Translation:
Stina Dabrowski:
Welcome Frida!
Frida: Thank you so very much, Stina
SD: What do you actually do these days?
F: Well, what do I do? I have changed my life quite radically since the
last time we met. I remember it was some time in 1983. It's so long ago.
SD: At the ABBA event (Nöjesmaskinen)
F: Yes, that's right. I have started to devote myself to something I
think is worth consideration and that means so much to me - the environment.
That's what I mainly do.
SD: How did it start then?
F: I believe the big interest started after I read an article about
destroying forests.
SD: Forests?!
F: Yes, I thought it was so awful. I thought about what an individual
could do in order to actively take part in this with the environment. I don't
only want to see the problem and sometimes worry, I really want to do something.
I contacted the authors of the article and introduced an idea which had slowly
begun to grow. They liked it very much. After a while an organisation called
"The Natural Step", I don't know whether you've heard of it or not ....?
SD: Yes ...
F: ... contacted me and they wanted me to some way be the first person
because I had for so many years been well known and because people recognize me.
SD: Aren't you afraid of what some people say about you sitting there
with your millions doing nothing and then wanting to do something considerable?
F: No. Considerable - it's a funny word. People may say what they want as
long as I am 100% sure that this is what I want to devote myself to. I don't
really care much about what people like and think - I haven't done previously
either.
SD: How do you live then, environmentally friendly?
F: Yes, absolutely.
SD: Don't you buy plastic bottles any more?
F: Not anymore - I buy glass bottles. They are big and heavy but it's
worth it I think. I have to do everything if I want to be serious about this. I
also have to live the way I try to teach others to live.
SD: Give me some advice then, more than about plastic bottles which I
know people should not buy.
F: You can have a present from me (she takes a little can from behind
her)
SD: Oh yes, you sat there and hid something. I wondered ...
F: That's right. You're not allowed to read what it says there but I'd
like you to push in the middle in order to open the can. you have to keep it
yourself. Open the lid and what do we have there?! (a can with lettuce, radish,
etc.) You thought I had given you a can of lettuce! But under this lettuce, this
is food you see. Can you guess what's lying underneath this?
SD: Algae?
F: No, worms (waves her hand, laughs, pretends to be surprised)
SD: No!!!
F: Yes, actually these are ordinary worms
SD: I think I'll close this
F: ... and this is something you can do yourself if you really want to do
something for the environment. That is, make a recycling centre in your own
household with the help of little worms.
SD: In one's apartment?
F: It's very simple
SD: No ....
F: Yes, this is its own culture
SD: Those are dead!
F: No, they are alive but you have to search for them if you want to see
them. I saw them this morning when I opened this can. There are 250 worms in
there.
SD: Oh no! (closes the can)
F: You can get a plastic bucket which holds 10-20 litres, put torn, wet
newspaper inside and then this culture from the can. Then you should feed these
poor worms with left-overs, etc. You also have to care about their living
environment. Put a lid on the bucket so the worms can be in darkness as you
probably know.
SD: Yes
F: But in order to check their "standard" you can pick a worm up every
now and then, and they should be thick and ... (both laugh!)
SD: And you've got one of these at home in the kitchen?!
F: No I haven't bought ... actually I got this yesterday and I thought it
would be an excellent present for you, or Christmas present for you. But I wlll
start with this, too.
SD: It's strange. As I said, last time we met we talked about ABBA. Now
you're sitting there as ... what should I call it - environment instructor?
F: Don't say activist because I don't want to be called this!
SD: What's wrong with activist?
F: I don't know, it sounds so negative
SD: I see
F: But yes, I am happy to talk about this whatever I can, nice to hear
you think I can say something!
SD: Yes, really!
F: Worms are something really new. I think some people may think it's
disgusting with worms in the kitchen (laughs!)
SD: I really think so!
F: But as I said, you must take care of your new pets as they must get
used to their new environment.
SD: It's not only environment in your life now. You have gone over to a
prince
F: No, I don't smoke anymore! (prince = a make of tobacco)
SD: No, you don't smoke anymore
F: ... I gave up many years ago
SD: But a real prince I mean!
F: Hmmm (smiles)
SD: And I have to ask if you're married because there have been so many
reports in the Swedish press.
F: You can aslways ask Rolfstadiu s or whatever her name was at Svensk
DamTiding, she knows everything about me!
SD: I really wonder if she does - are you married?
F: No, I'm not married
SD: But you live together with a prince anyway?
F: Yes, yes if you think it's important he's a prince, then yes, I live
with a prince.
SD: And you live partly in Switzerland, sometimes in Sweden and sometimes
in Majorca
F: Yes, that's right.
SD: But what do you do then, do you work? Or is this work with the
environment your job?
F: I know what you mean with work. I like to live a life where I can
arrange different things, it gives me satisfaction.
SD: You don't have to go to work day after day like many others do you?
F: Not between 9am and 5pm anyway. I like to go to places, eg. my office
for a few hours a day and do what I feel is important. I believe people need
that. I also like to be at home, I enjoy being lazy, reading my books, just
about everything that's in my life today.
SD: You seem to be very happy
F: Yes I am, I am happy
SD: Don't you think your work with the environment would be more
successful if you sing, if you were still an artist?
F: I hope I can do something for the environment without the need to
sing. It would be much better for me as Frida today if I could do somethingn
good for people without performing and singing for singing's sake.
SD: But you've got such a fantastic gift! It's so hard to
understand you don't want to use the gift you have.
F: There are so many other things in life that have a meaning. It
required very much to be be in the music business, it swallowed a person
totally. I didn't want to be involved in such a thing. Later it would have
developed to an egotistical point of view. I want to be able to do something
that gives me power to give others something too.
SD: Going back to the time when you were a part of the music business,
what kind of perspective do you have to it today?
F:
SD: ...
F:
SD: ...
F:
SD: ...
F:
SD: ...
Translaton by Ulla Sahlberg as featured in Intermezzo Magazine (no.7)