FRIDA
(Anni-Frid Lyngstad)

C'est en 1958 qu'elle commence sa carrière musicale comme chanteuse de jazz, elle a 13 ans. En 1963, elle forme un groupe, Anni-Frid Four, qui comprend le bassiste Ragnar Fredriksson. Mariée à celui-ci, elle aura deux enfants avant de divorcer.

En 1967, elle gagne un concours télévisé de chant, et signe son premier contrat discographique avec EMI. Le répertoire jazz, peu commercial de la chanteuse lui vaut la faveur des critiques mais le succès reste confidentiel. Elle enregistre surtout des singles et se produit dans des spectacles de cabaret. Elle sort son premier album en 1971, Benny Andersson produisant celui-ci et préparant le terrain pour la naissance du groupe ABBA. Elle obtient d'ailleurs son premier succès solo grâce au titre Min egen stad, composé par Benny Andersson,la même année. En 1972 paraît une compilation qui reprend certains de ses titres parus sur 45 tours depuis 1967.

De 1972 à 1982, le groupe ABBA enfile les succès et fait régulièrement des tournées mondiales. Elle épouse Benny le 6 octobre 1978, pour en divorcer trois ans plus tard. La chanteuse sort un troisième album solo en suédois en 1975 Ensam qui comporte une première version du titre Fernando et obtient un disque de platine en Suède.

Anni-Frid croit que son père est décédé lorsque son navire est coulé par les Alliés pendant la Seconde Guerre mondiale. Elle découvre qu'elle est réellement la fille d'un sergent allemand marié, Alfred Haase, lorsqu'un magazine allemand (Bravo) publie sa biographie en 1976 (la nièce d'Alfred Haase fait alors le rapprochement avec son oncle et prévient ce dernier).

Lorsqu'ABBA s'arrête en 1982, elle enregistre un album à succès produit par Phil Collins, Something's Going On, alors que le disque suivant Shine , produit par Steve Lillywhite n'a pas beaucoup de succès, ce qui l'incite à se retirer un moment de la scène musicale. L'album comporte un titre composé par Daniel Balavoine, The face.

Le 26 octobre 1992, elle épouse son Altesse le Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss von Plauen, membre de la famille princière allemande Reuss, lequel est décédé à l'âge de 49 ans en 1999. Le 13 janvier 1998, elle avait déjà perdu sa fille Anne Don Lise-Lotte Casper (née Fredriksson), des suites d'un accident d'auto à Livonia, près de Detroit, aux États-Unis.

Après la sortie de l'album en suédois Djupa Andetag (1996), elle a connu un regain de popularité en 2004 en enregistrant la chanson The Sun will Shine Again avec Jon Lord, ancien claviériste vedette de Deep Purple.

Aujourd'hui, elle demeure en Suisse et s'occupe d'oeuvres caritatives

Infancia

Anni-Frid nació en Ballangen, cerca de Narvik, Noruega, cinco meses después de finalizar la Segunda Guerra Mundial, como resultado de una relación entre Synni, su madre, y un sargento alemán casado, Alfred Haase. Fue, sin saberlo, parte del Lebensborn, plan nazi utilizado para expandir la raza aria, secuestrando niños de países vecinos o seleccionando mujeres en países ocupados, "aptas" para la producción de niños de raza aria pura. Anni-Frid siempre creyó que su padre había muerto cuando su barco de vuelta a Alemania se hundió durante la guerra. Después de que una revista alemana publicara la historia de su origen en 1977, Anni-Frid descubrió que su padre no había muerto y pudo conocerlo en persona.

Al final de la Segunda Guerra Mundial, su madre y abuela habían buscado refugio en Suecia por temor a represalias por parte de la población noruega, cuyo gobierno puso a muchos de los niños nacidos de padres alemanes en instituciones mentales o los mandó al extranjero. Synni murió antes de que Anni-Frid cumpliera dos años, por lo que Anni-Frid fue criada por su abuela en Torshälla, Suecia.

Inicios

Hizo su debut a los 11 años, en una actuación a beneficio de la Cruz Roja. Dos años después comenzó a trabajar como vocalista infantil en un grupo de baile y durante una década siguió trabajando con diferentes grupos.

Anni-Frid consiguió su primer trabajo como cantante de jazz a los trece años. Más tarde formó su propio grupo y se casó en 1962 con Ragnar Fredriksson, uno de los componentes, a los dieciocho años. Tuvo dos hijos con él, Hans (nacido en 1963) y Ann Lisse-Lotte (en 1967) antes de divorciarse.

ABBA

El 3 de septiembre de 1967, Anni-Frid ganó un concurso televisivo de talentos, lo que le valió un contrato con EMI, publicando sus primeros sencillos. Grabó su primer álbum en 1971, producido por Benny Andersson, creando la base de ABBA. A partir de 1972 y durante una década, su principal actividad estuvo ligada a este grupo aunque lanzó en solitario el álbum en sueco 'Frida ensam' (Frida a solas) en 1975. Se casó con Benny Andersson el 6 de octubre de 1978, divorciándose de él sólo tres años más tarde, en 1981. El grupo ABBA se disolvería un año después. En febrero de 1982, Frida comenzó la grabación de su primer álbum en inglés (’Something’s Going On') producido por Phil Collins. Le siguió en 1984 el álbum ’Shine’, producido por Steve Lillywhite. Luego Frida se retiró de la vida pública durante varios años.

La realeza

En 1992, Frida se casó con el Príncipe Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss von Plauen (24 de mayo, 1950– † 29 de octubre, 1999), que murió de cáncer linfático en 1999. Un año antes, en 1998, la hija de Frida, Ann Lise-Lotte Casper (25 de febrero, 1967– †13 de enero, 1998) murió en un accidente de tráfico en los Estados Unidos, donde vivía. El matrimonio de Anni-Frid con el príncipe le confirió el derecho a titularse Su Alteza Serenísima la Princesa Anni-Frid Reuss von Plauen, y le abrió las puertas de la Corte Real sueca, dado que su marido era amigo de la infancia del rey Carlos XVI Gustavo.

Vida actual

A principios de los 90 dedicaba la mayor parte de su tiempo a problemas ambientales, aunque en 1996 apareció un nuevo álbum en solitario en sueco, ’Djupa andetag’ (Suspiros)

En la actualidad, la princesa Reuss von Plauen reside en Suiza, y se dedica a obras de caridad, en especial, con la prevención de drogas y temas ambientales.

In the spring of 1947, Anni-Frid, her mother Synni, and her grandmother Arntine Lyngstad left her birthplace because of fear of reprisals from people who were angry and vengeful towards those who had dealings with the Germans during the occupation. This could result not just in insult, but also in forced separation of infants from their parents and relatives.

Anni-Frid was thus taken by her grandmother across the Swedish border and eventually south to Torshälla, near Eskilstuna. Her mother stayed behind in Norway and worked for a period in the south, but then became ill and returned to Sweden, where she died from kidney disease soon afterwards, aged 21. Although it is said that Anni-Frid’s father, Alfred, had promised to return to Norway after the war, he never did (claiming to be unaware of Synni's pregnancy), and thus Anni-Frid was raised by her grandmother alone. However, a near contact with her family in Norway continued, and Anni-Frid recalls with warmth, summer holidays spent with them at her birthplace.

Lyngstad believed that her father had died when his ship to Germany was sunk during the war. However, after the German teen magazine Bravo published her biography and a background story in August 1977, she discovered that her father was alive, and were reunited that year.

In his book, “Bright Lights, Dark Shadows”, Carl Magnus Palm explained the apprehension Anni-Frid felt about meeting her father for the first time. For reasons unknown, Anni-Frid and Alfred no longer maintain contact. In 2005, however, Haase appeared in a German tabloid magazine, pleading with Anni-Frid to resume contact.

Career

Anni-Frid Lyngstad got her first job as a dance band and schlager singer in 1958, aged 13. Later she teamed up with a 15-piece 'big band' who performed a jazz reportoire covering Glenn Miller Duke Ellington and Count Basie; her vocal idols being Ella Fitzgerald and Peggy Lee. In 1963 she formed her own band, the Anni-Frid Four, and married the bass player Ragnar Fredriksson, aged 17. The marriage produced two children, but the couple were divorced by 1970.

In 1967, Lyngstad won a national TV talent contest, and in the next few years released several marginally successful singles for EMI. She spent the summers touring and in January 1969, Lyngstad took part in a cabaret that toured the country. It was in February at a venue in southern Sweden that she met future spouse Benny Andersson. The following month, Anni-Frid participated in Melodifestivalen (the Swedish heats for the Eurovision Song Contest), with the song Härlig är vår jord, and finished fourth. The song became her first single in the charts.

Her first album, Frida, produced by her then fiancé Andersson, was released in 1971. The album received unanimously generous praise from the critics, who especially noted the precision and versatility of Lyngstad as a vocalist. Anni-Frid played in cabarets, toured and performed regularly on TV and radio and, subsequently, her relationship with Andersson and friendship with Björn Ulvaeus and Agnetha Fältskog eventually led into the formation of ABBA.

Her next solo album in Swedish, Frida ensam, that included the original Swedish version of the future ABBA mega-hit Fernando, was released in 1975 when she was already involved in ABBA. The album became an enormous commercial and critical success in Scandinavia, topping the Swedish album charts for six weeks and remaining in the charts for 40. The album was mostly a collection of covers of songs by artists like the Beach Boys, 10cc and David Bowie, receiving positive reviews from Melody Maker: "The album portrays Frida as a very strong and emotive singer and shows the true value of the music, that if sung properly and with enough feeling it transcends all language barriers".

In 1982, during ABBA's last year as a working band, Lyngstad released her first solo album in English, the Phil Collins-produced Something's Going On, that topped the charts in Sweden and reached the Top 20 in the UK, Germany and Top 50 in the U.S. It sold around 1.5 million copies worldwide and spawned a hugely successful single, I Know There's Something Going On, that was a No.1 hit in Sweden and France, made the Top Five in Germany and many other european countries. It sold around 3.5 million copies. In the U.S., the single reached No.13 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and No.9 on Radio & Records airplay chart. The music video for the song was heavily promoted on MTV. The album itself was also well received by the critics, with Billboard writing: "Abba's auburn-haired songstress makes a bold solo project a stunning success", while Mark Coleman described Something's Going On in the 3rd edition of Rolling Stone Album Guide as a "sharp, rock-oriented, delightfully eclectic album". William Cooper had a similar opinon in All Music Guide: "Frida escapes the creative limitations of being a member of one of the world's most popular groups on this solid and often riveting album."

In 1983, Lyngstad assisted with 'Abbacadabra - the Musical', and featured with Daniel Balavoine on one track 'Belle, Belle' of the resulting album, 'Abbacadabra - Conte Musical'. This track was a cover of 'Arrival', an instrumental track from the ABBA album of the same name.

Lyngstad's next album, Shine (1984) enjoyed moderate success. It reached the Top 20 in several European countries, No.6 in Sweden being its highest position, and proved to be her last foray into the international music world.

In the years that followed, she was seriously engaged in environmental work but also found time to make a couple of guest appearances on recordings by fellow Swedish artists, former colleague and husband Benny Andersson's 1987 album in particular.

In 1992, she performed live at the Stockholm Water Festival and released an environmental charity single with her cover of Julian Lennon's song Saltwater.

In 1996, Lyngstad recorded a Swedish language album Djupa Andetag that topped the Swedish charts and attracted positive reviews. A follow-up album was reportedly in works, but eventually shelved due to personal reasons.

Several one-off recordings followed, including a 2002 duet with Filippa Giordano on the Barcarolle from opera Les contes d'Hoffman by Jacques Offenbach, and the song "The Sun Will Shine Again", written especially for Lyngstad by former Deep Purple member Jon Lord and recorded in 2004. Both performances, however, were not released as singles: "Barcarolle" is only available on the special Japanese edition of Giordano's "Rosso Amore" album, and "The Sun Will Shine Again" can be found on Jon Lord's album "Beyond The Notes".

Also in 2004, Lyngstad appeared with former bandmates Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus at London's fifth anniversary performance of Mamma Mia!, the musical based on ABBA songs. In 2005, she joined all three of her former ABBA colleagues at the Swedish premiere of Mamma Mia! at Cirkus in Stockholm.

Personal life

On April 3, 1963, aged 17, Lyngstad married salesman and fellow musician Ragnar Fredriksson. The marriage produced two children: Hans Ragnar Fredriksson (born January 26, 1963) and Ann Lise-Lotte Fredriksson (born February 25, 1967, died January 13, 1998). They separated shortly after their daughter's birth and were officially divorced on May 19, 1970. On the very same day, Lyngstad's grandmother Arntine passed away, aged 71.

In May 1969, Lyngstad met Benny Andersson, and the couple were quickly engaged. By 1971 they were living together, but did not marry until October 6, 1978, during the height of ABBA's success. However, after only three years of marriage, they divorced in 1981.

In 1982, Lyngstad left Sweden and moved to London, before relocating to Switzerland in 1986 where she has been living ever since.

On August 26, 1992, Lyngstad married her longtime boyfriend, Prince Heinrich Ruzzo Reuss of Plauen (May 24, 1950 – October 29, 1999). Upon marriage, Lyngstad acquired the title of Her Serene Highness Princess Anni-Frid Reuss of Plauen. Prince Heinrich died of lymphoma in 1999, while a year earlier, Lyngstad's daughter Lise-Lotte Casper was fatally injured in a road accident in Livonia, near Detroit, United States on January 13, 1998. Through Lyngstad's marriage to Heinrich, who was a student at the same boarding school as the reigning King of Sweden, she became acquainted with the Swedish royal family and eventually became close friends with Sweden's Queen Silvia. Today, Anni-Frid still engages in charity work - environmental issues in particular. In 2005 she stated in an interview that she had no interest in a music career, though 18 months later she would return to the recording studio.

Awards and recognition

In 1982, Lyngstad won the Swedish music prize Rockbjörnen for the Best Female Artist.

1967 En Ledig Dag 7"

1967 Din 7"

1968 Simsalabim 7"

1968 Mycket Kär 7"

1969 Härlig Är Vår Jord 7"

1969 Så Synd Du Måste Gå 7"

1969 Peter Pan 7"

1970 Där Du Går Lämnar Kärleken Spår 7"

1971 En Liten Sång Om Kärlek 7"

1971 En Kväll Om Sommarn 7"

1971 Min Egen Stad 7"

1972 Vi Är Alla Bara Barn I Början 7"
 

1972 Man Vill Ju Leva Lite Dessemellan 7"

1982 I Know There'S Something Going On 7"

1983 Here We'Ll Stay (Solo Version) 7"

1984 Shine 7"

1984 Come To Me (I Am Woman) 7"

1996 Även En Blomma CDS

1996 Ögonen CDS

1997 Alla Mina Bästa År CDS

1971 Nu Vissla I Ett Slag 7"

1975 Fernando 7"

1982 To Turn The Stone 7"

1982 I See Red 7"

1982 Tell Me It'S Over 7"

1983 Belle 7"

1983 Time 7"

1984 Heart Of The Country 7"

1984 Twist In The Dark 7"

1987 Så Länge Vi Har Varann 7"

1987 Om Du Var Här 7"

1992 Änglamark 7"

1996 Lika Hopplöst Förälskad CDS

1999 Dancing Queen 12"

2003 Lieber Gott CDS

2004 The Sun Is Shine Again CDS