Thank ABBA For The Music

Hej!

Do you remember the THANK YOU FOR THE MUSIC campaign?
We have received over 10.000 greetings from fans all over the world.
Only 4 books will be printed and delivered to the ABBA members!

THANK YOU ALL WHO SENT THEIR GREETINGS, we are sure the members will be happy receiving this!
More info will follow!

https://www.facebook.com/#!/ABBA?fref=nf

 

Laleh Performs Chiquitita At UN Headquarters

See this video of Laleh performing Chiquitita Live at the UN Headquarters on 20 November 2014.
A nice speech by Bjorn at the end also :)

 

Laleh's version can be purchased on Itunes Sweden here:

 

https://itunes.apple.com/se/album/chiquitita-feat.-laleh-pourkarim/id940902162

 

or on Spotify.

 

All proceeds go to Unicef.

 

 

 

 

Frida Thanks Fans For Birthday Messages

Frida has a meesage to all the fans for their Birthday wishes - what a gorgeous woman she is :)

Message can be found on abbasite.com

Chiquitita Recorded By Laleh For Unicef

ABBA THE MUSEUM AND UNICEF SWEDEN COLLABORATE IN SUPPORT OF YOUNG GIRLS’RIGHTS. FIRST UP: LALEH.

UNICEF Sweden and ABBA The Museum have initiated a new long-term collaboration over the song “Chiquitita”in support of young girls worldwide. ABBA members, Frida Lyngstad Reuss, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Björn Ulvaeus, are all behind the collaboration and are donating their royalties from “Chiquitita,”as artists and rightholders, to the cause. The collaboration involves a number of activities both at the museum and online, including the launch of the pressplaytogive, an initiative that makes donating easy by simply playing the song. In order to reach an even more listeners, ABBA The Museum will be inviting several well-known artists to record their interpretation of “Chiquitita.”First up is Laleh. November 20 marks the 25^th jubilee of the UN Convention on the rights of the child (UNCRC), on which date Laleh will perform her version of the beautiful ABBA-songat the UN General Assembly in New York to a global audience.
 
On November 17, 2014, a new collaboration will begin between ABBA The Museum and UNICEF Sweden, with “Chiquitita” as a starting point. The collaboration will continue until 2019, the year the song celebrates its 40th jubilee. ABBA is behind the collaboration, with all members of the group, as artists and rightholders, donating their royalties from “Chiquitita” to UNICEF. Universal Music Publishing and Polar Music also donates its proceeds from the song Chiquitita. November 17, 2014 will also mark the launch of pressplaytogive, an initiative that makes it easy to donate – simply by playing “Chiquitita” on Spotify, iTunes, YouTube, etc.

- Our new initiative aims to make donating easy, while spreading the word about children’s rights. We encourage more people to listen and donate by pressing play, says Véronique Lönnerblad, Executive Director, UNICEF Sweden.

ABBA The Museum has initiated a number of activities to bring the project to life, including a new permanent side-exhibit at the museum about “Chiquitita,” through which visitors can donate.
- As a visitor you can choose to sing “Chiquitita” in one of the song booths or watch the music video. Every time you choose “Chiquitita” at the museum you will be contributing to UNICEF, says Mattias Hansson, CEO of the museum.

ABBA built the Polar Studio in Stockholm in 1978 and the first song to be recorded there was Björn and Benny’s “Chiquitita.” Parts of the studio have been reconstructed at the museum with many original objects and instruments from that time. Each year, renowned artists will be invited by the museum to the Polar Studio to record their version of “Chiquitita,” thereby reaching a new audience. Royalties from the new versions of the song by these artists will also go to UNICEF. The first artist to interpret her version of the lovely ABBA ballad is Laleh, the world premiere of which she will be performing in Stockholm today at the launch of the new collaboration at ABBA The Museum. The song is digitally released Tuesday 18 November.

- I think that “Chiquitita” can serve as a symbol for all the girls and young women around the world who are denied their rightful place in society. We can help educate them, enabling them to stand up to any cultural or religious patriarchy that holds them back. Laleh understands what I mean and I am proud and happy that she is supporting the cause with her great version of “Chiquitita, says Björn Ulvaeus.

This year marks the 25th jubilee of the UN child convention and while much has improved for children, many are still being denied their rights. Girls and young women are particularly at risk. The collaboration between ABBA The Museum and UNICEF Sweden over the song “Chiquitita” will help generate more discussion about the discrimination and abuse that girls are exposed to every day. The royalties from the song will go to designated UNICEF projects around the world. In November the UN child convention jubilee will be celebrated at the UN headquarters in New York. Björn Ulvaeus and Laleh have been invited to the gala at which Laleh will perform her version of “Chiquitita” for a global audience. In this way, ABBA has passed the baton on to the next artist to generate more funds through “Chiquitita” in support of girls’ rights worldwide.

MORE FACTS
Thirty-five years ago, ABBA donated part of their royalties for the song “Chiquitita” to UNICEF in support of children worldwide. Since then, “Chiquitita” is ranked as one of the highest contributing songs of all time to a philanthropic cause. Thanks to this donation, hundreds of thousands of children have been vaccinated – and got to go to school. The starting point for the collaboration between UNICEF and ABBA dates back to January 9, 1979, when ABBA participated in the inauguration of The International Year of the Child at a benefit concert at the UN General Assembly in New York. At the “The Music for UNICEF Concert: A Gift of Song, many of the biggest names of the time performed, such as ABBA, The Bee Gees, Earth Wind & Fire, Olivia Newton John, and Donna Summer in support of children around the world. ABBA performed the song “Chiquitita” at the benefit concert.
FACTS LALEH
Laleh is one of the biggest artist in modern time in Sweden, Laleh is the well kept secret of Scandinavia, she just released her first EP in the USA called ”BOOM”. She has won multiple prizes over the years in Sweden. Among them multiple Swedish grammys "Artist of the Year", "Producer of the year" and "Rookie of the Year". She has also got National Radio P3 Gold: "Female Artist of the Year” and "Rookie of the Year” back in 2006 when she started making albums, by her self, producing engineering and writing her songs. Before releasing her first album back in 2005 she worked as an actress, playing Yasmin in the Swedish movie from 2000 called "Jalla! Jalla! ". Her latest album ”Colors” has passed Platinum in Sweden with over 80 000 sold copies, she was also voted this year's artist, composer, song of the year by the Swedish charts ”Svensk Toppen”. Her song ”Some Die Young” sold 14x Platinum and is included in her EP ”BOOM”. It was the most streamed song in Norway on Spotify and Wimp Norway.

http://pressplaytogive.com/#

http://www.mynewsdesk.com/abba-the-museum/pressreleases/abba-the-museum-and-unicef-sweden-collaborate-in-support-of-young-girls-rights-first-up-laleh-1084829

Happy Birthday Frida !

Gorgeous Frida turns 69 today !

From the bottom of my heart, and with all my love for this most wonderful woman, I wish Frida a beautiful Birthday.

You entered the hearts of my entire family from the very first video clip on TV in Australia - and you have stayed there ever since.

Love your giving nature, your effervesence, your beauty, your glorious voice, your fabulously energetic dancing - your open heart and your graciousness with the fans. You have my admiration and respect and loyalty - and I truly appreciate that you have been a part of my life for over 40 years.

With love, always and forever, from Australia xxx

Frida Lyngstad Records New Song

Dan Daniell has confirmed the he and Frida have recorded a new song.

The song celebrates the 150th anniversary of the Matterhorn's first ascent in 1865 - the attempt ended in tragedy with 4 members of the climbing party being killed.
The Matterhorn is a stunning looking mountain towering over Zermatt but is treacherous too and claimed many lives over the years. This song is just a part of Zermatt's events in recognition of the anniversary.

Frida and Dan have worked together previously in 2003 when they recorded 2 songs together: 'I Have A Dream' (a new version) and 'Lieber Gott' which Dan wrote. The song was described as a Prayer Song.
These 2 songs along with a third recorded by Dan alone 'Wenn Ich Dann Gehen Muss', were released on CD single and sold in Limited numbers with all proceeds going to charity to aid children in war.

The new song will be released for the anniversary in 2015.

In this video:
Mammut Key Visual shooting in Zermatt for the 150 years jubilee in 2015 of the first ascent of the Matterhorn.

In this video:
Frida and Dan 'Lieber Gott':

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G0d4bFc4mbI&list=PLOljPiNfQ36Mql2cMexoISzlTBJvMKtth&index=7

Bjorn Ulvaeus Interviewed For Countdown Documentary

ABC TV has announced the dates it will screen eagerly awaited documentary Countdown: Do Yourself A Favour, a comprehensive exploration of the iconic program's humble beginnings and wild successes, hosted by Julia Zemiro.

Starting from November 16, the two-part retrospective jumps back to 1974, following Countdown and its young, then-inexperienced host Molly Meldrum as the program finds itself becoming a cultural phenomenon. It features interviews with a broad range of performers and fans of the show, from ABBA's Bjorn Ulvaeus, Suzi Quatro and Hush's Les Gock to John Paul Young and a youthful, charismatic Mark Holden, as well as Kylie Minogue, Kate Ceberano, INXS' Kirk Pengilly, Uncanny X-Men's Brian Mannix, and Anthony Field and Jeff Fatt of The Wiggles.
According to a synopsis of part one, which covers the years 1974-80, the show quickly outgrew its intended function as an eight-half-hour-episode show as Meldrum's ebullience and personality "shot through television sets all over the country in a way Australians had never seen before". It lasted until 1987, changing the Australian music landscape irreversibly in its wake.
Guests in those early years included eventual icons such as John Paul Young, Skyhooks, Sherbet, John Farnham, Marcia Hines and even Iggy Pop and the rambunctious rascals in AC/DC. Among it all, this era of Countdown played a massive role in the dissemination of ABBA's international hit Mamma Mia, while a 1979 performance from the irrepressible Iggy Pop opened up another whole world for many young Australians.
Be sure to relive the glory days when part one of Countdown: Do Yourself A Favour hits ABC1 at 7.30pm on Sunday, November 16.

http://themusic.com.au/news/all/2014/10/27/abc-announces-airdate-for-two-part-countdown-throwback-special/

http://www.abc.net.au/tv/programs/countdown-do-yourself-a-favour/

Watch the trailer here:

http://iview.abc.net.au/programs/countdown-do-yourself-a-favour/MP1445H218C00DT1

A nice write up here:

http://www.tvtonight.com.au/2014/10/airdate-countdown-do-yourself-a-favour.html