”Every time you go into the mainstream, I get really uncomfortable”: Opeth’s Mikael Åkerfeldt declined to join an Abba tribute band at Eurovision this year

Opeth in 2024 and Abba in 1974 — (Image credit: Rune Hellestad/Corbis via Getty Images | Olle Lindeborg/AFP via Getty Images)

Opeth singer/guitarist Mikael Åkerfeldt was approached to join an Abba tribute band for the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest.

The 50-year-old makes the revelation in an exclusive interview with Metal Hammer, and says that he declined to participate due to feeling “uncomfortable” with mainstream exposure.

When asked by journalist Rich Hobson if Opeth would ever play the Olympics, in light of extreme metal stars Gojira’s recent opening ceremony performance, Åkerfeldt answers: “Generally I say no to those kinds of things.”

He adds: “I was asked to be part of an Abba tribute, recording Thank You For The Music as part of the 50th-anniversary celebration of them winning Eurovision [with the song Waterloo in 1974].

“I was thinking ‘maybe’, but it turned into a flat ‘no’. Every time you go into the mainstream, especially something as super mainstream as that, I get really uncomfortable. You get ushered to do things you’re not comfortable with.”

Åkerfeldt goes on to describe the process of being approached for the performance, also putting his refusal down to changing plans for his role and the fact that Abba themselves wouldn’t be involved.

“Right off the bat they only wanted me to sing one line, ‘For the music,’ and the thing is, I love Abba. So I was like, ‘Are ABBA going to be there?’ ‘No.’ ‘Then, no.’

They also changed their minds about me singing to playing guitar, and I was like, ‘If you want a solo, call Yngwie Malmsteen.’ But yeah, I reckon even for the Olympics we’d end up saying no, to be honest.”

Åkerfeldt is the longest-serving member of Opeth, having joined in 1991, and has gone on to become their lead songwriter.

The band recently released the single §1 (“paragraph one”), the first taste of upcoming album The Last Will And Testament. The track brings Opeth back to their progressive death metal roots, following a 13-year stint as a straight prog rock band.

Åkerfeldt explained the decision to re-embrace death metal to Metal Hammer, attributing it to the encouragement of longtime bassist Martín Mendéz and the addition of new drummer Waltteri Väyrynen. Väyrynen has played for such extreme metal bands as Bodom After Midnight and Vallenfyre, as well as goth metal pioneers Paradise Lost.

Åkerfeldt also cited recent retrospective tours and the dark themes of The Last Will And Testament as impacting the tonal shift.

Opeth headline Bloodstock Open Air in Derbyshire on Friday, August 9, playing a fan-voted setlist. They will release The Last Will And Testament on October 11 via Moderbolaget and Reigning Phoenix Music.

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Louder’s resident Gojira obsessive was still at uni when he joined the team in 2017. Since then, Matt’s become a regular in Metal Hammer and Prog, at his happiest when interviewing the most forward-thinking artists heavy music can muster. He’s got bylines in The Guardian, The Telegraph, The Independent, NME and many others, too. When he’s not writing, you’ll probably find him skydiving, scuba diving or coasteering.

With contributions from

Rich Hobson