Pop Biz, 1979: Will Agnetha be able to handle the pressure?

For ABBA, the moment of truth will soon come along. In the middle of September their big American tour will kick off and then it will be a question of sink or swim. Because in America you rarely get a second chance. No wonder that the group is looking forward to this tour with great anticipation. A question of good preparation and trying to keep the internal tensions at a distance. If they will manage...

For the general audience, the divorce between Björn and blonde Agnetha didn’t have any major consequences. The records kept on selling extremely well and the fans remained faithful to their idols. But within the group, extreme care still has to be taken. The situation is not as explosive as right after the announcement of Björn and Agnetha’s separation, but in times of high tensions it doesn’t take much to let the emotions get out of hand.
ABBA spent part of the summer at the Bahamas. The tropical surroundings were an excellent condition to regain their strengths and develop new ideas. Furthermore, the islands served as a base to make short trips to Florida in America. Both Agnetha and Björn were there at a particular moment. Without meeting each other, by the way, because they both went separately. It seems the twosome has accepted that the divorce is final. Björn is often out and about. He is spotted from time to time in the nightlife of the metropoles, surrounded by beautiful women, most of them blonde. In recent times, Agnetha has regularly been seen with a well-known Swedish ice hockey player. When asked about it, Agnetha refuses to comment on her affair. As ever, she remains mysteriously silent. According to friends, the idolized blonde is often very lonely.
Agnetha clearly is the least stable of the two ABBA-girls. More than Annifrid, she has to be encouraged before every performance. Characterwise, she’s less talkative and more withdrawn. On top of that, she values being a star and the entire show business to a lesser extent. But in America the group will have to come across as a strong unity to achieve the desired top-performance. Bad reviews could be fatal.
Will Agnetha be able to ignore the numerous gossip stories that will appear in the American media? Will she be strong enough mentally to keep it going? She will have to cope with it, mostly on her own. The success of an entire group depends on it. Not an enviable task.