Joker, 1979: Anni-Frid: "It shouldn't be about ABBA all the time"

I've often been asked the question what has impressed me the most in our five-year-long international career. I suppose everyone will understand that for me it was not some kind of gold record, big parties or concerts in giant concert halls. I have found my father due to the fact that there was something printed about us in practically every newspaper. I will never forget that moment when we were facing each other for the first time ever in my life. I can't even say how I imagined he would be like, I was simply drifting on air, knowing that in the next minute a human being would come my way that was my father. I never felt as a daughter, more like a good friend that meets a human being she is close to by coincidence again. The nights before our first meeting, I hardly slept at all, wondering how he was feeling. Today we have a wonderful relationship and we often call each other.
Musically speaking, working with the group has given me a lot the last few years after Brighton. We had to learn a lot, we have matured, become polished and we know exactly what to expect from each other.When it comes to the quality of our songs, I'm convinced that we have improved tremendously. When one for instance compares the song 'Waterloo' to the songs that the boys are writing now, even the most naive mind should be able to spot the difference. They are not simple, tied-together harmonies anymore that lead into a good sounding final chord after a couple of minutes. ABBA songs in the year 1979 are musical stories, with climaxes. In short, with a completely different base.
What worries me sometimes is the question that we - especially Agnetha and me - ask ourselves regularly: how long will Benny and Björn be able to come up with new ideas? Working on the new album has been very stressful for them both. It's clear that each one of us is thinking about what will happen when the group is no longer around. A few weeks ago, I have played a small part in a movie in Spain. I enjoyed that very much. Unfortunately I only had a couple of days time. One can actually see it as a tentative experiment to try something different.

But why should everything be about ABBA all the time? Other projects would certainly be equally appealing. To avoid rumours from spreading: I don't mean to say that ABBA should quit in the near future. On the contrary: at the moment everything is going really well, we hardly have any problems. And I'm very proud of the new album. It's the best record that we have released so far. And that's not an advertising slogan, but my firm belief.