Introduction
This video provides a biography of Anni-Frid Lyngstad, widely known as Frida, the Scandinavian mezzo-soprano vocalist from the iconic Swedish pop group ABBA.
Early Life and Musical Beginnings
Born in Ballangen, Norway, in 1945, Frida was the daughter of a German soldier and a Norwegian civilian. Fearing retribution post-WWII, her grandmother brought her to Sweden, where she spent her childhood. Her mother later reunited with them but tragically died at 21, leaving Frida in her grandmother’s care. Frida developed a love for singing from her grandmother, who sang traditional Norwegian folk songs to her.
In her teens, Frida began performing regularly with the Evald Eks Orchestra, singing American standards. She took vocal lessons and formed her first band, “The Anni-Frid Four,” in 1963. In 1967, she won a Swedish national talent competition, leading to a recording contract with EMI Sweden and television appearances. Her debut album, Frida, released in 1971 and produced by her then-fiancé Benny Andersson, sold well and featured her first number-one hit, “Min Egen Stad,” with backup vocals from the future ABBA members.
ABBA’s Rise to Stardom and Solo Ventures
Initially reluctant to form a group, Frida eventually joined Andersson, Björn Ulvaeus, and Agnetha Fältskog to form “Festfolk,” which was unsuccessful. However, by 1972, she rejoined the group, now called ABBA, an acronym of their first names. From 1972 to 1982, ABBA became one of the most successful pop groups in history, selling over 300 million albums worldwide with chart-topping hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Mamma Mia,” and “Waterloo.”
During her time with ABBA, Frida released her second solo album, Frida Ensam, in 1975, which included a solo version of “Fernando” and topped the Swedish album charts for six weeks. Despite their musical success, Frida and Benny Andersson divorced in 1981, and ABBA disbanded the following year.
Post-ABBA Career and Personal Challenges
After ABBA, Frida returned to solo work, releasing the Phil Collins-produced Something’s Going On in 1982. This album showcased a more rock-oriented sound and was her first entirely in English. The title track, “I Know There’s Something Going On,” received heavy rotation on MTV and reached number 13 on the Billboard Hot 100.
In the 1990s, Frida became deeply involved in environmental issues, working with various groups and releasing the charity single “Saltwater” in 1992. Her fifth studio album, Djupa Andetag (1996), marked her return to singing in Swedish. A planned third solo album was tragically put on hold after the death of her daughter in a car accident in 1998.
Since then, Frida has released several one-off singles, including “Chemistry Tonight” (dedicated to her daughter in 2000) and collaborations with artists like Philippa Giordano and Jon Lord. While maintaining an elusive presence as a performer, Frida still makes occasional public appearances with other ABBA members at various events, solidifying her enduring influence on the international music scene.