 March. The link was later removed.

Update: 11 March 2013

Today came the confirmation of the album’s title, simply A along with a tracklist. In addition the singles When You Really Loved Someone and the Germany-only The One Who Loves You Now were released.

A new website address www.agnetha.co.uk, and a release date for the album in some territories (13 May in the UK) were announced. A brand new interview with the BBC was published. Agnetha’s new official Facebook page and Twitter account (@AgnethaOfficial) will go live today.

Press release: Agnetha has been working with renowned, Grammy-nominated songwriter/producer Jorgen Elofsson – who has been responsible for hits by Britney Spears , Kelly Clarkson , Celine Dion and Westlife, among others – and acclaimed producer/arranger Peter Nordahl on her brand new album.

“She wanted to make music again,” says Elofsson, “We could feel that. She had been thinking about it. Basically, she’s a musician, a songwriter/singer who hasn’t done that for a while. We saw her open up, become much happier, with music again in her life.”

The album features one of Agnetha first co-writes in many years: “I hadn’t written any music for a long, long time,” she says. “But I sat at the piano, and suddenly it was there.”

Anticipated by millions of ABBA fans worldwide, Agnetha’s brand new material will be released this spring in the US by The Verve Music Group and Internationally by Universal Music Group, the global music leader.

Max Hole, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Universal Music Group International, added: “You can imagine the excitement that all of us felt at the prospect of Agnetha making new music. So we were determined that she would choose Universal to bring that music to the world, and we are gratified that she did. This is a dream project for so many people inside our company, and for Agnetha’s fans around the globe.”

'A' by Agnetha. The new album. — ‘A’ by Agnetha. The new album.

The most anticipated new album of 2013 was recorded and produced by Jörgen Elofsson and Peter Nordahl: “We wanted to make this as if Agnetha hadn’t entered ABBA,” says Elofsson. “We were interested in what she sounded like if she hadn’t been in the group. And yet it’s important that she comes across as we remember her to be.”

Tracklist:

1. The One Who Loves You Now 3:30
2. When You Really Loved Someone 3:31
3. Perfume In the Breeze 3:31
4. I Was a Flower 4:08
5. I Should’ve Followed You Home (Duet with Gary Barlow) 4:04
6. Past Forever 3:30
7. Dance Your Pain Away 4:10
8. Bubble 4:21
9. Back On Your Radio 3:43
10. I Keep Them On the Floor Beside My Bed 4:06

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Agnetha Fältskog is recording new material (Updated)

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