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ABBA-tars to become virtual dancing queens
Mamma Mia, here we go again – ABBA is alive and back after a 40 year hiatus but in the form of avatars to dazzle fans via a set of virtual concerts
The pop legends will release 10 songs in their album called Abba Voyage, teasing the new hits via a globally streamed press conference.
The first, I Still Have Faith In You, is a piano ballad that pays homage to the friendship formed by the four musicians.
“When Benny played the melody, I just knew it had to be about us,” said Bjorn Ulvaeus, a member of ABBA.
The group split in the early 1980’s and organically ended back in the studio recording together.
“At first it was just two songs, and then we said, ‘Well, maybe we should do a few others,'” said Benny Andersson.
My my! Abba avatars to take the virtual stage
The band’s new songs will be played during the band’s virtual concert, also titled Abba Voyage.
The four musicians will perform in a set of virtual concerts, where avatars of the four band members will play hits like Waterloo and dancing queen.
This virtual experience is set to open next year in a specially-built arena in east London.
The quartet who are now in their 70s, are transported back to the 1970’s.
Almost one thousand people worked to re-create Abba “in their prime” using motion capture technology that scanned “every mannerism and every motion”.
The clones of ABBA will appear in various virtual guises, from their satin-clad 1970s pomp to futuristic Tron-style space suits.
“Agnetha, Frida, Benny and Bjorn got on stage in front of 160 cameras and almost as many VFX geniuses, and they performed every song in this show, to perfection, over five weeks,” Ludvig Andersson, a producer said.
Why London? Bjorn said “London is the the best city to be in when it comes to entertainment, theatre, musicals… We have always felt that the Brits see us as their own.”
“There’s no real need for ABBA to be on TikTok because their music is all over it anyway, but it’s about making sure people connect their music with ABBA the brand, and that will feed back into other areas of the empire,” Sutherland says.
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SpaceX expands Starlink with phone plans and satellite tracking ambitions
SpaceX expands Starlink with a mobile device and space tracking, raising concerns over revenue and US government reliance.
SpaceX expands Starlink with a mobile device and space tracking, raising concerns over revenue and US government reliance.
SpaceX is pushing Starlink beyond internet from space, with plans underway for new consumer facing services that could reshape the telecom landscape.
The company is reportedly exploring a Starlink mobile device, positioning it as a potential rival to established smartphone players as it looks to extend its reach from orbit to everyday tech.
Starlink has become SpaceX’s financial powerhouse, generating an estimated $8 billion in revenue last year, with fresh trademark and patent filings signalling even more ambitious expansion ahead.
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Crude oil prices jumped over 3% on Wednesday as U.S.-Iran nuclear talks showed signs of faltering, pushing WTI futures above $65 per barrel. Axios reported disagreements over the venue and scope of Friday’s talks, while President Trump warned Iran’s supreme leader to “be very worried,” stoking fears of military escalation.
Tensions in the Persian Gulf added to the volatility. A U.S. F-35C shot down an Iranian drone near the USS Abraham Lincoln, and Iranian vessels threatened a U.S.-flagged tanker in the Strait of Hormuz. The USS McFaul escorted the tanker to safety, highlighting the region’s fragile oil supply routes.
Despite the clashes, nuclear talks will go ahead on Friday in Oman, but uncertainty continues to drive oil market volatility, with traders closely watching both diplomatic and military developments.
#OilPrices #IranUS #NuclearTalks #PersianGulf #WTI #EnergyMarket #Geopolitics #OilSupply
The Washington Post has laid off hundreds of employees, marking what former executive editor Martin Baron calls “one of the darkest days” in the paper’s history. Approximately one-third of the newsroom staff were affected, as the company undertakes a so-called “strategic reset” to compete in a crowded media landscape.
The cuts hit key areas, including the sports desk, local coverage, international reporting, the books desk, and the flagship daily news podcast. Editor-in-Chief Matt Murray said the changes aim to prioritise national security, politics, science, health, technology, climate, and business coverage while positioning the Post for the future.
Critics have called out owner Jeff Bezos for his silence during the layoffs and alleged efforts to influence the paper’s political stance. Former editor Baron warned that the newspaper’s ambitions would be sharply diminished and its credibility could suffer.
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