See that girl, watch that scene, digging the “Dancing Queen.” Here comes the next revival of Swedish pop group ABBA’s greatest hits, as performed by Cher in her new cover album.
The release of “Dancing Queen” is no surprise. It follows Cher’s recent cameo in this smash-hit movie musical “Mamma Mia 2: Here We Go Again” which hit the screen this summer, starring Lily James and Amanda Seyfried. Cher played protagonist Sophie’s estranged grandmother, arriving in the climax of the show in true Cher fashion. After a dramatic entrance to “a party she wasn’t invited to,” Cher voiced a few of ABBA’s well-known songs in the movie, including the sultry duet “Fernando” and the iconic bop “Super Trouper.”
Cher commented on the influence her movie had on her new release, saying, “I’ve always liked Abba and saw the original ‘Mamma Mia’ musical on Broadway three times. After filming ‘Mamma Mia! Here We Go Again,’ I was reminded again of what great and timeless songs they wrote and started thinking ‘why not do an album of their music?’ The songs were harder to sing than I imagined but I’m so happy with how the music came out. I’m really excited for people to hear it. It’s a perfect time.”
Though the album isn’t released by Warner Bros. Records until Sept. 28, those who pre-order “Dancing Queen” before it is available will receive a download of Cher’s rendition of “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight).” However, her single of “SOS” has been released and is available for download now.
Cher’s cover of “SOS” exceeded my expectations of an incredibly familiar song. The modern twist layered underneath the song coupled with Cher’s inimitable vocal quality brought such a new life to the old hit. “Gimme! Gimme! Gimme! (A Man After Midnight)” seems to highlight, what Cher even commented on, the difficulty of the song. The excessive autotune in the song prevented it from resonating in the same way as her “SOS” cover. In comparison to Cher’s many hits that all feature her music in this style, “Dancing Queen” is sure to be a smash-hit.
With the new cover album, Cher is also going on tour. She originally announced her upcoming U.S. tour on her appearance on “The Ellen DeGeneres Show” earlier this month. The tour starts in January 2019 and runs through February, covering many of the Southern states, but picks back up in April and May, closing out in New England and the Midwest. Tickets for “Cher – The Here We Go Again Tour” are on sale to the public now and U.S. and Canadian residents who purchase tickets online will be able to redeem a physical or digital copy of “Dancing Queen.”
