“When I was 15 I became a full-time singer in a band. At 18 I made my first record.”

My life contains so many other things; I have my children, my grandchildren, my two dogs and a big place in the country. I have my own life.

The press has always written that I am a recluse and a mysterious woman, but I am more down-to-earth than they think.

I would like to sing the theme tune of a big film – something like ‘Titanic’.

When you love someone, and you’ve lost that one, then nothing really matters.

My professional persona never loosens its grip, keeping an eye on me at all times.

There was a time when the music fell silent. Both within me and around me.

I have one pug and one Czechoslovakian dog called Prazsky krysarik.

Abba’s last tour was a success but awful for me.

I must be allowed to be as I am.

No one who has experienced facing a screaming, boiling, hysterical audience can avoid feeling shivers in the spine. It’s a thin line between celebration and menace.

I am uninterested in appearing in newspapers and on television.

When I was 25, Abba was formed. After Abba I made three solo albums. Maybe I have been productive enough.

I have always had strong maternal instincts.

You never get it back, but to this day I don’t regret splitting up.

It’s just that song, and I’m trying to really sound like what the song is about.

Not a vital necessity, like it is for so many people. I enjoy it but I can see right through it!

You wouldn’t be a complete band without a slightly cocky frontman, would you?

I’m a bass player from way back and Paul is a guitar player and we’ve been in many bands.

As far as the grunge thing, there are three bands from Seattle that I would call true grunge.

You can’t just listen to The Smiths anymore. But then there are plenty of people that do only listen to five bands and six albums and that’s it.

Acting had always been the social scene I’d fallen into. It was sort of a merry band of band geeks and theater nerds.

If you don’t try and explore genres and have freedom of creativity, you’re just wasting your position as a pop band.

A major celebrity is a major brand, and major brands pick very critically what other brands they’re going to associate with. So an A-list celebrity usually picks an A-list brand.

I loved being in a band.