ABBA's Agnetha Fältskog opens up on "rivalry" with Anni-Frid Lyngstad

20 June 2025, 11:17

ABBA: Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog
ABBA: Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog. Picture: Alamy

By Mayer Nissim

Did ABBA stars Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad get on?

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While some groups have survived all sorts of lineup changes, ABBA's pop perfection would have been unimaginable without all four corners being present and correct.

But with four strong personalities, there were naturally always whispers about feuds between Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Fältskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

That was obviously true when it came to Agnetha and Björn, who got married in 1971 and divorced in 1980, and Benny and Anni-Frid, who got married in 1978 and divorced in 1981.

But there were also suggestions that the two women in ABBA didn't always see eye to eye.

Agnetha has now shrugged off any suggestion that she had a musical rivalry with Anni-Frid.

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“Several people who interviewed me here have asked if there was rivalry between me and Frida,” Agnetha told Lithub.

“But there was none of that. On the contrary, we helped and supported each other all the time, especially on tour.

"If one of us had a cold the other would step up and pull a heavier load in terms of singing. We always covered for each other."

Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog
Anni-Frid Lyngstad and Agnetha Fältskog. Picture: Alamy

In the past, Anni-Frid has similarly dismissed suggestions that she and Agnetha were enemies during their time together in ABBA.

"A lot has been written about how Agnetha and I fought and quarrelled with each other," Agnetha told Swedish newspaper Aftonbladet in 2009.

"There is absolutely no truth in that. Of course we competed, but to good effect."