ABBA have returned to the studio and recorded new music for the first time since they disbanded in 1982.
The Swedish pop group, who have sold millions of records around the world, told fans on Friday (27Apr18) that they had recorded two new songs for a tour featuring holographic avatars of the band.
"The decision to go ahead with the exciting ABBA avatar tour project had an unexpected consequence," a statement posted on their Instagram page reads. "We all felt that, after some 35 years, it could be fun to join forces again and go into the recording studio. So we did. And it was like time had stood still and we had only been away on a short holiday. An extremely joyful experience!"
One of their two new songs, I Still Have Faith in You, will debut on a TV special which will air on the BBC and U.S. network NBC in December (18).
Describing the track, bandmates Agnetha Faltskog, Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad add, "We may have come of age, but the song is new. And it feels good."
ABBA stormed to success in the U.K. after winning the Eurovision Song Contest in 1974 with their hit Waterloo, and jointly hold the record for most consecutive number one albums, with eight.
They also enjoyed success in the U.S., but stopped recording and performing together in 1982.
Although they never officially announced a split, all four members have rarely appeared in public together since, and have repeatedly ruled out reunions in the past.
However, they came together in 2016 to celebrate their 50th anniversary at a party in Stockholm, Sweden, and later announced plans for a tour featuring digital avatars, which will get underway next year.
