A FORMER Farnham schoolboy has stepped into the shoes of one of the biggest names in pop music, quite literally – to perform on the official video for Abba’s Christmas single.

Ten-year-old Makisig Akiwumi can be seen playing the role of the band’s guitarist and singer-songwriter Björn Ulvaeus on the film that accompanies their latest hit Little Things.

Multi-talented Makisig, who used to attend South Farnham School, had a whale of a time making the video after impressing the producers with his musicianship and acting skills.

Dressed in the sort of shiny jumpsuit and cape that Abba were wont to wear in their seventies heyday, and with a flashy guitar slung across his body, he gets into the groove with rock’n’roller style high kicks as he performs with three other youngsters as a mini version of the super group.

Speaking on his YouTube site, where he can be viewed watching the video for the first time, Makisig confesses he did not realise who the band were when he was first told he had got through the auditions.

“When they said it was an Abba video it didn’t really change much because I didn’t really know who Abba was until my parents mentioned some of their songs and it started to ring a bell,” he said.

Makisig and the other children had a video call from Björn and his fellow band mate and composer Benny Andersson, which the youngster found inspiring. But what really impressed him was the glitzy platform shoes he wears in the music video. “They were so comfortable and flexible. I really like them,” he said.

Makisig, who now lives in Guildford, plays no less than four different instruments – the violin, piano, electric guitar and acoustic guitar – as well as singing. But his talents do not end there. He also previously competed regionally as a gymnast and swimmer as did his sister Marikit, 12, who featured in the Herald last month as she is part of the cast of a touring West End show.

Proud dad, Tony, who with mum, Sofia, takes the children up to London every weekend to play in bands, said they gave up the sports when the training schedule became too much. “Music has now taken over with them,” he added.