ABBA star Anni-Frid "Frida" Lyngstad celebrates her 80th birthday this year, marking an extraordinary journey from wartime hardship to becoming one quarter of one of the world's most beloved bands. The mezzo-soprano vocalist, known for hits like Fernando and Money Money Money, recently made a surprise appearance at the ABBA Voyage avatar concert in London, expressing pride in reaching this milestone and gratitude for fans' enduring support over five decades.
From Humble Beginnings to Global Stardom
Frida's life story reads like a dramatic screenplay, as fellow band member Bjorn Ulvaeus once noted. Born in 1945 in Bjørkåsen, Norway, her early life was marked by tragedy and struggle. Her mother Synni had become pregnant after a relationship with German SS officer Alfred Haase during the Nazi occupation. When Haase returned to Germany, Synni mistakenly believed he had died when his ship sank.
The young mother found herself ostracised by her local community for having a "war baby" and moved with Frida and her grandmother Arntine to Torshälla, Sweden. Tragedy struck again when Frida was nearly two years old - her mother died of kidney failure at just 21. Her grandmother stepped in to raise her, working multiple jobs as a cleaner, seamstress and dishwasher to make ends meet.
Frida made her stage debut at age 11 during a charity event, showing early promise that would eventually lead to global fame. Former schoolmates remember her as a bright student who often achieved higher grades than her peers. Reflecting on her unconventional childhood, Frida later admitted: "When you are a teenager you see all the other kids with their parents and, of course, sometimes it felt like a bit unfair that I could not have it too."
The ABBA Years and Personal Triumphs
Frida's life changed forever when she entered the Swedish TV talent contest Nya Ansikten in 1967, winning with her performance of En Ledig Dag. This victory led to a record deal with EMI and her first solo album in Swedish. In 1969, she met musician Benny Andersson, and together with Agnetha Fältskog and Bjorn Ulvaeus, they formed ABBA.
The band's Eurovision victory with Waterloo in 1974 launched them into international stardom. Frida recalled the moment: "It was just unbelievable! There I was, a former band vocalist from Eskilstuna, and the BBC and all the major newspapers in Europe were mobbing us."
During ABBA's peak years, Frida experienced an emotional reunion with her father, who she had believed dead since childhood. The meeting came when she was 32, and she confessed: "It's difficult to get a father when you're 32 years old. I can't really connect to him and love him the way I would have if he'd been around when I grew up."
Life After ABBA and Personal Resilience
After ABBA went on hiatus in 1982, Frida embarked on a successful solo career, working with renowned producers including Phil Collins on her album Something's Going On and Steve Lillywhite on Shine. She maintained that despite rumours of rivalry, her relationship with bandmate Agnetha remained strong: "We may not hang out much, but we have a very deep connection."
Frida's personal life brought both joy and profound sorrow. She married Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss of Plauen in 1992, but tragedy struck repeatedly in the late 1990s. Her daughter Ann Lise-Lotte died in a car accident in New York in 1998 at age 30, followed by her husband's death from cancer just a year later.
The singer credits her strong faith with helping her through these difficult times: "I had to have something to believe in, otherwise it would have been very difficult to cope with. It took a very long time to find joy again."
ABBA's Remarkable Return and Legacy
In recent years, Frida has rejoined her bandmates for ABBA's unexpected resurgence. The group secretly reunited in 2018 to create the groundbreaking ABBA Voyage avatar show and recorded their first new album in 40 years, Voyage, released in 2021 to critical acclaim.
Reflecting on the digital performances, Frida expressed amazement: "It's hard to fully grasp that it isn't me up there and yet it is me. I can certainly see myself in the digital figure, the gestures, the facial expressions, the eyes that express all sorts of feelings."
In May 2024, Frida and her bandmates received The Royal Order of Vasa, a Swedish knighthood, from King Carl XVI Gustaf for their contributions to music.
As she celebrates her 80th birthday with partner Henry Smith, 5th Viscount Hambleden, Frida reflects on a life filled with extraordinary highs and devastating lows. With an estimated fortune of £220 million and a musical legacy that continues to captivate new generations, she remains philosophical about ABBA's enduring place in her life: "ABBA will always be there. It has been a big part of my life. I can never leave it."
True to her generous spirit, Frida has asked fans to donate to charities including Médecins Sans Frontières and UNICEF rather than sending birthday gifts, continuing her tradition of using her platform to support causes close to her heart.
