Freeze.24.06.28.veronica.leal.breast.pump.xxx.7... -2021- (2024)

For six months in early 2021, the reunion was paralyzed. The band members—Björn, Benny, Agnetha, and Anni-Frid—were furious and perplexed. Their massive digital spectacle, already in production with Industrial Light & Magic (George Lucas’s company), was legally frozen. Lawyers argued over whether a 44-year-old “dolphin trainer’s contract” could derail one of the most anticipated musical events of the decade.

Here’s a fascinating and true 2021 story from the entertainment world that blends nostalgia, legal drama, and a surprising twist involving Swedish pop royalty. Freeze.24.06.28.Veronica.Leal.Breast.Pump.XXX.7... -2021-

A little-known Swedish entertainment company, led by a man named Görel Hanser (who had been the group’s hairdresser and later a trusted manager in the 70s), surfaced with a startling claim. She produced a contract from 1977—signed by all four ABBA members—that gave her an ironclad, perpetual stake in the commercial use of their name, likenesses, and brand. The price for her buyout? A cool $20 million. For six months in early 2021, the reunion was paralyzed

But behind the scenes, a bizarre legal landmine was ticking. She produced a contract from 1977—signed by all

It’s the perfect 2021 story—a collision of old-media legal relics (paper contracts, 70s showbiz handshake deals) with new-media frontiers (digital avatars, virtual concerts). And the central figure holding the keys was neither a music executive nor a tech billionaire, but a woman who spent her career making dolphins jump through hoops.

In 2021, the entire world was buzzing: after a 40-year hiatus, ABBA had reunited to record a new album, Voyage , and planned a revolutionary London residency featuring their “ABBAtar” digital younger selves. It was the feel-good comeback story of the year.

ABBA’s Digital “Voyage” Was Nearly Sunk by a Secret, Decades-Old Contract with a Dolphin Trainer .