ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus discusses writing musical with AI and ABBA future

Euronews

2 days ago

ABBA's Björn Ulvaeus was at the inaugural edition of London's SXSW festival yesterday and revealed he is writing a new musical using AI.
He referred to artificial intelligence as 'such a great tool' and discussed his project during a talk at SXSW London.
'It is like having another songwriter in the room with a huge reference frame,' he said. 'It is really an extension of your mind. You have access to things that you didn't think of before.'
Ulvaeus discussed the technology's limitations, saying that it is 'very bad at lyrics' and that he believed AI's most useful application was to help artists overcome writer's block.
'You can prompt a lyric you have written about something, and you're stuck maybe, and you want this song to be in a certain style,' he explained. 'You can ask it, how would you extend? Where would you go from here? It usually comes out with garbage, but sometimes there is something in it that gives you another idea.'
Une publication partagée par CISAC (@cisacnews)
Ulvaeus previously warned of the 'existential challenge' AI represents to the music industry. He is the president of the International Confederation of Societies of Authors and Composers (CISAC), a non-profit organisation that represents songwriters and composers around the world, collecting and paying royalties to its members whose music has been used in broadcasts and on streaming services.
The organisation has produced reports on AI use in music. Most recently, one of their studies suggested that music creators could lose nearly a quarter of their income to AI by 2028.
Regarding this report, Ulvaeus stated that governments have the power to step in and give a helping hand to creatives.
'For creators of all kinds, from songwriters to film directors, screenwriters to film composers, AI has the power to unlock new and exciting opportunities — but we have to accept that, if badly regulated, generative AI also has the power to cause great damage to human creators, to their careers and livelihoods.'
'Which of these two scenarios will be the outcome?' Ulvaeus continued. 'This will be determined in large part by the choices made by policy makers, in legislative reviews that are going on across the world right now. It's critical that we get these regulations right, protect creators' rights and help develop an AI environment that safeguards human creativity and culture.'
During the SXSW discussion in London, Ulvaeus also noted that he was 'three quarters' of the way through writing the follow-up to the Swedish legends' hologram-based ABBA Voyage concert series.
ABBA has just celebrated the third anniversary of their acclaimed virtual concert experience 'Voyage' by introducing new songs to the setlist.
ABBA Voyage first kicked off in May 2022, and was due to wrap in November 2024, but has since been extended to January 2026 due to overwhelming demand.
Elswehere, SXSW London has faced intense criticism after former UK prime ministers Tony Blair and David Cameron were among the unannounced speakers.
Screenshots were leaked of the un-shared programme that included Blair talking on a panel called Government and AI, which also featured Technology Secretary and Labour Friends of Israel member Peter Kyle.
Blair spoke at the conference's opening day, saying that Britain needs to fully embrace artificial intelligence in public services and that we 'could have AI tutors' along with 'AI nurses, AI doctors'.
The panel appearance, which was not announced to the public or artists, prompted many artists to cancel their planned performances at the festival.
Sam Akpro, Rat Party, Magnus Westwell, Saliah and LVRA were amongst the artists who pulled out, with the latter accusing the festival of 'artwashing', saying that 'whilst the music team were pulling together a diverse, 'cool' lineup, the conference team were booking speakers from multiple organisations deeply complicit in the current genocide of Palestinian people.'
'I implore artists to engage, rather than ignore, those things that affect us and strive to protect the most marginalised voices in the world,' LVRA added. 'I urge us as a community to think bigger, and better, than the scraps offered to us today.
Morten Harket, frontman of celebrated Norwegian synth-pop band A-Ha, has revealed that he has Parkinson's disease.
The news was shared by the band in a statement on their website which read: 'This isn't the sort of news anyone wants to deliver to the world, but here it is – Morten has Parkinson's disease.'
The pop icon, aged 65, shared further details of the diagnosis in the post, and explained why he has sharing the news after previously keeping details on his health 'strictly private'.
'I've got no problem accepting the diagnosis. With time I've taken to heart my 94-year-old father's attitude to the way the organism gradually surrenders: 'I use whatever works',' he wrote.
'Part of me wanted to reveal it. Like I said, acknowledging the diagnosis wasn't a problem for me; it's my need for peace and quiet to work that has been stopping me. I'm trying the best I can to prevent my entire system from going into decline.'
Harket said he underwent neurological procedures to have electrodes implanted inside his brain last year and that this had reduced the symptoms.
He continued: 'It's a difficult balancing act between taking the medication and managing its side effects. There's so much to weigh up when you're emulating the masterful way the body handles every complex movement, or social matters and invitations, or day-to-day life in general.'
Regarding whether Harket can still perform and sing, he wrote: 'I don't really know. I don't feel like singing, and for me that's a sign. I'm broadminded in terms of what I think works; I don't expect to be able to achieve full technical control. The question is whether I can express myself with my voice. As things stand now, that's out of the question. But I don't know whether I'll be able to manage it at some point in the future.'
Parkinson's is the second most common neurodegenerative disorder in the world, behind Alzheimer's. It causes deterioration in the brain's nervous system, leading to tremors and other symptoms that can become progressively worse over time. Common symptoms include involuntary shaking, slower-than-usual movement, and stiffness in the muscles.
The disease can be treated with surgery and medication, but there is no cure. It is not known what exactly leads to people developing the condition.
Other famous faces who have had Parkinson's diagnoses include Back To The Future actor Michael J. Fox, heavy metal legend Ozzy Osbourne and Scottish comedian Billy Connolly.