ABBA Reunion

“Thank you for the music, the songs I’m singing
Thanks for all the joy they’re bringing
Who can live without it? I ask in all honesty
What would life be?”

~ Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus

No more conjecture of will they or won’t they!  ABBA announced on Thursday evening that they are planning a reunion album and virtual tour.  With a huge fan base, the news was welcomed with great joy and celebration.

The Swedish group was formed of two couples, Agnetha Faltskog who was married to Bjorn Ulvaeus, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad who was married to Benny Andersson.  Bjorn and Benny were making music before they met their future wives, but they met them within weeks of each other, and eventually formed the group of four in 1972.  They went on to be one of the most successful bands of all time.

Agnetha

Blond Agnetha was five years younger than the other three (who were all born in 1945).  We have birth times (and therefore Ascendants) for the two women, but not for the men.  Agnetha has the Sun in Aries in the 8th House exactly opposite Neptune on the cusp of the 3rd House, so has a strongly shy and reclusive side to her nature.  Her Ascendant is in performing Leo exactly conjunct Pluto, which is very challenging both psychologically and through life circumstances.  She has several phobias, including apparently: a fear of flying, heights, stage fright, a fear of crowds, and agoraphobia.  They may be linked with her Pluto on the Ascendant.  She has a very Plutonic/Scorpionic chart altogether, with the Moon in Scorpio and the Sun exactly trine Pluto, making for great depth.  She has the ability to move people’s emotions, with her voice.  Sun exactly trines her Ascendant, again showing up the Performer Archetype – born for stardom!  Venus exactly conjunct Jupiter in 7th House depicts the successful double partnership.  Jupiter makes an entrepreneurial trine with Uranus in her chart.  And Uranus squares the Nodal Axis, implying a karmic entanglement in a Group.

Bjorn

With half his planets (5) in the Cardinal signs, he is a leader.  His Mercury/Venus conjunction in Aries immediately brings up the Writer Archetype, and he is the author of ABBA’s hits, together with Benny.  His Sun hails from the musical sign of Taurus, and his Moon hails from the other musical sign, Libra.  With Uranus trine Neptune, he is capable of dealing with complexity, and certainly there is great variety in the songs, and some complexity.  Bjorn first formed a band  called the “Hootenanny Singers”, then teamed up with Benny, who was also a talented songwriter.  Benny’s Venus is sextile Bjorn’s Jupiter, making for good musical collaboration, and their Jupiters are exactly sextile, so they were able to bring each other success.

Bjorn met Agnetha in a cafe in March 1969.  Mars was trine his Pluto at the time (a recurring trigger in his life) and Pluto was opposite his natal Mars.  The Nodal Axis was square to her natal Uranus, which echoes her natal Nodal Axis/Uranus square which speaks of group karma.  Their synastry is not easy, with her Neptune opposite his Mercury, and her Mars conjunct his Chiron.  They married on 6th July 1971, with Pluto on his Chiron (quite an impact on him), and Venus trine her Venus, Jupiter sextile her Mars, but Pluto on her Mars (so high intensity and a lot to process psychologically).  They had two children together but after 7 years they separated at the end of 1978.  It was the time of the Saturn Return for Agnetha, and she needed counselling after they divorced.  For Bjorn, Pluto was opposite his Venus, a classic relationship break-up transit.  When they were breaking up, Bjorn wrote the hit “The Winner Takes It All” (one of my favourite tracks).

Benny

Benny has Mercury, the South Node, the Sun, the Midheaven and Mars in Sagittarius.  Both he and his ex-wife Anni-Frid have 0 planets in Earth, which may have been tricky as a partnership trying to live in the real world.  He has the Moon and Neptune, possibly conjunct, in Libra, making for sensitive musicianship.  Like Agnetha, he has Venus exactly conjunct Jupiter, but in Scorpio (her conjunction is in Aquarius).  Venus squares Pluto in his chart, which can bring volatile break ups in relationships.  And with Jupiter (which is conjunct Venus) also squaring Pluto, there can be power issues going on in his life.  He has several aspects to his Nodal Axis, which makes for quite a karmically intense life.

Anni-Frid

Benny met Anni-Frid just weeks before Bjorn met Agnetha, when Jupiter was sextile his natal Mercury. Chiron was trine her Mars.  Their Synastry seems easier than that of Agnetha and Bjorn, with Benny’s Saturn sextile her Neptune, and his North Node sextile her Pluto.  Agnetha has the Sun trine the Moon in Water signs, so is deeply emotional.  Her Ascendant is in Libra with Neptune, Chiron and Jupiter (in the sign of Music and Partnership).  Her Sun is closely trine the Midheaven in her 10th House of Career, which gives her the Performer Archetype.  There is a great deal of sensuality in her chart, with the Sun in Scorpio, and Venus square Mars.  Venus closely trine the North Node points to music and singing as part of her karmic mission.  Like Agnetha, she has the entrepreneurial trine of Jupiter with Uranus, and hers is exact.

A Brief History of ABBA

They first played as a group on stage together on 1st November 1970 in Gothenburg.  It was a challenge astrologically for Agnetha, with Mars on her I.C. in Libra in 3rd House, and Neptune square her natal Venus/Jupiter in Aquarius in 7th House, which implies an element of surrendering in the group.  For Bjorn, there was again that transiting combination of Mars and Pluto, this time Mars sextile his natal Pluto in Leo.  He also had Uranus trine his natal Uranus in Gemini, exact to the day, so it was momentous for him. Benny had a Jupiter Return in Scorpio, and Uranus trine his natal North Node (a karmic opportunity).  Uranus was sextile Anni-Frid’s Pluto, a performance which would change the course of her life.

However, the Swedish public did not take ABBA to their hearts until they were selected as their Eurovision entry on 9th February 1974.  Their transits at this time were much more definitive and positive.  For Agnetha, Jupiter was sextile her natal Mercury and Midheaven in Aries in 9th House, Uranus trine her natal Jupiter/Venus, linking in with her natal Entrepreneur Archetype.  Pluto was on her natal South Node in Libra, a signal that her life was about to change fundamentally.  Benny too had an upbeat sextile of Jupiter to his natal Sun in Sagittarius (a success).

The rest, of course, is history, for their song “Waterloo” won the contest on 6th April 1974, a Solar Return for Agnetha.  Jupiter was trine Bjorn’s Saturn, a major boost to his confidence.  Pluto was sextile Benny’s natal Mercury, and for Anni-Frid Venus (her Ascendant Ruler) was trine her natal North Node in Cancer in the 9th House of Foreign Lands (the Eurovision Song Contest was held in Brighton that year).

After a few years of intense success and hit after hit, both couples separated, performing became less viable emotionally, and eventually the group officially disbanded in late 1982.  In this period, Uranus was trine Agnetha’s North Node in Aries in her 8th House (karmic change); Neptune was square Bjorn’s Chiron in Virgo, which will have been a complex time for him; Benny had Pluto sextile his natal Mars, drawing a line energetically in his life; and Anni-Frid had Saturn on her natal Venus in Scorpio in 1st House, a disbanding of significant relationships.

The reunion announced this week does not have very dramatic transits for the group.  There had been hints, and the performances will be virtual in some new technical technique using digital avatars in the future.  Three of the members are in their mid-70s, and the format does not sound too strenuous for them, although the recording was complex.  Agnetha has Saturn sextile her natal North Node in Aries in her 8th House (a deliberate and serious karmic choice/decision); Bjorn has Pluto sextile his natal Mars in Pisces, a new injection of energy into his projects, and that transit combination of Mars and Pluto again; Benny has a Saturn opposition to his natal Saturn, often a defining moment; and Anni-Frid has Neptune trine her natal Sun, a welcome chance to enjoy musical inspiration again.  They sound in good voice!

The public never seem to tire of their songs.  So much so that their songs were sculpted into a stage musical Mamma Mia in 1999, and Meryl Streep starred in the film in 2008,  Just when you thought they couldn’t cram any more songs into one musical, a sequel film was made starring icon Cher, singing “Fernando”.

“I’ve played all my cards
And that’s what you’ve done too
Nothing more to say
No more ace to play

The winner takes it all
The loser’s standing small
Beside the victory
That’s her destiny” 

~ lyrics from “The Winner Takes It All” by Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson

Aspects

A high proportion of aspects occur in the very early hours of the morning in the U.K. so could affect our dream experiences.  In the U.S. they would occur the previous evening, so that would make for a different experience, which may be more emotional in tone.  In Australia, they would occur around breakfast time, so may be more motivating for the waking day.

The first of four trines this week occurred in the early hours of today.  The trines could give the impression of more flow and ease throughout the week generally. Today’s trine is Mercury trine Saturn.  This combines mental work with practicality, and brings focus and realism to the mental activities.  So it is a good day for making plans.  Serious conversations can also safely take place under this aspect.

If there is a fly in the ointment, it would be tomorrow (Monday 6th) early in the morning, with a square between Venus and Pluto.  Deep feeling issues may be preying on your mind and give rise to vivid dreams, or even nightmares.  These will require some psychological soul-searching for a true interpretation, and may spur on honest-as-you-can-be interpersonal communication.

Lunchtime brings more courage, conviction and dynamism, with a trine (second of the week) between Mars and Pluto.  There may be some upheaval involved, as when you are decluttering in earnest, but you should have the energy to start afresh once you have cleared some old ground.  This aspect speaks of self-empowerment, but you have to remember that everyone also has this force!

Yikes!  Two trines within an hour!  Closely following the Mars-Pluto trine and still at lunchtime, Venus trines Jupiter (one of the best aspects of the year).  Lunchtime could be very intense, or the lunch itself may be very rich.  Venus with Jupiter is so very social, and can be romantic too.  It’s an aspect to savour and enjoy.  Proposals and engagements often occur under this combination.

In the first hour of Tuesday (7th) we have a New Moon at 14 degrees Virgo.  Aspirations around the New Moon in Virgo could be very work-orientated.  Ecology and the environment are also provinces of Virgo, so benefits could accrue for the planet if enough minds are concentrated on this aspect of life.

Shortly after that time, again very early in the morning, the Sun will be trine Uranus (the fourth trine).  This could bring vivid dreams, with informative futuristic information encoded in them.  On waking, they may give you the go ahead to forge ahead with innovative plans and original creativity.

Venus enters Scorpio in the evening of Friday (10th), so emotions and passions could be heightened.  This is a time when deep feelings can be experienced and expressed.  Her previous sojourn through Libra focussed on relationships, and on entering Scorpio the quality of relationship deepens.  You can take a relationship to the next level.  Venus will change sign again on 7th October, so make the most of the opportunity.

A minor but potentially powerful aspect occurs on Saturday (11th) when Jupiter semi-sextiles Pluto.  This can bring power struggles, both personally and internationally.  In your life, you may be re-arranging the furniture in some way.

The week in bullet points:

  • Today – constructive plans and conversations
  • Tomorrow – deep feelings need processing; dynamic activity; love and romance
  • Tuesday – new beginning; innovation and creative originality
  • Friday – deeper feelings
  • Saturday – power struggles
Date: Sep 5th, 2021 · Comments RSS · Tags: Celebrities · Soul Groups