Classic Actresses: October 2009

Born:5 April 1950, Jönköping, Jönköpings län, Sweden
Real name:Åse Agneta Fältskog
Spouse:
Tomas Sonnenfeld (15 December 1990 - 1993) (divorced)
Björn Ulvaeus (6 July 1971 - 9 June 1980) (divorced) 2 children
Facts:
-Fältskog met Björn Ulvaeus, the member of Hootenanny Singers, in 1969.Her relationship with Ulvaeus, as well as her friendship with Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Benny Andersson, with whom Ulvaeus had already writing songs, eventually led into the formation of ABBA.
-Fältskog and Ulvaeus married on 6 July 1971 in the village Verum, with Andersson playing the organ at their wedding.Their first child, Linda Elin Ulvaeus was born on 23 February 1973, and their son Peter Christian Ulvaeus on 4 December 1977.
-Between the years 1968 and 1980, Fältskog had a total of 18 entries on the important Svensktoppen radio chart, starting with debut single "Jag Var Så Kär" in January 1968 (peak position #1) and ending with "När Du Tar Mig I Din Famn" from compilation Tio år med Agnetha twelve years later, in January 1980 (peak position #1). The 18 entries, most of which were composed or co-written by Fältskog herself, spent a total of 139 weeks on the chart during this time, with the biggest hit being 1970's "Om Tårar Vore Guld" (#1, 15 weeks). Fältskog also recorded the Swedish Christmas album Nu tändas tusen juleljus with daughter Linda Ulvaeus which reached #6 on the Swedish album sales chart in December 1981. Chartwise Fältskog was therefore by far the most successful solo artist of the four ABBA members, both before and during the band's international career.
-The couple decided to separate in late 1978, and Fältskog moved out of their home on Christmas night, 25 December 1978. In January 1979, the couple filed for divorce, which was finalised in June 1980. Both Fältskog and Ulvaeus agreed not to let their failed marriage interfere with their responsibilities with ABBA.The failure of their marriage inspired Ulvaeus to write "The Winner Takes It All", one of ABBA's greatest hits.
-In the 1980s, Fältskog released three English-language solo albums. The records did well in Europe and Scandinavia.
-In the summer of 1982, Fältskog starred in the hit Swedish movie Raskenstam, and received positive reviews for her film début. The film was also a blockbuster hit in Sweden.
-In May 1983, Fältskog released her first post-ABBA solo album, Wrap Your Arms Around Me. The album became a moderate hit in North America and Australia, and reached the higher regions of the charts across Europe, including No. 1 in Sweden, Norway, Finland, Belgium and Denmark (where it became the biggest-selling album of the year), and No.18 in the UK. All in all Agnetha sold 1.2 million records of her first solo album after ABBA. Two singles from the album became big hits in continental Europe. "The Heat Is On" became a No. 1 hit in Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands, but only just scraped into the UK Top 40. The title track also reached No.1 in Belgium as well as the Top Five in the Netherlands, Germany and South Africa. In North America, the album track "Can't Shake Loose" was released as the lead-off single, reaching No. 29 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart, and No. 23 on the RPM Top 50 singles chart in Canada.
The same year, Fältskog was voted by the readers of Aftonbladet as "Best Female Artist Of The Year," and received the Music Award Price Rockbjörnen.
-Her next album, Eyes Of A Woman, produced by Eric Stewart of 10cc fame, was released in March 1985.The album sold well in parts of Europe, reaching No. 2 in Sweden and the Top 20 in Norway and Belgium, but failed to match the success of Wrap Your Arms Around Me. Lead single "I Won't Let You Go", composed by Fältskog herself, however enjoyed considerable chart success in both Continental Europe and Scandinavia.
-In 1986, Fältskog recorded another duet, "The Way You Are," with Swedish singer Ola Håkansson, which became another No. 1 hit in Sweden. In mid-1987, Fältskog travelled to Malibu, California, to record the album I Stand Alone, produced by Peter Cetera and Bruce Gaitsch (fresh off Madonna's La Isla Bonita collaboration). Released in November of that year, it was a minor hit in Europe, except for Sweden where it spent eight weeks at No. 1 and became the biggest selling album of 1988 and entering the Top 15 in Norway. The single from the album, "I Wasn't The One (Who Said Good-Bye)," on which Fältskog duetted with Peter Cetera, was released primarily in North America, and became her second solo single to chart on the Billboard Hot 100 (No. 93). It was also a Top 20 Billboard Adult Contemporary hit. Two tracks were also recorded in Spanish for the Latin American market; "La Ultima Véz" ("The Last Time") and "Yo No Fui Quién Dijo Adiós" ("I Wasn't The One (Who Said Goodbye)").
After the release of I Stand Alone in mid-1988 Fältskog took a break from her musical career and completely withdrew from public life.
-In December 1990, Fältskog married for a second time, albeit briefly, a surgeon named Tomas Sonnenfeld. They were divorced in 1993
-Former Dutch citizen Gert Van Der Graaf claims he had fallen in love with Fältskog at the age of 6, in 1974, when he saw ABBA performing "Waterloo" on Dutch TV. Since that day, Van Der Graaf was obsessed with Fältskog. As an adult, he started to make trips to Sweden and found the area where Fältskog lived. In 1997, he moved from Holland to Sweden, determined to get in contact with Fältskog. He managed to buy a small house near Fältskog's estate and also found a job in the area. Soon, he began to approach Fältskog during her walks in her neighborhood. Fältskog seduced him, began a sexual relationship with him and finally invited him to visit her home - and he eventually co-habited with her.
-After about two years, Fältskog wanted to end the relationship and told Van Der Graaf. After the relationship terminated, he began to send Fältskog many letters, called her relentlessly, and visited her estate frequently without invitation. Eventually, Fältskog obtained a restraining order against Van Der Graaf. He broke the order several times and was eventually deported back to Holland. In 2005, the deportation order from Sweden ran out, and within months Van Der Graaf was again sighted near Fältskog's estate in Ekerö.
-Van Der Graaf proved that Fältskog seduced him and said that he "did not mean to stalk her" but claimed he was still in love with her and "couldn't let go." [14] Since the deportation, Fältskog has not reported any further contact from Van Der Graaf. However, as recently as 2007, Van Der Graaf was spotted at a play at which Fältskog was in attendance. When asked, Fältskog stated that she did not know Van Der Graaf had been there and that he did not approach her.
-In April 2004, Fältskog released a new single, "If I Thought You'd Ever Change Your Mind".It reached No. 2 in Sweden, No. 11 in the UK, and became a sizeable hit throughout Europe.A few weeks later, the album My Colouring Book, a collection of Fältskog's covers of 1960s classic oldies, was released, topping the charts in Sweden, hitting the Top Five in Finland and Denmark, No. 6 in Germany and peaking at No. 12 in the UK.
-In 2004, Fältskog was nominated for Best Nordic Artist at the Nordic Music Awards, and at Christmas of that year (for the first time in almost 20 years), she gave an extensive interview which was filmed by Swedish TV. Around the same time, Sony Music released a lavishly produced 6 CD boxed set comprising Fältskog's Swedish solo career before ABBA (five original solo albums - 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1975 - and an additional compilation disc with bonus tracks).
-In January 2007, Fältskog appeared at the final performance of Mamma Mia! in Stockholm (as she had at its opening in 2005). Together with ex-husband and former colleague Björn, she appeared on stage at the after show party held at Stockholm's Grand Hotel. She also sang a duet, "True Love," with Tommy Körberg of Chess fame.
-In October 2008 a new compilation album, "My Very Best", was released in Sweden. The double CD contains both Swedish (CD 1) and English language hits (CD 2) from her whole solo career, from 1967 to 2004. It successfully entered as #4 on the Swedish albums chart and was certified Gold within the first week of its release.

News 29-11-2011

Agnetha Faltskog Media

Biography

Photos 1974-79

Photos 1980-82

Discography

Wallpaper

Photos