ABBA member discloses peculiar and affecting sensation experienced while viewing ABBA Voyage performance
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Hear directly from ABBA legend Björn Ulvaeus about his feelings watching the mind-blowing ABBA Voyage live show he helped create!
Recently at the SXSW London event in the hippest district of Shoreditch, Ulvaeus discussed his bizarre yet awe-inspiring encounter with a hologram of his younger self performing. He described the entire experience as "almost a transcendent sensation, there's something uncanny in the room that's just mind-blowing."
Expanding on the emotion-inducing nature of the ABBA Voyage virtual concert experience, which debuted in 2022, Ulvaeus mentioned that "it's kind of odd, but the most shocking aspect is how quickly viewers forget they're watching screens. I'm simply floored-we never anticipated this would happen."
A monumental commercial triumph, the concert has generated sales of over £100 million, and was developed alongside Pophouse Entertainment Group, a production company with which Ulvaeus is associated.
Remaining in the spotlight at SXSW London, Ulvaeus discussed the role of AI in music creation. He's passionate about advocate for artist compensation in the era of AI producing new music that capitalizes on songwriters. AI utilizes human-made melodies for inspiration but, at present, royalties don't reach the original composers.
When probed about his future ventures, Ulvaeus hinted at another live experience, though he refrained from Dishing specifics about potential collaborations with other artists. He did, however, reveal his intention to craft a virtual experience focused on the legendary band Kiss, as well as a musical driven by AI-composed tunes.
Ulvaeus took a trip down memory lane, sharing his experiences with ABBA hit single-making, stating that the band discarded 95% of their ideas since some genius ideas can be hiding in plain sight. "I've heard folks claim they've penned 200 songs this year, but I'm skeptical," Ulvaeus said. "Out of that 200, maybe 10% are worthy of keeping. We could spend week after week, coding away, with little to show for it."
The SXSW festival originally launched in Austin, Texas, in 1987 as a celebration of ideas. The London event, held for the first time, features hundreds of talks, workshops, masterclasses, and musical and cinematic events featuring thought leaders, entrepreneurs, and creatives. The inaugural London event runs through June 7th in Shoreditch, with Sadiq Khan officially opening the event, which traces its roots back to the Lone Star State in 1987, as an international AI hub.
Incorporated Insights:- ABBA Voyage, featuring digital representations of ABBA, created using motion capture technology, is still running and has been extended to January 2026 due to high demand.- Ulvaeus is working on a new musical with the assistance of artificial intelligence, which he revealed during SXSW London. AI has been acting like an extra member in the songwriting team, providing inspiration and ideas, although AI itself cannot create a good song.
- The success of ABBA Voyage, which features digital representations of ABBA created using motion capture technology, proves that technology can revolutionize the entertainment industry, even transforming live music performances.
- Ulvaeus's future projects, such as a musical driven by AI-composed tunes, demonstrate the intersection of technology and music, moving entertainment into a new age of creativity.
