Music
16 Jun 26

ABBA pay tribute to long-time manager Görel Hanser

Credit: Carl Hanser

The Swedish music manager was best known for her collaboration with the pop group and also served as the vice president of Stig Anderson's record label, Polar Music, during her time in the music industry.

ABBA have paid tribute to their longtime manager, Görel Hanser, after she passed away aged 76.

"It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Görel Hanser," read a statement from the band.

"We have lost our most loved friend and closest colleague. The loss is immeasurable. We ask that you respect our privacy in this time of grief."

The statement was signed by the members of the band - Agnetha Faltskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad.

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Hanser was born in 1949 in Skultorp, Sweden. She started working at the offices of Stig Anderson's publishing company, Sweden Music, and the record company Polar Music in September 1969.

During her years with ABBA, she handled contacts with labels around the world that released the group's records. She also became the band's personal manager, dealing with the press and accompanying them on tours and promotional trips.

The band famously recorded the track 'Sång Till Görel' for her 30th birthday in 1979 as a gift to her.

The track was prohibited from airplay on the radio, and it was rumoured that no more than 150 copies were printed, making it one of the rarest ABBA records ever made.

In 1987, she started her own company, Music & Artist Service Görel Hanser, and in 2018, she received a Swedish Grammis Award for her work with Anderson and ABBA.