Dancing Queen
You might be surprised, but Cher had her highest debut ever on the US Billboard charts this year. Even more surprising is that the album was a cover of ABBA songs.
After her cameo appearance in Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again, she was inspired to record the album. My favourite track and the third single is One of Us, a lesser known ABBA track.
The album has received high reviews and really showcases the strengths of her voice and talents. It also showcases the enduring appeal of ABBA. So much of the music that I enjoy has a lineage from the pioneering work of ABBA. Even though Cher clearly preceded the Swedish group, she shows her true musical spirits by paying homage to the group. I know I’ve had this discussion before on startBlue about artist inspiration. Unfortunately a lot of Madonna fans continue to see her as the only inspiration for artists that emerged on the scene after Madonna, even though Madonna has clearly acknowledged the impact of ABBA. Kylie Minogue has also acknowledge the huge inspiration from ABBA and previously recorded a cover of the track Dancing Queen in 1998. She sang the track during her Intimate & Live tour and at the Sydney 2000 Olympics.
Cher is now on a worldwide tour entitled the Here We Go Again Tour. I know I’ll be excited to see Cher perform her classics and some ABBA when the tour comes to Upstate New York in 2019.
