ABBA Returns - In Digital ! Press Release 26 October 2016

OMG !
This sounds amazing !!
Virtual ABBA !
I really wish they would recreate the 1977 Tour - how amazing it would be to see the whole concert !
But I will be happy with anything they do - why wouldn't I ?
Some people are already grumbling and being negative about this - I don't understand that.
This is exciting - and fun - and we are blessed to still have these moments after all these years !
Roxy

PRESS RELEASE - DIGITAL ABBA

(Stockholm and Los Angeles 26.10.2016) Nearly 35 years after their last public performance together, the members of ABBA are preparing to give their fans around the world what millions of them have long dreamed of but considered impossible: A new entertainment experience.

World-renowned entertainment entrepreneur Simon Fuller, the members of ABBA, and Universal Music Group are partnering together in a groundbreaking venture that will utilize the very latest in digital and virtual reality technology. The aim is to create an original entertainment experience with the Swedish Pop Superstars, which will enable a new generation of fans to see, hear, and feel ABBA in a way previously unimagined.

Simon Fuller has been at the cutting edge of social and technological change for three decades, using his insights to transform popular culture. His business has been quietly investing in virtual reality technologies, developing hyper-realistic digital humans in the field of entertainment, for several years. The collaboration with the four members of ABBA, who first formed in Stockholm in 1972 and who remain among the most iconic and enduring talents in the world, marks a key moment to fully realize the possibilities of virtual reality ahead of the curve – and in the process transform the face of popular entertainment.

The members of ABBA will be involved throughout the creative process maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the bands original vision within this exciting new realm of entertainment possibilities.
Benny Andersson: “We’re inspired by the limitless possibilities of what the future holds and are loving being a part of creating something new and dramatic here. A time machine that captures the essence of who we were. And are.”

Frida Lyngstad: “Our fans around the world are always asking us to reform and so I hope this new ABBA creation will excite them as much as it excites me!”

Simon Fuller, Founder and CEO of XIX Entertainment: “The creativity and ideas flowing from the members of ABBA over the past few months have filled me with great excitement. We are exploring a new technological world, with Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence at the forefront, that will allow us to create new forms of entertainment and content we couldn’t have previously imagined.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group: “Having the privilege of working closely with the band for over two decades, I can comfortably say there are few recording artists who like ABBA bring together their mastery of craft, a high level of professionalism and enormous commercial success. I’m thrilled to be involved in this innovative new project that will introduce the band who are responsible for some of the greatest songs and melodies in pop music to a new generation of fans.”

Further details of this pioneering collaboration to be announced in 2017.

From icethesite:

ABBA and Simon Fuller create cutting-edge digital experience!

All four members of ABBA, entertainment entrepreneur Simon Fuller, and Universal Music are partnering together in a groundbreaking venture that will utilise the very latest in digital and virtual reality technology.
Fuller came to prominence through managing pop group the Spice Girls.

He went on to create the Idol franchise and has managed the careers of some of entertainment and sports biggest stars, including Victoria and David Beckham, Annie Lennox and Lewis Hamilton.
In 2008, he was certified as the most successful British music manager of all time by Billboard magazine and even has a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.

The aim of the link up between Fuller and the ABBA members is to create an original entertainment experience, which will enable a new generation of fans to see, hear, and feel ABBA in a way previously unimagined.

Simon Fuller has been quietly invested in virtual reality technologies, developing hyper-realistic digital humans in the field of entertainment, for several years.

On the subject of the project, Frida said: “Our fans around the world are always asking us to reform and so I hope this new ABBA creation will excite them as much as it excites me!”

The collaboration with ABBA will fully realise the possibilities of virtual reality ‘ahead of the curve’ – and in the process hopes to transform the face of popular entertainment.

The members of ABBA will be involved throughout the creative process maintaining the authenticity and integrity of the band’s original vision within this exciting new realm of possibilities.

Simon Fuller: “Having seen over the past few months the creativity and ideas flowing from the members of ABBA, it fills me with great excitement.

“This new technological world we are exploring, with Virtual Reality and Artificial Intelligence at the forefront, allows us to create entertainment and new content in ways that could never previously have been imagined.”

Sir Lucian Grainge, Chairman and CEO of Universal Music Group said: “I’m thrilled to be involved in this innovative new project that will introduce the band who are responsible for some of the greatest songs and melodies in pop music to a new generation of fans.

A press release to herald the new project states: Nearly 35 years after their last public performance together, the members of ABBA are preparing to give their fans around the world what millions of them have long dreamed of but considered impossible: A new entertainment experience.

Benny said: “We’re inspired by the limitless possibilities of what the future holds and are loving being a part of creating something new and dramatic here.”

icethesite hopes to be able to share a few more details of this exciting and pioneering collaboration, with the full backing of Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Björn, soon – but the full details of the project and where and when you can see it will be announced in 2017.