If you’re reading this blog, then you’re no doubt aware that there is new music by Agnetha Fältskog out in the world.
Agnetha’s new single ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ had its world premiere on BBC Radio 2 on Thursday afternoon (31 August), and at 6 pm BST it was available on all digital music platforms.
‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ was written by Jörgen Elofsson & Kamilla Bayrak, and produced by Hybrid (Anton Mårtensson) & Jörgen Elofsson. Elofsson says “last July I presented a brand new song for Agnetha. After living with it for a short while she called me up and said “I love it, let’s try”, a month later she came to my home studio and recorded it.”
Agnetha says of recording the song “I was a bit tense and a bit nervous because when you get older, your voice changes,” she said. “I think my voice has dropped a little bit in tone or in pitch. So I maybe sound a little more . . . not dark, but lower. But I still can express a lot and I like to interpret the songs.”
The single is in advance of A+, a “reimagining” of Agnetha’s 2013 album A. As reported in the previous blog post, the album will be available as a single CD, deluxe double CD, single LP on white vinyl, and deluxe double LP on crystal clear vinyl. There is also an anime-styled picture disc. A CD single of ‘Where Do We Go From Here?’ is available exclusively in bundles with the CD, LP, or t-shirt from the Agnetha Fältskog Online Store🔗.
In a letter posted on social media on Thursday, Agnetha wrote “A couple of years ago I heard one of the songs from my last album ‘A’ on the radio. I have lots of fond memories from making that album, so I couldn’t help but smile, time flies…
“Suddenly it hit me, what would the album sound like if we had made it today…? I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I reached out to the boys who produced ‘A’ back in 2013 – “What would you guys think about reimagining ‘A’ and making a totally new version of it?” They loved the idea! “Let’s try!”
Elofsson has said “When we made the album A ten years ago, was a bit of a reaction against EDM and the dance music that dominated the pop world at the time. We did something that was exactly the opposite – arranger Peter Nordahl created timeless string arrangements. Now, we brought the songs into today’s music world, we were surprised how well it worked. The songs have blossomed into the pop songs they are at the core.” Curiously, it seems that Peter Nordahl is not part of the new project, replaced by songwriter and producer Anton Mårtensson, aka Hybrid.
A+ has “reportedly replaced the tasteful balladeering of the original with sleek dance-pop” in the vein of Elton John and Dua Lipa’s 2021 hit ‘Cold Heart’ (which mashed together several of Elton’s past songs, produced by Australian dance music trio Pnau). “That Dua Lipa and Elton John song is for sure an inspiration,” confirmed Elofsson. “I just loved the way it’s very powerful and pushing you forward, but the beat is really relaxed.”
The tracklist of the reimagined A+ has been rearranged from the original album:
1. Where Do We Go From Here?
2. Back On Your Radio (A+)
3. I Should’ve Followed You Home (ft. Gary Barlow) (A+)
4. Dance Your Pain Away (A+)
5. I Was A Flower (A+)
6. Perfume In The Breeze (A+)
7. Past Forever (A+)
8. The One Who Loves You Now (A+)
9. Bubble (A+)
10. When You Really Loved Someone (A+)
11. I Keep Them On The Floor Beside My Bed (A+)
Agnetha said after hearing the first reworked song “I must say I absolutely loved it! It sounded so fresh and modern, even better than I had imagined it!”
The album in all configurations, including various bundles of CDs, LPs and merchandise is available from the Agnetha Fältskog Online Store🔗. The CDs and LPs (except picture disc) are available from the ABBA Fan Club Shop🔗.
A+ is now available to preorder here🔗. ‘Where Can We Go From Here?’ can be streamed or downloaded here🔗. You can find everything you need to know about A+ on the ABBA Omnibus Agnetha Fältskog · A+🔗 feature page.
ABBA Omnibus blog 