Frida - it's time! Frida – It’s time It’s been a while, 12 years in fact, since Frida graced us with the privilege of a full album, or as it’s referred to these days, a CD. Anyway, it’s been a long time since this lady provided us with something a little more than a track here and there on a few other artists CD’s. It took 12 years from 1984’s superb “Shine” album to the even more superb “Djupa Andetag” in 1996, a feat that only Frida’s ABBA counterpart, Agnetha, has managed to beat by making it 17 years between new CD releases. What possesses these women to do this to their fans? It’s almost like they have an itch every now and again that needs a scratch, so off they trundle to a studio, find a producer, conjure up a few songs, hit the mike, and voila! They churn out a new CD. But, it takes them too damn long to feel the need to have that itch scratched. Every now and then, you get a taster of an apparent duet on some or other obscure artists CD, or some hymn type effort with another unheard singer from the Alps that the dear lady came to know in bar and then a few years later a plinky plonky tune, that was quite sweet, but pretty bland with one former rocker from a genuine Rock Group. It smacked of past rocker with past pop-starlet in their 60’s doing a plinky plonky. Not quite really the Frida we got to know with ABBA and even during her brief solo career now is it? I mean this lady loved to have a good time in the studio and on the stage and in some of her own promotional videos for her own solo material, she really seemed to be enjoying herself. So, why the mundane, dismal and melancholy collaborations? Age? Lack of confidence? Lack of enthusiasm to do it alone? No desire to do it? I’d like to think that none of these apply to Frida. She always came across as so confident and sure of herself and always expressed an abundance of energy. I can only imagine that the promotion and marketing of a CD is hard work, but then Frida is known as an artist and that is what they do, they have to promote themselves. We all know what happens to artists who rest on their laurels and think their good name will promote them. If there ever were a time for Frida to go into the studio and record once again and release it, the time would be now. The world is actually ready for an artist and a singer of Frida’s calibre to release something new. If she was as astute as we like to believe she is, Frida would be ready to release something to tag on to the success of ‘Mamma Mia! The Movie.’ As a former ABBA member I genuinely believe that it would boost her credibility as an artist and as a CD seller. The World wants something new from ABBA or one of their members and the best way to get that is either through Agnetha or Frida. The former is not going to do it, we will only hear about in 2021 which would be 17 years after “My Colouring Book”, so now it’s up to the latter, Frida. It’s all good and well being a Princess, but sometimes even they have to work and when you have a natural talent like Frida has with her voice as well as her personality, why hide it behind a tiara? It’s nice to see pictures of smile’s and exuding beauty, but sometimes the best-hidden jewel – the voice, needs to be heard as well. I must admit, once again, and I’m sure I’ve mentioned something about this in a previous column, I have not always been a Frida fan, more so an Agnetha one. When ABBA were still active, I hated ‘I Wonder’ with a passion, ‘Knowing Me, Knowing You’, ‘One Man, One Woman’ and ‘Money, Money, Money’, simply pissed me off. None of these songs were ABBA to me, they were Frida’s, and seeing that I did not like Frida, I suppose it was natural to have this obtuse mindset. Of course when ABBA were still active and we all had our favourite member, it was just un-cool to like a song sung by the ‘other’ one. But, fortunately, Frida, grew on me after ABBA as a group expired and way after her two solo albums in the 1980’s. It was definitely before I heard “Djupa Andetag” that something in Frida’s tone and even her mannerism of singing a song caught me, hit me and what she was trying get across in a song really sank in, and now, I fully appreciate them and understand why Frida sang them the way she did so many years ago, given the limitations and capabilities of the different personalities involved at the time get taken into consideration. Today, I understand and appreciate Frida as a true artist with a superb talent; to me she is no longer ‘the other one’, but an artist in her own right. Her career may have spanned decades and I certainly hope it is not over. One of Frida’s absolute masterpieces has to be ‘Djupa Andetag’. I have so many happy memories of ‘Djupa Andetag’ from when I first heard it, right up until today, I don’t understand it at all, but the album as a whole is absolutely beautiful. That album on it’s own is Frida. Frida, doing what Frida does best. Simply, being an artist expressing herself through one of her best features – her voice. It’s an amazing one, not often used or shared these day’s. Unique, rare and sorely missed. Frida, dear Princess, or should I say ‘Your Highness’? It’s time you climb off your throne, get off the ‘Mamma Mia!’ bandwagon, find a producer, collect some songs, consider how you’re going to make them your own, gather some musician’s, and go back into the studio. Weave your magic, make another CD and let your fans hear you again! We’ll do the promotion for you. Come on Frida, your fans and the ears of the world need to hear your beautiful voice again – on a CD of your own. Neil | 
