ABBA pen emotional tribute to ‘most loved friend’ and manager Görel Hanser
15 June 2026, 11:01
All four members of ABBA have paid a moving tribute to their former manager, who has died.
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Görel Hanser, long-time manager and close friend of ABBA has died, aged 76.
Her death was announced by the band in a moving tribute published on their website social media.
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“It is with the deepest sorrow that we announce the passing of Görel Hanser,” the four stars’ post read.
“We have lost our most loved friend and closet colleague,” it continued. “The loss is immeasurable. We ask that you respect our privacy in this time of grief.”
ABBA’s statement was signed: “Agnetha Björn Benny Frida” and accompanied by a photo of Görel.
Görel’s connection to band came about through her work with Stig Anderson’s publishing company Sweden Music and his record label Polar Music, with whom ABBA were signed.
Soon after starting work in 1969 Görel became Stig’s secretary, and not long later she was appointed Vice President of Polar Music.
Görel looked after ABBA’s connections with global record labels and became the group’s personal manager, meaning she joined the group on all their tours and promotional trips and dealt with press interest in the band.
Like Anderson, Görel was sometimes referred to as ABBA’s fifth member due to how close she was to the band.
The group penned a song, ‘Sång Till Görel’, in 1979 all about their appreciation for Görel, and presented it to her as a 30th birthday present.
A personal gift, the record received a very limited printing (rumoured to be as few as 50) and was prohibited from ever being played on the radio, leading it to become one of ABBA’s most collectible tracks.
Following ABBA’s split, Görel continued working at Polar Music until 1987, when she started her own company: Music & Artist Service Görel Hanser.
There, she continued to manage Benny Andersson’s work and looked after remaining ABBA related business, such as Andersson/Ulvaeus musicals like Mamma Mia! and Chess.
A lifelong ambassador for ABBA, she represented the group at several fan club events over the years.
In 2018, she was awarded the prestigious Swedish Grammis Award for her lifetime contribution to the music industry.
