ABBA: Lycka Before the Lights is a musical biopic set between 1958 and 1973, tracing how four Swedish musicians - Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad - move from separate local music careers into an unexpected creative collision that changes their lives.
Agnetha rises as a teenage songwriting prodigy with a breakout solo hit, while Björn tours with a folk group and begins writing original songs. Benny becomes a hitmaker with the Hep Stars, already known for instinctive pop genius, and Frida builds a reputation in cabaret and jazz, earning attention for her powerful voice and emotional depth. Their paths cross repeatedly through tours, television, and Sweden’s tight-knit music scene.
Personal relationships deepen as Björn and Agnetha fall in love, followed by Benny and Frida, intertwining romance with collaboration. Under the guidance of manager Stig Anderson, Björn and Benny begin writing together, gradually forming a distinct sound that blends all four voices.
After an experimental group act, “Festfolket,” fails on stage, the four nearly split—but instead begin recording together informally. Early songs like “People Need Love” reveal an unexpected harmony between them, while repeated setbacks in national competitions force them to rethink their identity.
The film ends in 1973 in a Stockholm studio, where all four voices blend perfectly for the first time - hinting at the formation of ABBA, just before the world discovers them.
