To record an album takes a long time, especially if you're helping to produce it. It can take a year from when the idea was hatched until the album is finished. Then there are also other things to do, especially if you, just like I do, have two children. So it's not as if I'm idle.
It all began when we met at UN's big children's gala here in Stockholm, where I sang a song with Ola Håkansson. Performing there was also Peter Cetera, who I already earlier had respected much, both as a songwriter and as a singer. And he liked a lot of what we (ABBA) had done earlier. Immediately we hit it off and loosely talked about doing something together in the future.
Peter became more and more interested and began to collect songs which he thought would fit me. Then when we met this summer, he had about 50 suggestions that we listened through.
When the album was finished, we had ended up with ten other songs, instead of the 15 songs we initially began with. Peter has written one of them together with Bruce Gaitsch and then there are a number of other American songwriters.
It was an incredible experience. Everybody - Peter, the co-producer Bruce Gaitsch, the engineer and the studio musicians were really fantastic to work with. I didn't know them before but soon I realized that we were working with the best ones there were. And they praised me which was fun. We really connected with each other.
No, not more than earlier.
Yes, there has been some heated discussions about it but I really fought for it, that it should say Fältskog on the album even though it might be a bit difficult for some people to pronounce.
Yes, I want to make at least two or three, mainly for the American market. Plus right now we're planning a TV-special which eventually will be broadcast in Europe sometime after New Year's or soon thereafter.
Well, I don't know... But yes, I guess you could say that. I don't like to compare albums, but I myself think that this one is better than my previous ones. The whole album feels very strong.
The duet "I Wasn't The One Who Said Goodbye", then there's also a very positive song which is called "Let It Shine", but I really like all of them. The lyrics are quite romantic as usual.
When it comes to music, about 90 % is about love and emotions. I don't have a certain group of people in mind when I record a song. There are probably both young and old ones listening to my music.
Yes, I listen to a lot of music. I might not buy many records, but I listen to the radio and check out the charts and so on. I think there's a lot of very good music. Especially Swedish music. Swedish recordings by groups and artists sound very fresh and international today. I think that's exciting.
Yes, the photo session was also quite an experience. We arrived at the studio at lunch-time and they weren't ready to start taking pictures until around 4 PM, after make up, styling etc.. When I first looked at myself in the mirror I thought I looked horrible and almost walked out of there. But once they started taking the photos, I saw that the result was good.
Yes, the photographer was calm and nice and the hair dresser had many interesting ideas. He has cut Madonna's hair and I had a hard time convincing him not to cut my hair down to a one centimetre crew cut.
Yes, mostly because they've managed to take pictures which are in harmony with the music on the album.
Footnote: The Italian Alberto Tolot is one of the hottest photographers in Los Angeles right now. Earlier he has photographed fashion for international magazines and album covers for Madonna, Duran Duran, Jody Watley etc.. About ten (or so) persons participated in the photo session with Agnetha Fältskog: photographer, stylists, make up artists and assistants.
Photographer: Alberto Tolot. Clothes from Arjan, Los Angeles. Stylist: Cesare Zucca. Hair: Peter Savic. Make up: Gary Berkowitz for Cloutier, Los Angeles.
Copyright Claes Corner 2003