Abba - ABBA star Agnetha Faeltskog releasing new album

ABBA star Agnetha Faeltskog releasing new album

Former Abba star Agnetha Faeltskog is releasing her first album in almost a decade.

The 62-year-old singer - who has been living as a recluse for several years - is coming out of retirement with new record 'A' which will be available from May 13.

Agnetha is delighted to be making music again and admits the lure of the studio was just too hard to resist.

She said: ''I never thought I would sing again, but when I heard the first three songs I couldn't say no. I hadn't written music in a very long time, but when I sat down at the piano it came to me very naturally.''

Agnetha - who lives on the secluded island of Ekero, west of Stockholm - also denies she has been deliberately shunning attention and the limelight, and insists she has been living a normal existence.

She told the BBC: ''I have been described as a very mysterious human being and that hurts a little bit, because it's not like that at all. I'm very earth-grounded and very normal. I just like to stay at home.''

The album contains a duet with Take That star Gary Barlow, 'I Should Have Followed You Home', but the pair never met and each recorded their singing parts separately.

Agnetha has worked on all the songs with Swedish songwriter-and producer Joergen Elofsson, who has previously crafted hits for artists such as Britney Spears, Kelly Clarkson and Celine Dion.

The collaboration happened because Elofsson personally went to her house 18 months ago to convince her to let him play three songs he had written for her.

Speaking about the collaboration, Elofsson said: ''She's a musician, a songwriter and singer who hasn't done that for a while. We saw her open up, become much happier with music again in her life.''

The first single, 'When You Really Love Someone', from 'A' is available on iTunes, YouTube and digital music streaming service Spotify now.

ABBA - Agnetha, BJORN ULVAEUS, BENNY ANDERSSON and Anni-Frid Lyngstad - are one of the most successful pop bands of all time forming in 1970 before splitting in 1982.

The four-piece have sold 378 million records worldwide to date.