ABBA longtime manager Görel Hanser dies at 76

Görel Hanser, the longtime manager and confidante of the legendary pop group ABBA, has died at the age of 76. The band announced her death on June 15, 2026, describing her as their "most loved friend and closest colleague."

The news was confirmed in a joint statement signed by all four members-Agnetha Fältskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, and Anni-Frid Lyngstad-and posted to the group's official social media accounts. "It is with deepest sorrow we announce the passing of Görel Hanser," the statement read. "We have lost our most loved friend and closest colleague. The loss is immeasurable." No cause of death was disclosed.

Hanser, often referred to by fans and associates as the "fifth member" of ABBA, had been intertwined with the group's story since 1969. She began her career that September as a secretary at the companies of manager Stig Anderson, Sweden Music and Polar Music. She quickly rose through the ranks, eventually becoming Vice President of Polar Music, the label that managed ABBA's global releases.

During the band's meteoric rise in the 1970s and 1980s, Hanser was a central figure behind the scenes. She managed international label relationships, handled press and...