FROM FRIENDS TO FOES: ABBA’s Anni-Frid Lyngstad REVEALS the secrets of Agnetha Fältskog and Benny Andersson’s relationship… “THEY DISGUST ME”

 

 

Björn Ulvaeus Agnetha Fältskog Benny Andersson Editorial Stock Photo - Stock Image | Shutterstock Editorial

 

 

Anni-Frid Lyngstad, the voice behind some of ABBA’s most unforgettable harmonies, has finally broken decades of silence to reveal the dark truth behind her bandmates’ once-celebrated relationship.

For years, fans believed ABBA was the image of unity — two couples in love, their passion fueling some of the greatest pop songs ever written.

But now, Anni-Frid admits that behind the stage lights and glittering costumes, there were secrets, tensions, and emotional wounds that never healed.

And at the center of it all was the relationship between Agnetha Fältskog and Benny Andersson — a union she now describes in one word: disgusting.

“They disgust me,” she confessed, her voice steady yet filled with pain. “The truth is far uglier than anyone ever wanted to admit.”

 

Abba's groundbreaking pop still soars - The Boston Globe

 

 

 

According to Anni-Frid, what the world saw was an illusion carefully crafted for fame.

The smiles, the synchronized performances, the picture-perfect love — all of it was a mask hiding the toxic reality behind closed doors.

She recalls long nights in the studio when the tension between Agnetha and Benny became impossible to ignore.

“They’d fight over everything,” she said. “The music, the lyrics, the smallest detail — it always turned into something personal. The air in that room was heavy. You could feel the anger, the jealousy, the resentment. And yet, when the cameras rolled, they’d pretend everything was fine.”

But for Anni-Frid, it wasn’t just the constant arguments that sickened her — it was the way the relationship changed who they were.

 

 

Agnetha Faltskog and Benny Andersson

 

 

 

“Benny became someone else,” she admitted. “Cold, calculating. He treated her like a muse when it suited him and a burden when it didn’t. And Agnetha… she played along. She let it happen. She let herself become part of the performance. That disgusted me most of all.”

The band’s success only made things worse.

As ABBA’s fame skyrocketed, the pressure to maintain their image grew unbearable.

“They sold the idea of love,” Anni-Frid said. “But behind the music, there was betrayal, manipulation, and a deep unhappiness none of us could fix.”

She remembers moments on tour when Agnetha would break down in tears minutes before stepping on stage, only to walk out smiling as if nothing was wrong.

 

 

Agnetha And Benny

 

 

 

“It was heartbreaking,” she said softly. “But it was also infuriating. We were supposed to be a family. And instead, we were all lying — to ourselves, to each other, to the fans.”

Anni-Frid admits that she tried to intervene, tried to help them heal, but her efforts were met with denial and defensiveness.

“They didn’t want help. They wanted control. They wanted to keep the illusion alive no matter the cost.”

Over time, that illusion shattered.

The fights grew more vicious, the distance between them impossible to hide.

 

 

Abba - sometimes it was hard for Benny, being irresistible | Abba, Agnetha fältskog, Abba mania

 

 

 

 

Even their songs — once filled with hope and joy — began to carry the weight of their pain.

“You could hear it in the music,” she said. “Every lyric was a cry for help. Every melody carried a secret.”

When the band eventually split, Anni-Frid thought the truth might finally set them free.

But instead, the silence continued.

For years, fans clung to the image of ABBA’s golden love stories, unaware of the emotional scars left behind.

Now, decades later, Anni-Frid says she’s speaking out not out of bitterness, but out of a need for honesty.

 

 

ABBA are back with their first album in 40 years, but what's the verdict? | CNN

 

 

 

“The world deserves to know,” she said. “We were not perfect. We were not the dream people wanted us to be. We were human. Flawed. And sometimes, we hurt each other in ways that can’t be undone.”

She admits that her own relationship with the group suffered because of the toxicity surrounding Agnetha and Benny.

“There were moments I wanted to walk away completely,” she revealed. “Moments when I couldn’t stand to be in the same room with them. Their drama consumed everything.”

Now, looking back, Anni-Frid says she feels both sadness and relief.

 

 

 

Sadness for what was lost — the friendship, the unity, the genuine love they once shared — and relief that the truth is finally out.

“I don’t hate them,” she clarified. “But I can’t pretend anymore. What they had wasn’t love. It was a performance. And it left scars on all of us.”

Her words have reignited curiosity among fans, forcing many to re-examine the meaning behind ABBA’s most emotional songs.

Were those haunting lyrics in “The Winner Takes It All” and “Knowing Me, Knowing You” confessions of a love gone wrong?

For Anni-Frid, the answer is clear.

“The music told the truth long before we did,” she said. “You just had to listen closely.”

Now, after years of silence, she’s chosen to speak not to destroy the legacy, but to show the cost behind it.

Because behind every harmony was heartbreak.

And behind every smile, a secret too painful to hide forever.