Frida (singer)
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Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad (born 15 November 1945), also known simply as Frida, is a Swedish singer who is best known as one of the founding members and lead singers of the pop band
ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...
. Courtesy titles '' Princess Reuss'' and ''Countess of Plauen'' are also in use because of her third marriage. Born in Bjørkåsen (in
Ballangen Municipality Ballangen () is a List of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1925 until its dissolution in 2020 when it became part of Narvik Municipality. The munic ...
), Norway, to a Norwegian mother and a German father, she grew up in
Torshälla Torshälla () is a locality situated in Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 7,612 inhabitants in 2010. It is mainly known for steel manufacturing, centered on the Nyby Bruk steel mill, and also for its historic old town ce ...
, Sweden, and started her first solo career there, as a jazz singer in 1967, through a talent competition called ''New Faces''. She won the competition with her song " En ledig dag", leading to a television appearance on ''Hylands Hörna'' on
Dagen H (H-day), today usually called "" (), was on 3 September 1967, the day on which Sweden switched from Left- and right-hand traffic, driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right. The "H" stands for "''Högertrafik''", the Swedish lan ...
; as a result, she was signed by
EMI EMI Group Limited (formerly EMI Group plc until 2007; originally an initialism for Electric and Musical Industries, also referred to as EMI Records or simply EMI) was a British transnational conglomerate founded in March 1931 in London. At t ...
, and in turn was signed by
Stig Anderson Stig Erik Leopold "Stikkan" Anderson (25 January 1931 – 12 September 1997) was a Swedish music manager, lyricist and music publisher. He was the co-founder of Polar Music and is best known for managing the Swedish pop band ABBA. Early l ...
's record label,
Polar Music Polar Music is a Swedish record company founded in 1963 by Stig Anderson and his friend Bengt Bernhag. Background The first act that Polar Music signed was the Hootenanny Singers featuring Björn Ulvaeus. Polar eventually gained prosperity pr ...
, after years of releasing several singles and an album, ''
Frida Frida, Frieda, or Freida may refer to: People and fictional characters *Frida (given name), any of several people or characters ** *Frieda (surname), any of several people or characters *Afroditi Frida (born 1964), Greek singer *Frida (singer) ...
'', under the earlier record label. She then had moderate success in Sweden, as she was a contestant for
Melodifestivalen Melodifestivalen (; ) is an annual song competition organised by Swedish public broadcasters Sveriges Television (SVT) and Sveriges Radio (SR). It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almo ...
1969 with her song " Härlig är vår jord". Lyngstad did not find international fame, however, until she joined ABBA, who have sold over 150 million albums and singles worldwide, making the group, which included her second husband
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, composer and producer best known as a member of the pop group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess (musical), Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamm ...
, one of the best-selling music acts in history. After the break-up of ABBA, she continued an international solo singing career with mixed success, releasing the albums ''
Something's Going On ''Something's Going On'' is the third solo album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), one of the founding members of the Swedish pop group ABBA and her first album recorded entirely in English. Her previous two albums had been recorded i ...
'' (1982) and '' Shine'' (1984); the latter being her last international album. In 1996, Lyngstad recorded her final album in Swedish, '' Djupa andetag'' (''Deep Breaths''), released by Anderson Records, before retiring from music.


Early life

Anni-Frid Synni Lyngstad was born to Synni Lyngstad and German soldier Alfred Haase on 15 November 1945 in Bjørkåsen, a small village in
Ballangen Municipality Ballangen () is a List of former municipalities of Norway, former municipality in Nordland Counties of Norway, county, Norway. The municipality existed from 1925 until its dissolution in 2020 when it became part of Narvik Municipality. The munic ...
in northern Norway. Fearing reprisal for conceiving a child with a German during Norway's wartime occupation, Synni left Bjørkåsen in 1947 with her mother Arntine and the infant Anni-Frid. Anni-Frid was taken by her grandmother to Sweden, where they settled in the region of
Härjedalen Härjedalen () is a historical province (''landskap'') in the centre of Sweden. It borders the Norwegian county of Trøndelag, as well as the provinces of Dalarna, Hälsingland, Medelpad and Jämtland. The province originally belonged to Norway, ...
. Arntine took any available job while living there, whereas Synni remained in Norway and worked for a time in the south of the country. Synni joined her mother and daughter in Sweden, and the three moved to
Malmköping Malmköping is a locality situated in Flen Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 2 180 inhabitants in 2020. Malmköping is located about 15 kilometers north-east of the municipal seat Flen. It is a tourist attraction due to its many an ...
(72 km from Stockholm). Synni died of kidney failure soon afterward, aged 21 years, leaving Anni-Frid to be raised solely by her grandmother Arntine. Anni-Frid would grow up believing her father had died during World War II, as his ship had been reported to have sunk on its return to Germany. In June 1949, Arntine and Anni-Frid relocated to
Torshälla Torshälla () is a locality situated in Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden with 7,612 inhabitants in 2010. It is mainly known for steel manufacturing, centered on the Nyby Bruk steel mill, and also for its historic old town ce ...
, outside
Eskilstuna Eskilstuna () is a Urban areas in Sweden, city and the seat of Eskilstuna Municipality, Södermanland County, Sweden. The city of Eskilstuna had 69,948 inhabitants in 2020, with a total population of 107,806 inhabitants in Eskilstuna municipality ...
, where Arntine worked as a seamstress. Anni-Frid grew up in Torshälla and began to attend school in August 1952. During her childhood, Anni-Frid had close contact with her family, particularly her uncle and four aunts, at her birthplace during the summer holidays. She was close to her aunt, Olive, who once stated that she saw how lonely and subdued Anni-Frid was, and who consequently always did her best to make her feel loved and welcomed during her visits. In 1977, the German teen magazine ''
Bravo Bravo(s) or The Bravo(s) may refer to: Arts and entertainment Music Groups and labels * Bravo (band), a Russian rock band * Bravo (Spanish group), represented Spain at Eurovision 1984 * Bravo Music, an American concert band music publishing compa ...
'' published a poster and a complete biography with details of Anni-Frid's background, including the names of her mother and father. It was seen by Anni-Frid's half-brother, Peter Haase, who went to his father and asked him if he had been in Ballangen during the war. A few months later, at the instigation of
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, composer and producer best known as a member of the pop group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess (musical), Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamm ...
, Anni-Frid met Haase in Stockholm for the first time.


Career


1958–1969: Early work

Lyngstad stated in several interviews that her grandmother frequently sang songs to her (such as old Norwegian songs), which resulted in her love for music. She showed musical talent at a very early age from her earliest school years. On Fridays, she was often asked by her teacher to sing in front of the class and soon became known in school and in the neighbourhood for her beautiful voice. Although her grandmother encouraged her to sing (according to Lyngstad herself), she never attended any of her performances. Her grandmother died shortly before ABBA formed, so she never witnessed the success of the group. At the age of 13, Lyngstad gained her first job as a dance band and schlager singer in 1958, with the Evald Ek's Orchestra. Evald Ek himself remembers: "It was hard to believe, such a young person could sing that well. She was so easy to rehearse with and she was never shy onstage. The only thing I taught her was to sing out. In those days, she had a tendency of holding back her voice a little." With the Evald Eks Orchestra, the 13-year-old Lyngstad, performed every weekend in front of a dancing audience. The sets often lasted up to five hours. The songs she liked most to sing were standards such as " All of Me", " Night and Day" and "
Begin the Beguine "Begin the Beguine" is a popular song written by Cole Porter. Porter composed the song during a 1935 Pacific cruise aboard the Cunard ocean liner ''Franconia'' from Kalabahi, Indonesia, to Fiji. In October 1935, it was introduced by June Knigh ...
". To advance and develop, she also started to take singing lessons with opera tenor Folke Andersson. Later, she teamed up with the 15-piece Bengt Sandlunds Bigband, who performed a jazz repertoire covering
Glenn Miller Alton Glen "Glenn" Miller (March 1, 1904 – December 15, 1944) was an American big band conductor, arranger, composer, trombonist, and recording artist before and during World War II, when he was an officer in the United States Army Air Forces ...
,
Duke Ellington Edward Kennedy "Duke" Ellington (April 29, 1899 – May 24, 1974) was an American Jazz piano, jazz pianist, composer, and leader of his eponymous Big band, jazz orchestra from 1924 through the rest of his life. Born and raised in Washington, D ...
and
Count Basie William James "Count" Basie (; August 21, 1904 â€“ April 26, 1984) was an American jazz pianist, organist, bandleader, and composer. In 1935, he formed the Count Basie Orchestra, and in 1936 took them to Chicago for a long engagement and the ...
, her vocal idols being
Ella Fitzgerald Ella Jane Fitzgerald (April25, 1917June15, 1996) was an American singer, songwriter and composer, sometimes referred to as the "First Lady of Song", "Queen of Jazz", and "Lady Ella". She was noted for her purity of tone, impeccable diction, phra ...
and
Peggy Lee Norma Deloris Egstrom (May 26, 1920 – January 21, 2002), known professionally as Peggy Lee, was an American jazz and popular music singer, songwriter, and actress whose career spanned seven decades. From her beginning as a vocalist on local r ...
. In 1963, she was the vocalist with the Gunnar Sandevarn Trio before forming her own band, the Anni-Frid Four. These groups all contained her husband, Ragnar Fredriksson. On 3 September 1967, Lyngstad won the Swedish national talent competition "New Faces", arranged by record company EMI Svenska, and held at
Skansen Skansen (; "the Sconce") is the oldest open-air museum and zoo in Sweden located on the island Djurgården in Stockholm, Sweden. It was opened on 11 October 1891 by Artur Hazelius (1833–1901) to show the way of life in the different parts ...
, Stockholm. The song she chose to sing was "'' En ledig dag''" ("A Day Off"; original title "Week-End in Portofino"). The first prize in this contest was a recording contract with EMI's Swedish subsidiary. Unbeknownst to Lyngstad, the winner of the contest was also expected to appear the same evening in the country's most popular TV show at that time, ''Hylands Hörna''. This happened on the same day Sweden switched from driving on the left-hand side of the road to the right-hand side. Driving on that day was discouraged, so most of the nation was watching TV that night. Lyngstad performed her winning song live. The performance can be seen on '' Frida – The DVD''. This first exposure to a wider television audience caused a sensation, and many record companies and producers contacted Frida immediately. EMI executives, fearing they might lose their new singer, took the precaution of driving from Stockholm to Lyngstad's home in Eskilstuna the next morning with a recording contract for her to sign. EMI producer Olle Bergman remembers: "We got so interested and fond of her and I thought she had everything a person needs to become something." On 11 September 1967, Lyngstad recorded the vocals for "'' En ledig dag''", which was to become her first single for EMI, under the company's British
His Master's Voice His Master's Voice is an entertainment trademark featuring a dog named Nipper, curiously peering into the horn of a wind-up gramophone. Painted by Francis Barraud in 1898, the image has since become a global symbol used across consumer elect ...
label. Professional and self-assured on this first day in the studio, she recorded the vocals in just one take. The early songs she recorded for EMI are included in the compilation album ''
Frida 1967–1972 ''Frida 1967–1972'' is a compilation album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad, released in 1997 by EMI Sweden. The album features Lyngstad's anthology of her solo recordings prior to ABBA, which includes the A and B sides of ten 7" singles, ...
'', released by EMI Sweden in 1997. On 29 January 1968, she performed this song on ''Studio 8'' on national television and on this occasion briefly met future ABBA member
Agnetha Fältskog Agneta Åse "Agnetha" Fältskog (; born 5 April 1950) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and a former member of the pop group ABBA. She first achieved success in Sweden with the release of her 1968 Agnetha Fältskog (album), self-titled debut alb ...
, who also performed her first single on the same SVT1 programme. Lyngstad toured Sweden with Lasse Lönndahl and Bengt Hallberg in 1968, and recorded several singles for EMI. At the same time, she decided to leave her family and move to
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
to start working full-time as a singer. In 1969, she participated in
Melodifestivalen Melodifestivalen (; ) is an annual song competition organised by Swedish public broadcasters Sveriges Television (SVT) and Sveriges Radio (SR). It determines the country's representative for the Eurovision Song Contest, and has been staged almo ...
, the Swedish heats for the
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
, with the song "'' Härlig är vår jord''" ("Our Earth Is Wonderful"), and finished in fourth place. Backstage she met her future second husband and ABBA bandmate Benny Andersson.


1970–1971: Pre-ABBA

Her first album, ''
Frida Frida, Frieda, or Freida may refer to: People and fictional characters *Frida (given name), any of several people or characters ** *Frieda (surname), any of several people or characters *Afroditi Frida (born 1964), Greek singer *Frida (singer) ...
'', produced by her then-fiancé
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, composer and producer best known as a member of the pop group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess (musical), Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamm ...
, was released in 1971 by EMI Columbia. The album received generous praise from critics and the press, who especially commented on the precision and versatility of Lyngstad's voice. A reviewer for the Swedish newspaper ''
Dagens Nyheter (, ), abbreviated ''DN'', is a daily newspaper in Sweden. It is published in Stockholm and aspires to full national and international coverage, and is widely considered Sweden's newspaper of record A newspaper of record is a major nationa ...
'' wrote: "Professional, sure and certain LP-debut ... low-key but self-assured personality with sprinkles of temperament, humor and tenderness. And she sings in such a way that you understand that she's got something between her ears – she sings, in other words, in a very intelligent way." That same year, she released her single "''Min egen stad''" ("My Own Town"), a cover version of Andersson's song "It's Nice To Be Back" with lyrics by Peter Himmelstrand; the single reached No. 1 in Svensktoppen. All four future members of ABBA sang back-up vocals on this song. The success of the single led EMI Columbia to re-issue the ''Frida'' album with "''Min egen stad''" added to the beginning of side two of the LP. The entire album was included in the EMI Sweden compilation ''
Frida 1967–1972 ''Frida 1967–1972'' is a compilation album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad, released in 1997 by EMI Sweden. The album features Lyngstad's anthology of her solo recordings prior to ABBA, which includes the A and B sides of ten 7" singles, ...
''. Frida continued to play in cabarets, and tour and regularly perform on TV and radio. Subsequently, her relationship with Andersson, and friendship with
Björn Ulvaeus Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (; born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish musician, singer, songwriter, and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA. He is also the co-composer of the musicals ''Chess (musical), Chess'', ''Kristina från Duve ...
and
Agnetha Fältskog Agneta Åse "Agnetha" Fältskog (; born 5 April 1950) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and a former member of the pop group ABBA. She first achieved success in Sweden with the release of her 1968 Agnetha Fältskog (album), self-titled debut alb ...
led to the formation of ABBA. In 1972, after five years with EMI Sweden, Lyngstad changed record companies and moved to the
Polar Music Polar Music is a Swedish record company founded in 1963 by Stig Anderson and his friend Bengt Bernhag. Background The first act that Polar Music signed was the Hootenanny Singers featuring Björn Ulvaeus. Polar eventually gained prosperity pr ...
label. She recorded the single "'' Man vill ju leva lite dessemellan''" ("One wants to live a little from time to time"), which became her second No. 1 hit in the Swedish charts.


1972–1981: ABBA and ''Frida ensam''

At first, Lyngstad was hesitant to perform with her boyfriend Benny Andersson, his best friend Björn Ulvaeus and his wife,
Agnetha Fältskog Agneta Åse "Agnetha" Fältskog (; born 5 April 1950) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, and a former member of the pop group ABBA. She first achieved success in Sweden with the release of her 1968 Agnetha Fältskog (album), self-titled debut alb ...
. Their first project together in the winter of 1970–1971 was the cabaret act Festfolket, which was not a success. The following year, Lyngstad toured with Lasse Berghagen, while the other three future ABBA members started performing together on a regular basis. Eventually, she rejoined the ensemble. Andersson and Ulvaeus were busy producing other artists, but soon discovered the qualities of Lyngstad's and Fältskog's voices combined; thus, the band was formed initially as Björn & Benny, Agnetha & Anni-Frid, later renamed ABBA. Possessing a wide mezzo-soprano vocal range, that covers C#3 to Eb6, Lyngstad sang solo parts in the following ABBA songs: " Andante, Andante", "Bumblebee", "Cassandra", "
Fernando Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia (like the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka). It is e ...
", " Get on the Carousel", "Gonna Sing You My Lovesong", "I Am the City", "
I Have a Dream "I Have a Dream" is a Public speaking, public speech that was delivered by American civil rights activist and Baptist minister Martin Luther King Jr. during the March on Washington for Jobs and Freedom on August 28, 1963. In the speech, Kin ...
", " I Let the Music Speak", "On Top of Old Smokey", " I Still Have Faith in You", "I Wonder (Departure)", "
The King Has Lost His Crown "The King Has Lost His Crown" is a song by Swedish group ABBA, released on their 1979 album ''Voulez-Vous''. It was also the B-side of the non-album single "Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)". Synopsis The song is a "vengeful ballad" wh ...
", "
Knowing Me, Knowing You "Knowing Me, Knowing You" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, released in February 1977 as the third single from the group's fourth album, '' Arrival'' (1976). It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson, with ...
", " Like an Angel Passing Through My Room", "
Lovers (Live a Little Longer) "Lovers (Live a Little Longer)" is a song by ABBA, released on their 1979 album ''Voulez-Vous''. Production The song premiered in the TV show ''ABBA in Switzerland'' in February 1979. Synopsis The song argues that a recent scientific study has ...
", " Me and Bobby and Bobby's Brother", " Me and I", "
Money, Money, Money "Money, Money, Money" is a song recorded by Swedish pop group ABBA, written by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus with Anni-Frid Lyngstad singing lead vocals. It was released on 1 November 1976, as the second single from the group's fourth stu ...
", " The Name of the Game", "No Doubt About It", "
One Man, One Woman "One Man, One Woman" is a song by ABBA, released on their 1977 album '' ABBA: The Album''. It is that album's third track after "Eagle" and "Take a Chance on Me". Composed by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus, it has appeared on several compilati ...
", " Our Last Summer", "Put On Your White Sombrero", " Should I Laugh or Cry", " Super Trouper", "Tropical Loveland", " The Visitors", " The Way Old Friends Do" and "
When All Is Said and Done "When All Is Said and Done" is a song by the Swedish recording group ABBA, recorded for their eighth studio album ''The Visitors (ABBA album), The Visitors'' (1981). Featuring lead vocals by Anni-Frid Lyngstad, the track was released as the secon ...
". Lyngstad clearly enjoyed the spotlight more than the other three members of ABBA. She liked to tour and to meet audience members one-to-one. She took an active part in co-designing the famed ABBA costumes for their tours and TV performances. After the members of ABBA went their separate ways, Lyngstad was the only one who openly regretted there had never been a reunion, until ABBA got back together in 2017. Her next solo album, in Swedish, was ''
Frida ensam ''Frida ensam'' () is the second studio album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It was first released by Polar Music in 1975 while Lyngstad was a member of the pop group ABBA and produced by her then-fiancé and fellow ABBA member, Benny Ander ...
'' ("Frida Alone"), released in 1975 during the ABBA years, and produced by Andersson. This album includes her successful Swedish version of "
Fernando Fernando is a Spanish and Portuguese given name and a surname common in Spain, Portugal, Italy, France, Switzerland, and former Spanish or Portuguese colonies in Latin America, Africa and Asia (like the Philippines, India, and Sri Lanka). It is e ...
", which stayed at the No. 1 spot in the Svensktoppen radio charts for 9 weeks, but was never released as a single. The album was recorded between sessions of the ABBA albums ''
Waterloo Waterloo most commonly refers to: * Battle of Waterloo, 1815 battle where Napoleon's French army was defeated by Anglo-allied and Prussian forces * Waterloo, Belgium Waterloo may also refer to: Other places Australia * Waterloo, New South Wale ...
'' and ''
ABBA ABBA ( ) were a Swedish pop group formed in Stockholm in 1972 by Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad. They are one of the most popular and successful musical groups of all time, and are one of the List ...
''. Because of the activities of the group, the album took 18 months to record. ''Frida ensam'' became an enormous commercial and critical success in Sweden, topping the Swedish album charts for six weeks and remaining in the charts for 38. The album was mostly a collection of covers of songs by artists such as the
Beach Boys The Beach Boys are an American rock band formed in Hawthorne, California, in 1961. The group's original lineup consisted of brothers Brian, Dennis, and Carl Wilson, their cousin Mike Love, and their friend Al Jardine. Distinguished by thei ...
( "''Skulle de' va' skönt''"),
10cc 10cc are an English rock music, rock band formed in Stockport, southeast of Manchester, in 1972. The group initially consisted of four musicians, Graham Gouldman, Eric Stewart, Kevin Godley and Lol Creme, who had written and recorded togethe ...
( "''Guld och gröna ängar''") and
David Bowie David Robert Jones (8 January 194710 January 2016), known as David Bowie ( ), was an English singer, songwriter and actor. Regarded as one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, Bowie was acclaimed by critics and musicians, pa ...
( "''Liv på Mars?''"), receiving positive reviews from ''
Melody Maker ''Melody Maker'' was a British weekly music magazine, one of the world's earliest music weeklies; according to its publisher, IPC Media, the earliest. In January 2001, it was merged into "long-standing rival" (and IPC Media sister publicatio ...
'': "The album portrays Frida as a very strong and emotive singer and shows the true value of the music, that if sung properly and with enough feeling it transcends all language barriers". This album eventually went platinum.


1982–1984: International solo career

In 1982, during ABBA's last year as a working band, Frida recorded and released her first post-ABBA solo album. This was also her first solo album in English. The
Phil Collins Philip David Charles Collins (born 30 January 1951) is an English musician, songwriter, record producer and actor. He was the drummer and later became the lead singer of the rock band Genesis (band), Genesis and had a successful solo career, ac ...
-produced album called ''
Something's Going On ''Something's Going On'' is the third solo album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), one of the founding members of the Swedish pop group ABBA and her first album recorded entirely in English. Her previous two albums had been recorded i ...
'' became a big success for Frida worldwide. A much rockier sound was found on many of the songs and Phil Collins' drum sound had a major contribution, particularly on the lead single, " I Know There's Something Going On", which topped the charts in Belgium and Switzerland, and was a top 5 hit in Australia, Austria, France, Germany, the Netherlands, Norway, South Africa and Sweden among others. With the song and video being heavily promoted and played on
MTV MTV (an initialism of Music Television) is an American cable television television channel, channel and the flagship property of the MTV Entertainment Group sub-division of the Paramount Media Networks division of Paramount Global. Launched on ...
, the single also proved successful in the United States, reaching No. 13 on the ''Billboard'' Hot 100 (and No. 9 on ''
Radio & Records ''Radio & Records'' (''R&R'') was a trade publication providing news and airplay information for the radio and music industries. It started as an independent trade from 1973 to 2006 until VNU Media took over in 2006 and became a relaunched sister ...
'') in March 1983, and was the 20th-biggest-selling single in the US that year. In the UK, the track was not a big hit, only reaching No. 43. The album itself received good reviews, with ''
Billboard A billboard (also called a hoarding in the UK and many other parts of the world) is a large outdoor advertising structure (a billing board), typically found in high-traffic areas such as alongside busy roads. Billboards present large advertis ...
'' writing: "ABBA's auburn-haired songstress makes a bold solo project a stunning success", while Mark Coleman described the album in the third edition of ''
Rolling Stone Album Guide ''The Rolling Stone Album Guide'', previously known as ''The Rolling Stone Record Guide'', is a book that contains professional music reviews written and edited by staff members from ''Rolling Stone'' magazine. Its first edition was published in 1 ...
'' as "a sharp, rock-oriented, delightfully eclectic album". William Cooper had a similar opinion in
AllMusic AllMusic (previously known as All-Music Guide and AMG) is an American online database, online music database. It catalogs more than three million album entries and 30 million tracks, as well as information on Musical artist, musicians and Mus ...
: "Frida escapes the creative limitations of being a member of one of the world's most popular groups on this solid and often riveting album". Swedish Television SVT documented this historical event by filming the whole recording process. The result became a one-hour TV documentary, including interviews with Frida and Phil, Björn and Benny, as well as all the musicians involved with the album. Owing to the success of the album (selling 1.5 million copies worldwide), and its lead single, Frida was voted "Best Female Artist Of The Year" 1982, by the readers of Sweden's biggest evening paper ''
Aftonbladet (, lit. "The evening paper") is a Swedish language, Swedish daily tabloid newspaper published in Stockholm, Sweden. It is one of the largest daily newspapers in the Nordic countries. History and profile The newspaper was founded by Lar ...
'', receiving the Swedish Music Award Price
Rockbjörnen Rockbjörnen (Swedish: ''the Rock Bear'') is a music prize in Sweden, divided into several categories, which is awarded annually by the newspaper ''Aftonbladet''. The prize was first awarded in 1979, and is mostly centered on pop and rock. In ...
. In 1983, Lyngstad assisted with ''
Abbacadabra ''ABBAcadabra'' is a French children's musical based on songs from the pop group ABBA. It was originally produced for French television in 1983 by Alain Boublil and Daniel Boublil, which was later also transferred to an English stage version and ...
'', and recorded one of the tracks with two different male vocalists in different languages, including the French star
Daniel Balavoine Daniel Xavier-Marie Balavoine (; 5 February 1952 – 14 January 1986) was a French singer and songwriter. He was popular in the French-speaking world in the early 1980s; he inspired many singers of his generation such as Jean-Jacques Goldman, M ...
on the track " Belle" and on the English version "
Time Time is the continuous progression of existence that occurs in an apparently irreversible process, irreversible succession from the past, through the present, and into the future. It is a component quantity of various measurements used to sequ ...
" with B. A. Robertson produced by
Mike Batt Michael Philip Batt (born 6 February 1949) is an English singer-songwriter, musician, arranger, record producer, director, and conductor. He served as the Deputy Chairman of the British Phonographic Industry. Batt created the novelty pop band T ...
. This track was a cover of "
Arrival Arrival(s) or The Arrival(s) may refer to: Film * ''The Arrival'' (1991 film), an American science fiction horror film * ''The Arrival'' (1996 film), an American-Mexican science fiction horror film * ''Arrival'' (film), a 2016 American science ...
", an instrumental track from the ABBA album of the same name. She also jumps in and does the female recitation towards the end of the song "Strip" on the ''Strip'' album by
Adam Ant Stuart Leslie Goddard (born 3 November 1954), known professionally as Adam Ant, is an English singer, musician, and actor. He gained popularity as the lead singer of new wave group Adam and the Ants and later as a solo artist, scoring 10 UK ...
, who was recording his album at
Polar Studios Polar Studios was a recording studio in Stockholm, Sweden, which operated from 1978 through 2004. The studio was formed by ABBA musicians Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson and the band's manager Stig Anderson, owner of the Polar Music recording l ...
in Stockholm. Lyngstad's next album was '' Shine'' (1984). This album was recorded at Studios De La Grande Armée in Paris and produced by
Steve Lillywhite Stephen Alan Lillywhite (born 15 March 1955) is an English record producer. Since he began his career in 1977, Lillywhite has been credited on over 500 records, and has collaborated with a variety of musicians including new wave acts The Alarm ...
. Lillywhite was only 29 when this album was recorded; he gave Lyngstad a very experimental sound and managed to create a relaxed atmosphere in the studio. The album had much less success than hoped, though it reached the Top 20 in many European countries, No. 6 in Sweden being its highest position.


1985–2004: Later career

In 1987, Lyngstad was in the choir for the recording of her former husband Benny Andersson's song "''Klinga Mina Klockor''". Also in 1987, Lyngstad recorded the single "'' Så Länge Vi Har Varann''" ("As Long As We Have Each Other") with the Swedish pop group Ratata, one of Lyngstad's favourites. She was contacted by singer
Mauro Scocco Mauro Scocco (born 11 September 1962) is a Swedish pop musician of Italian descent. He has been described as "one of the sharpest songwriters in Sweden". Scocco was the singer for the pop group Ratata (1980–83) transformed into a duo with Jo ...
, who mentioned that he had a song suitable for a duet. After hearing it, Lyngstad accepted immediately. The song achieved great success in Sweden, and was also recorded in English under the title of " As long as I have you". An English-language video of the song was produced, although an Australian release of this song on Festival Records in January 1998 was eventually shelved. In 1990, Lyngstad became a member of the committee of the Swedish environmental organization ''Det Naturliga Steget'' ("The Natural Step"). The organization wanted a "famous face" to help them reach the public, and in 1991 she became chairwoman for the organization ''Artister För Miljö'' ("Artists for the Environment"). In 1992, Lyngstad founded her Children and Environment Foundation which runs summer camps for underprivileged children. Also in 1992, Lyngstad performed live at the
Stockholm Stockholm (; ) is the Capital city, capital and List of urban areas in Sweden by population, most populous city of Sweden, as well as the List of urban areas in the Nordic countries, largest urban area in the Nordic countries. Approximately ...
Water Festival at the Kings Castle and released the environmental charity single with her cover of
Julian Lennon Julian Charles John Lennon (born John Charles Julian Lennon; 8 April 1963) is an English musician, photographer, author, and philanthropist. He is the son of Beatles member John Lennon and his first wife Cynthia; Julian is named after his pate ...
's song "Saltwater". All the royalties from this single went to charity. In 1993, on
Queen Silvia Silvia (born Silvia Renate Sommerlath; 23 December 1943) is Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf. She has held this title since her marriage to Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976. The king and queen have three children: Crown Princess Vict ...
's 50th birthday, Frida was asked to perform "
Dancing Queen "Dancing Queen" is a song by the Swedish group ABBA, released as the lead single from their fourth studio album, '' Arrival'' (1976). It was written by Benny Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus and Stig Anderson. Andersson and Ulvaeus also produced the ...
" on stage, as performed by ABBA when the king and queen married in 1976. Frida contacted
The Real Group The Real Group is an a cappella group from Sweden. Members are Clara Fornander, Joanné Pastor Nugas, Johannes Rückert Becker, Axel Berntzon and Daniele Dees. The group's members compose and arrange most of their songs. They sing in English an ...
and together they performed the song at the Stockholm Opera House in front of the king and queen. This performance was filmed by Swedish TV and can be seen in '' Frida: The DVD''. In 1996, Lyngstad recorded her Swedish language album '' Djupa andetag'' ("Deep Breaths"). It was a long-awaited album as 12 years had passed since '' Shine'' was released. The album attracted overall relatively positive reviews and was a success in Sweden where it reached No. 1 on the album chart. Frida did many TV appearances in Sweden, Norway, Denmark and Finland to promote the album. ''Djupa andetag'' was one of the first Swedish albums to be released as a combined audio-video
CD-ROM A CD-ROM (, compact disc read-only memory) is a type of read-only memory consisting of a pre-pressed optical compact disc that contains computer data storage, data computers can read, but not write or erase. Some CDs, called enhanced CDs, hold b ...
, including interviews with Lyngstad, footage from the making of the album, as well as promotional videos. Despite the fact that ''Djupa andetag'' was officially only released in Scandinavia and the songs were entirely sung in Swedish, a remix album of the single tracks "'' Även en blomma''", "''Alla Mina Bästa År''" (a duet with
Roxette Roxette is a Swedish pop rock duo originally consisting of Marie Fredriksson and Per Gessle, both of whom were already established musicians in Sweden prior to the band's formation. Fredriksson had released a number of successful solo albums, ...
's
Marie Fredriksson Gun-Marie Fredriksson (; 30 May 1958 – 9 December 2019) was a Swedish singer, songwriter, pianist, and lead vocalist of pop-rock duo Roxette, which she formed in 1986 with Per Gessle. The duo achieved international success in the late 1980s an ...
) and "'' Ögonen''" was released in Germany in 1998, entitled '' Frida – The Mixes''. Despite the success of the album, none of these singles made a big impression on the Swedish charts. A one-hour documentary about the making of this album, both in the studio and from Frida's home in Mallorca, Spain, can be seen in ''Frida: The DVD''. A follow-up album with producer
Anders Glenmark Gert Anders Glenmark (born 20 November 1953) is a Swedish singer, songwriter, musician and record producer. He is the brother of singer Karin Glenmark and nephew of band leader Bruno Glenmark. Career Among the artists for whom Glenmark has w ...
was reportedly in the works, but was shelved because of the death of Frida's daughter in 1998. Lyngstad dedicated the song "Chemistry Tonight" (co-written by
Kirsty MacColl Kirsty Anna MacColl (, ; 10 October 1959 – 18 December 2000) was a British singer and songwriter. The daughter of folk singer Ewan MacColl, she recorded several pop hits in the 1980s and 1990s, including "There's a Guy Works Down the Chip Shop ...
) to the songwriter after MacColl's death in 2000. A few low key and one-off recordings followed, including a 2002 duet with opera singer
Filippa Giordano Filippa Giordano (born 14 February 1974) is an Italian-born Mexican crossover singer. Biography Giordano was born in Palermo. At the age of nine, she started ballet at the National Academy of Rome (where she moved with her family). Giordano ...
of the "
Barcarolle A barcarolle ( ; from French, also barcarole; originally, Italian barcarola or barcaruola, from 'boat') is a traditional folk song sung by Venetian gondoliers, or a piece of music composed in that style. In classical music, two of the most fa ...
" from
Jacques Offenbach Jacques Offenbach (; 20 June 18195 October 1880) was a German-born French composer, cellist and impresario. He is remembered for his nearly 100 operettas of the 1850s to the 1870s, and his uncompleted opera ''The Tales of Hoffmann''. He was a p ...
's ''
Les contes d'Hoffman ''The Tales of Hoffmann'' (French: ) is an by Jacques Offenbach. The French libretto was written by Jules Barbier, based on three short stories by E. T. A. Hoffmann, who is the protagonist of the story. It was Offenbach's final work; he died in ...
'' as well as the song "The Sun Will Shine Again", written by former
Deep Purple Deep Purple are an English rock band formed in London in 1968. They are considered to be among the pioneers of heavy metal music, heavy metal and modern hard rock, although their musical style has varied throughout their career. Originally for ...
member
Jon Lord John Douglas "Jon" Lord (9 June 194116 July 2012) was an English keyboardist and composer. In 1968, Lord co-founded the hard rock band Deep Purple. Lord performed on most of the band's most popular songs; he and drummer Ian Paice were the only ...
, and recorded in 2004. "Barcarolle" is only available on the Japanese edition of Giordano's album ''Rosso Amore'' and "The Sun Will Shine Again" can be found on Jon Lord's album ''Beyond The Notes'' (although a limited-promotional single had been made available). Lord and Lyngstad made several TV appearances in Germany performing the song, on shows like ''The Sunday Night Classics'' and ''The Golden Henne Gala''. Lyngstad also joined Lord on stage singing the song during his European autumn tour in 2004. During this tour, she also performed "In the Bleak Midwinter", a performance of which can be found on social media. For the 2004 semi-final of the
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
, staged in Istanbul thirty years after ABBA had won the contest in Brighton, Lyngstad appeared in a special comedy video made for the interval act, entitled ''Our Last Video''. All four members of the group appeared briefly in cameo roles, as did the singer
Cher Cher ( ; born Cheryl Sarkisian, May 20, 1946) is an American singer, actress and television personality. Dubbed the "Honorific nicknames in popular music, Goddess of Pop", she is known for her Androgyny, androgynous contralto voice, Music an ...
and British comedian
Rik Mayall Richard Michael Mayall (; 7 March 1958 â€“ 9 June 2014) was an English actor, comedian and writer. He formed a close partnership with Adrian Edmondson while they were students at Manchester University, and was a pioneer of alternative come ...
among others. The video was not included in the official DVD release of the Eurovision Contest, but was issued as a separate DVD release on the Universal Music label. It was billed as the first time the four had worked together since the group split in 1982 although they each filmed their appearances separately. Also in 2004, Lyngstad appeared with former bandmates Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus in London at the fifth-anniversary performance of '' Mamma Mia!'', the musical based on ABBA songs. In 2008, she joined all three of her former ABBA colleagues at the Swedish premiere of ''Mamma Mia!'' at the arena Cirkus in Stockholm.


2005–present: Hiatus from music, selected public appearances and ABBA reunion

On 15 November 2005, to celebrate Lyngstad's 60th birthday,
Universal Records Universal Music Group N.V. (often abbreviated as UMG and referred to as Universal Music Group or Universal Music) is a Netherlands, Dutch–United States, American multinational Music industry, music corporation under Law of the Netherlands, ...
released the box set '' Frida: 4×CD 1×DVD'', consisting of all the solo albums she recorded for
Polar Music Polar Music is a Swedish record company founded in 1963 by Stig Anderson and his friend Bengt Bernhag. Background The first act that Polar Music signed was the Hootenanny Singers featuring Björn Ulvaeus. Polar eventually gained prosperity pr ...
and Anderson Records, including a set of bonus tracks. Also included was '' Frida: The DVD'', a 3.5-hour documentary where Lyngstad talks about her entire career in the music business. Filmed in the Swiss Alps, she talks about her singing technique and about her career both before and after ABBA, and explains how songs were performed and recorded. In collaboration with Swedish TV, SVT, the film included many clips from her early television performances, such as her first TV performance with "''En ledig dag''" ("A Day Off"). Also included are TV documentaries about the making and recordings of ''
Something's Going On ''Something's Going On'' is the third solo album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), one of the founding members of the Swedish pop group ABBA and her first album recorded entirely in English. Her previous two albums had been recorded i ...
'' and '' Djupa andetag'' ("Deep Breaths"). In 2007, Lyngstad became one of the initial patrons of the Zermatt Unplugged Music Festival along with Jon Lord and Claude Nobs. In September 2010, a new album by musician
Georg Wadenius Georg "Jojje" Wadenius (born 4 May 1945) is a Swedish multi-instrumentalist, singer, and composer who was particularly active during the 1970s and 1980s as a studio and session guitarist and bassist, as well as for a series of albums of childre ...
titled ''Reconnection'' was released. Lyngstad and Wadenius had discussed working together for many years, as they had long been good friends. The album opens with her rendition of the traditional tune "
Morning Has Broken "Morning Has Broken" is a Christian hymn first published in 1931. It has words by English author Eleanor Farjeon and was inspired by the village of Alfriston in East Sussex, then set to a traditional Scottish Gaelic tune, "Bunessan". English po ...
", previously covered by
Cat Stevens Yusuf Islam (born Steven Demetre Georgiou; ), commonly known by his stage names Cat Stevens, Yusuf, and Yusuf / Cat Stevens, is a British singer-songwriter and musician. He has sold more than 100 million records and has more than two billion st ...
. This song is a favourite for Frida and the song was also on the playlist in the church for Frida and Prince Ruzzo's wedding on 26 August 1992. On 16 February 2011, BBC Radio 4 broadcast a 45-minute play featuring Lyngstad and the play's writer, long-term fan and performer Christopher Green. The play, ''Like an Angel Passing Through My Room'', was billed as "a story about love. The unconditional love of a devoted fan ... about a real and an imagined intimacy." It was a project several years in the making; what started as an upbeat reflection on fame and being a fan developed into a meditation on the communication between two people and coping with the blows life deals. In an interview, she and Green talked about her long recovery following the death of her husband in 1999. The play is reflective but with a comic sensibility. Lyngstad stated in 2004 that she never intended to return to the music industry, although this was short-lived, and future studio albums were discussed in 2010. In 2013, she helped organise the opening of ABBA The Museum in Stockholm stating she wanted to "let ABBA rest". The long-awaited ABBA reunion was expected to happen in 2014 to celebrate the 40th anniversary of the group's win at the
Eurovision Song Contest The Eurovision Song Contest (), often known simply as Eurovision, is an international Music competition, song competition organised annually by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) among its members since 1956. Each participating broadcaster ...
. However, this did not happen. In 2015, Lyngstad, along with Dan Daniell, released the single "1865" about the
Matterhorn The , ; ; ; or ; ; . is a mountain of the Alps, straddling the Main chain of the Alps, main watershed and border between Italy and Switzerland. It is a large, near-symmetric pyramidal peak in the extended Monte Rosa area of the Pennine Alps, ...
in Switzerland. On 19 August 2017, Lyngstad travelled to Torshälla to claim her award from the Eskilstuna Music Prize 2014."Anni-Frid Lyngstad is awarded this years Music Prize." News Powered by Cision, Eskilstuna Kommun, 3 December 2014, 14:02 CET, news.cision.com/eskilstuna-kommun/r/anni-frid-lyngstad-is-awarded-this-year-s-music-prize,c9921819. In the summer of 2017, Lyngstad joined her ABBA bandmates Agnetha Faltskög, Björn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson to record two new songs, " I Still Have Faith in You" and " Don't Shut Me Down". These songs were meant to be part of an ABBA-themed TV special that was eventually discarded and replaced by the more ambitious, digital-laden ''Voyage'' show. In 2018, Lyngstad and jazz trumpeter
Arturo Sandoval Arturo Sandoval (born November 6, 1949) is a Cuban-American jazz trumpeter, pianist, timbalero, and composer. While living in his native Cuba, Sandoval was influenced by jazz musicians Charlie Parker, Clifford Brown, and Dizzy Gillespie. In 1977 ...
released a duet of the ABBA song " Andante, Andante" as a single. The song is featured on Sandoval's album '' Ultimate Duets''. On 2 September 2021, via YouTube livestream, ABBA announced their upcoming virtual
concert residency A concert residency (also known as musical residency or simply residency) is a series of concerts, similar to a concert tour, but performed at only one location. The ''Pollstar'' Awards defined a residency as a run of 10 or more shows at a sing ...
"
ABBA Voyage ABBA Voyage is a Virtual concert, virtual concert residency by the Swedish Pop music, pop group ABBA. The concerts feature virtual Avatar (computing), avatars (dubbed "ABBAtars"), depicting the group as they appeared in 1979 and use the original ...
", as well as the imminent release of an eponymous album, recorded between 2017 and 2021. The new record, their first studio album in 40 years, features ten tracks, including "I Still Have Faith In You" and "Don't Shut Me Down", which also were first shown in the aforementioned livestream event and released as a double A-side single. On 5 November 2021, the ''
Voyage Voyage(s) or The Voyage may refer to: Literature *''Voyage : A Novel of 1896'', Sterling Hayden * ''Voyage'' (novel), a 1996 science fiction novel by Stephen Baxter *''The Voyage'', Murray Bail * "The Voyage" (short story), a 1921 story by ...
'' album was released worldwide. On 27 May 2022, ABBA Voyage opened in a purpose-built venue named the ABBA Arena at the
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park is a sporting complex and public park in Stratford, Hackney Wick, Leyton and Bow, in east London. It was purpose-built for the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics, situated adjacent to the Stratford City devel ...
in London.


Personal life

On 3 April 1964, 18-year-old Lyngstad married salesman and fellow musician Ragnar Fredriksson. They had two children. They separated in 1968 and were divorced on 19 May 1970. In 1969, Lyngstad met
Benny Andersson Göran Bror Benny Andersson (; born 16 December 1946) is a Swedish musician, composer and producer best known as a member of the pop group ABBA and co-composer of the musicals ''Chess (musical), Chess'', ''Kristina från Duvemåla'', and ''Mamm ...
. They were living together by 1971 and married on 6 October 1978, during the height of ABBA's success. They separated in November 1980 and divorced in 1981. In 1982, Lyngstad left Sweden and moved to London. In 1986, she relocated to Switzerland, and lived with her boyfriend,
landscape architect A landscape architect is a person who is educated in the field of landscape architecture. The practice of landscape architecture includes: site analysis, site inventory, site planning, land planning, planting design, grading, storm water manage ...
Heinrich Ruzzo Prinz Reuss von Plauen (1950–1999), member of an ancient German
House of Reuss Reuss ( ) was the name of several historical states located in present-day Thuringia, Germany. Several lordships of the Holy Roman Empire which arose after 1300 and became Imperial Counties from 1673 and Prince of the Holy Roman Empire, Imperial ...
, in his family castle in
Fribourg or is the capital of the Cantons of Switzerland, Swiss canton of Canton of Fribourg, Fribourg and district of Sarine (district), La Sarine. Located on both sides of the river Saane/Sarine, on the Swiss Plateau, it is a major economic, adminis ...
. The couple married on 26 August 1992. He died from lymphoma in 1999. In 1989, Lyngstad became a grandmother when her daughter, Ann Lise-Lotte, had a son, Jonathan Casper. Jonathan died in 2023 from stomach cancer. Through her marriage to Reuss von Plauen, who had been a student at the same boarding school as Crown Prince Carl Gustaf (later
King of Sweden The monarchy of Sweden is centred on the monarchical head of state of Sweden,See the #IOG, Instrument of Government, Chapter 1, Article 5. by law a constitutional monarchy, constitutional and hereditary monarchy with a parliamentary system.Parl ...
), Lyngstad became acquainted with the Swedish royal family and eventually became close friends with Sweden's
Queen Silvia Silvia (born Silvia Renate Sommerlath; 23 December 1943) is Queen of Sweden as the wife of King Carl XVI Gustaf. She has held this title since her marriage to Carl XVI Gustaf in 1976. The king and queen have three children: Crown Princess Vict ...
. On 13 January 1998, Lyngstad's 30-year-old daughter Ann Lise-Lotte Fredriksson Casper died of injuries sustained in a car accident in the United States in
Livonia, New York Livonia is a town in Livingston County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town population was 7,809. The town contains a village also named Livonia. The town is on the eastern border of the county. In the 19th century numerou ...
. Since 2007 she has been in a relationship with British peer
Henry Smith, 5th Viscount Hambleden William Henry Smith, 5th Viscount Hambleden (born 18 November 1955) is a British peer, and descendant of the founders of the stationery group WH Smith. Marriage and family Smith is the son of William Smith and Countess Maria Carmela Attolico di ...
, with whom she lives in Genolier, Switzerland.


Other interests

According to Dagens Nyheter and Sveriges Radio, Lyngstad has supported the Swedish
Moderate Party The Moderate Party ( , , M), commonly referred to as the Moderates ( ), is a Liberal conservatism, liberal-conservative* * * * * List of political parties in Sweden, political party in Sweden. The party generally supports tax cuts, the free ma ...
. She appeared in a Swedish Employers Association advertisement, ''Satsa på dig själv'' ("Invest in yourself"), in 1979, which caused controversy and objections from the left, especially from Mikael Wiehe, who rejected her offer to record a cover version of his song "'' Flickan och kråkan''", because of political differences, in the 1980s. Lyngstad is a vegetarian and a feminist. She remains involved in charity work. She is interested in environmental issues.


Awards and recognition

* : Royal Order of Vasa, Commander First Class (21 March 2024) In 1964, Lyngstad won a national singing contest Flugan (The Fly) and was awarded "Vocalist of the Year". In September 1967, Lyngstad won the Barnens Dag contest held at Skansen, Stockholm. This led to her TV debut and a recording contract with EMI. In 1982, Lyngstad won the Swedish music prize
Rockbjörnen Rockbjörnen (Swedish: ''the Rock Bear'') is a music prize in Sweden, divided into several categories, which is awarded annually by the newspaper ''Aftonbladet''. The prize was first awarded in 1979, and is mostly centered on pop and rock. In ...
for "Best Female Artist". She was inducted in the
Rock and Roll Hall of Fame The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame (RRHOF), also simply referred to as the Rock Hall, is a museum and hall of fame located in downtown Cleveland, Ohio, United States, on the shore of Lake Erie. The museum documents the history of rock music and the ...
as a member of ABBA in 2010, and she represented the group in their acceptance speech, along with Benny Andersson. In 2014, she was awarded with the Eskilstuna Music Prize for her "pioneering career" and significant contribution to popular music as an "icon" who had "left an indelible imprint in musical history". On 21 March 2024, shortly before the 50th anniversary of their win at the Eurovision Song Contest, all four members of ABBA were appointed ''Commander, First Class, of the Royal Order of Vasa'' by King
Carl XVI Gustaf Carl XVI Gustaf (Carl Gustaf Folke Hubertus; born 30 April 1946) is King of Sweden. Having reigned since 1973, he is the longest-reigning monarch in Swedish history. Carl Gustaf was born during the reign of his paternal great-grandfather, K ...
of Sweden. This was the first time that the Swedish Royal Orders of Knighthood had been bestowed after almost 50 years of dormancy. The group members shared the honour with nine other people.


Title and style

Upon her marriage to Prince Heinrich in 1992, she took on a new name and has been called Princess Anni-Frid Synni of
Reuss Reuss may refer to: *Reuss (surname) * Reuss (river) in Switzerland * Imperial County of Reuss or Reuß, several former states or countries in present-day Germany, and the People's State of Reuss * Principality of Reuss-Greiz and Principality of R ...
, Countess of
Plauen Plauen (; ; ) is a town in Saxony, Germany with a population of around 65,000. It is Saxony's 5th most populated city after Leipzig, Dresden, Chemnitz and Zwickau, the second-largest city of the Vogtland after Gera, as well as the largest cit ...
, shortened to Anni-Frid Reuss. Since his death in 1999 she is called Princess Anni-Frid, Dowager Countess of Plauen. She is entitled to the courtesy style of
Serene Highness His/Her Serene Highness (abbreviation: HSH, second person address: Your Serene Highness) is a style (manner of address), style used today by the reigning families of Liechtenstein, Monaco and Thailand. Until 1918, it was also associated with the p ...
.


Discography

:: Swedish studio albums * ''
Frida Frida, Frieda, or Freida may refer to: People and fictional characters *Frida (given name), any of several people or characters ** *Frieda (surname), any of several people or characters *Afroditi Frida (born 1964), Greek singer *Frida (singer) ...
'' (1971) * ''
Frida ensam ''Frida ensam'' () is the second studio album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad. It was first released by Polar Music in 1975 while Lyngstad was a member of the pop group ABBA and produced by her then-fiancé and fellow ABBA member, Benny Ander ...
'' (1975) * '' Djupa andetag'' (1996) ::English studio albums * ''
Something's Going On ''Something's Going On'' is the third solo album by Swedish singer Anni-Frid Lyngstad (Frida), one of the founding members of the Swedish pop group ABBA and her first album recorded entirely in English. Her previous two albums had been recorded i ...
'' (1982) * '' Shine'' (1984)


Filmography


See also

* List of Swedes in music


Notes


References


Sources

*
Carl Magnus Palm Carl Magnus Palm (born 1965) is a Swedish author and historian, writing in Swedish and English, best known for his work on the Swedish pop group ABBA. ABBA Carl Magnus Palm’s first book on ABBA was ''ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions ...
: ''ABBA – The Complete Recording Sessions'', Century 22 Limited UK, 1994.


External links


Official ABBA website
(English)
Mikory's Frida Pages Frida History translated to English
* {{DEFAULTSORT:Lyngstad, Anni-Frid 1945 births Living people People from Ballangen People from Eskilstuna Swedish people of German descent Swedish people of Norwegian descent Norwegian people of German descent Norwegian emigrants to Sweden Swedish expatriates in Switzerland ABBA members Anni-Frid Countesses in Germany Princesses by marriage Swedish mezzo-sopranos Swedish pop singers Swedish women pop singers Swedish jazz singers Swedish women jazz singers English-language singers from Sweden EMI Records artists Swedish expatriates in the United Kingdom 20th-century Swedish women singers Commanders First Class of the Order of Vasa