Agnetha Faltskog became a superstar with ‘ABBA’ – better sit down before you see her today, age 73

ABBA are well known these days as one of the most legendary bands on the planet. Still to this day, the Swedish quartet are superstars around the world. Yet one of the group’s members, Agnetha Faltskog, has chosen a life outside of the spotlight.

Faltskog, alongside Anni-Frid Lyngstad, was one of the main singers in ABBA. With an all-time great pop voice, she got people to dance with some songs, while breaking their hearts with others. Above all else, though, she became one of the most fascinating music icons of all time alongside her fellow band members.

These days, Faltskog lives a steady life in Sweden, but that doesn’t mean she’s not still producing new music. Now, aged 73, she looks amazing!

There are very few people that haven’t heard ABBA. It doesn’t matter if you were there when they performed Waterloo for the first time, or weren’t to be born for another 30 years. The 10-year-olds of today most likely dance just as wildly as anyone ever did upon hearing the group’s music.

ABBA – worldwide superstars

Even naming a single favorite ABBA song is pretty much impossible. And that’s probably why they became such world-wide superstars; there’s an ABBA song for every moment of our lives, no matter if it’s sad, happy, inspiring, or regretful.

Something that’s pretty unique about ABBA is the fact that all of the members virtually disappeared following the group’s split. Sure, they continued to make music, but were content to live a quiet life outside of the spotlight. Agnetha Faltskog certainly was, anyway.

So what happened to her following ABBA’s split? And how did she become involved with the group from the start? This is the wonderful story of Agnetha Faltskog!

Agnetha was born on April 5, 1950 in Jönköping, Sweden. She was the first of two daughters of Knut Ingvar Fältskog – who worked in a department store – and mother Birgit Margareta Johansson.

Agnetha Faltskog – early career

From a very young age, Agnetha Faltskog was interested in music. Some of her favorite artists were Tom Jones, Petulia Clark and Dusty Sprinfgield, and she sure had talent.

At just five years of age, Faltskog wrote her first song, which was about two small “trolls”. She would often go to her neighbor’s house to play the piano – she started taking proper lessons at age 8. She also sang in the local church choir.

In 1960, at the age of 13, Faltskog formed the band The Cambers with her two childhood friends. They played only minor gigs in the local community, and two years later she decided it was time for something else.

Agneta joined Swedish folk music band Bernt Enghardt. The band toured around Sweden playing Swedish dance music.

“They had a singer named Agneta before me that quit,” Agnetha recalled. “They had printed posters looking for a new singer, and when they found me and after I auditioned, it was a big plus that I was named Agnetha as well.”

Faltskog worked as a telephonist for a car firm at the same time as she was touring with Bernt Enghardt, but her situation wasn’t ideal.