Björn Ulvaeus

Birthday:

04/25/1945

Place of birth:

Gothenburg, Västra Götalands län, Sweden:

Biography:

Björn Kristian Ulvaeus (born 25 April 1945) is a Swedish musician, singer, songwriter, and producer best known as a member of the musical group ABBA. He is also the co-composer of the musicals Chess, Kristina från Duvemåla, and Mamma Mia! He co-produced the films Mamma Mia! and Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again with fellow ABBA member and close friend Benny Andersson. He is the oldest member of the group. Björn Kristian Ulvaeus was born in Gothenburg on 25 April 1945. In 1951, he moved with his family to Västervik, Kalmar County. His parents were Aina Eliza Viktoria (née Bengtsson; 1909–2005) and Erik Gunnar Ulvaeus (1912–1999). Ulvaeus has one sister, Eva Margareta (born 1948). Ulvaeus studied business and law at Lund University after undertaking his military service, alongside comedian Magnus Holmström. Before gaining international recognition with ABBA, Ulvaeus was a member of the Swedish folk-schlager band Hootenanny Singers, known earlier as the "West Bay Singers", who had an enormous following in Scandinavia. While on the road in southern Sweden in 1966, they encountered the Hep Stars, and Ulvaeus quickly became friends with the group's keyboard player, Benny Andersson. The two musicians shared a passion for songwriting, and each found a composing partner in the other. On meeting again that summer, they composed their first song together: "Isn't It Easy To Say", a song soon to be recorded by Andersson's group. The two continued teaming up for music, helping out each other's bands in the recording studio, and adding guitar or keyboards respectively to the recordings. In 1968, they composed two songs together: "A Flower in My Garden", recorded by Hep Stars, and their first real hit "Ljuva Sextiotal", for which Stig Anderson wrote lyrics. The latter, a cabarét-style ironic song about the 1960s, was submitted for the 1969 Swedish heats for the Eurovision Song Contest, but was rejected; it was later recorded by diva Brita Borg. Another hit came in 1969 with "Speleman", also recorded by Hep Stars. While filming a nostalgic schlager special for television in March 1969, Björn met eighteen-year-old future wife and singer-songwriter Agnetha Fältskog. Björn Ulvaeus continued recording and touring with Hootenanny Singers to great acclaim while working as in-house producer at Polar Record Company (headed by future manager Stig Anderson), with Benny as his new partner. The twosome produced records by other artists and continued writing songs together. Polar artist Arne Lamberts Swedish version of "A Flower in My Garden" ("Fröken Blåklint") was one of Björn & Benny's first in-house productions. In December 1969, they recorded the new song "She's My Kind of Girl", which became their first single as a duo. It was released in March 1970, giving them a minor hit in Sweden and a top-ten hit in Japan two years later. The Hootenanny Singers entered Svensktoppen, the Swedish radio charts, in 1970 with "Omkring Tiggarn Från Luossa", a cover of an old folk-schlager song. It remained on the charts for 52 consecutive weeks, a record which endured until 1990; the song was produced by Björn and Benny, and had Ulvaeus's solo vocal and Benny's piano. ... Source: Article "Björn Ulvaeus" from Wikipedia in English, licensed under CC-BY-SA 3.0.



Credits

Stikkan (2024)
Self (archive footage)
Året var 1974 (2024)
Self (archive footage)
Kylie Minogue V The Bee Gees (2022)
Self (archive footage)
ABBA V Queen (2022)
Self (archive footage)
ABBA: New Beginnings (2021)
Self
ABBA – Voyage | LIVE (2021)
Self
ABBA: The Missing 40 Years (2021)
Self
ABBA: In Their Own Words (2020)
Self
The A-Z of Eurovision (2020)
Self - Contestant (Archive Footage)
ABBA: Secrets of their Greatest Hits (2019)
Self
ABBA Forever: A Celebration (2019)
Self
ABBA: Super Troupe (2019)
Self
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
University Professor (uncredited)
ABBA in Pictures: The Photographer's Story (2016)
Self
Ted Gardestad: For the Sake of Love (2016)
Self
The Nation's Favourite Beatles Number One (2015)
Self
ABBA - ABBA (DVD from Deluxe Edition) (2015)
Self - Singer, Composer
ABBA: Gracias por la música (2014)
Self
Beatles på Sverigeturné (2014)
Self
ABBA at the BBC (2013)
Self
The Joy of ABBA (2013)
Self
Agnetha: ABBA & After (2013)
Self
ABBA: Dancing Queen (2012)
Self
ABBA: The Essential Collection (2012)
Self
Thank You for the Music - 40 Jahre ABBA (2012)
Self
Birthing Mamma Mia! (2008)
Self
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Greek God (uncredited)
Abba: Rock Case Studies (2007)
Self
ABBA: The Visitors (2007)
Self
ABBA: 16 Hits (2006)
Self
Abba - The complete studio recording (2005)
Self
Tour d'Eurovision (2005)
Self
ABBA: Super Troupers (2004)
Self
ABBA - The Last Video (2004)
Björn Ulvaeus
Chess på svenska: The musical that came home (2003)
Self
ABBA Gold: Greatest Hits (2003)
Self
ABBA: The History (2003)
Self
ABBA: The Definitive Collection (2002)
Self
ABBA: The Winner Takes It All - The ABBA Story (1999)
Self
Musikladen Live: The Very Best of ABBA (1999)
Self
Fuck You, Fuck You Very Much (1998)
Self
Ted - till minne av en popartist (1998)
Self (archive footage)
Kristina från Duvemåla - en konsertresa till Minnesota (1996)
Self
Chess in Concert (1989)
Narrator
Magasinet Special: Chess 1984 (1984)
Self
ABBA: In Concert (1979)
Self
Listen to the Music (1979)
Self
ABBA in Switzerland (1979)
Self - ABBA
ABBA In Japan (1978)
Self (Vocals / Guitar)
Olivia (1978)
Self
ABBA: The Movie (1977)
Björn Ulvaeus
ABBA Veronica Musicspecial (1977)
Self (archive footage)
ABBA in Studio 2 (1976)
Self
ABBA-dabba-dooo!! (1976)
Self
ABBA: Made in Sweden for Export (1975)
Self
Älskling på vift (1964)
Hootenanny Singers - vocals and guitar
Zara Larsson - Honor The Light (2023)
Music
Mashup (2021)
Music
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
Executive Producer
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
Music
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
Songs
Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again (2018)
Lyricist
ABBA - ABBA (DVD from Deluxe Edition) (2015)
Writer
ABBA - ABBA (DVD from Deluxe Edition) (2015)
Director
Hjälp sökes (2014)
Lyricist
Chess in Concert (2009)
Music
Chess in Concert (2009)
Songs
Chess in Concert (2009)
Lyricist
Chess in Concert (2009)
Original Music Composer
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Executive Producer
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Songs
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Lyricist
Mamma Mia! (2008)
Original Music Composer
Chess (2003)
Original Music Composer
Chess (2003)
Songs
Chess (2003)
Lyricist
Kristina från Duvemåla - en konsertresa till Minnesota (1996)
Music
Kristina från Duvemåla - en konsertresa till Minnesota (1996)
Songs
Kristina från Duvemåla - en konsertresa till Minnesota (1996)
Lyricist
Chess in Concert (1989)
Music
Chess in Concert (1989)
Songs
Chess in Concert (1989)
Lyricist
Chess in Concert (1989)
Original Music Composer
Mio in the Land of Faraway (1987)
Music
Mio in the Land of Faraway (1987)
Original Music Composer
ABBA: In Concert (1979)
Original Music Composer
ABBA: The Movie (1977)
Original Music Composer
The Seduction of Inga (1968)
Original Music Composer