TOP: Aqua in 1997. From left: Claus Norreen (ended in 2016), René Dif, Lene Nystrøm and Søren Rasted. Photo: PAUL TREACY / AP / NTB
The Danish band with the Norwegian vocalist is enjoying a new spring in the wake of the “Barbie” film. At the same time, Lene Nystrøm comes with a jab at those who regard Aqua as “one hit wonders”.
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The “Barbie” fever has given new life to Aqua and their 1997 hit “Barbie Girl”. The Nicki Minaj/Ice Spice song “Barbie World” was inspired by the song. It is at the forefront of the “Barbie” film soundtrack and is now the seventh most popular song on Spotify globally – with around four million daily plays. “Barbie Girl” is played around one million times a day. In a The Guardian report, the stamp Aqua has had for a quarter of a century is addressed: “One hit wonders” – a term coined for artists known for only one hit. Show more
In the summer of 1997, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” was a pop culture phenomenon with an impact not unlike that of Greta Garwig’s “Barbie” movie at the time of writing:
Ubiquitous and debated.
For a long time it was both assumed and stated that Aqua’s old slayer would not be included in the film.
Shortly before the premiere, the song was nevertheless included in the pink heat, as the basis for the Nicki Minaj/Ice Spice song “Barbie World”. It spearheads the film’s blockbuster soundtrack.
The Aqua members are credited as songwriters on “Barbie World”, currently the seventh most popular song on Spotify worldwidewith around four million daily plays.
A million a day
However, the “Barbie” fever has also given new life to Aqua themselves and their 1997 hit.
“Barbie Girl” has long been popular, and recently passed 400 million Spotify plays.
But it was in July that the song entered the streaming service’s daily list of the 200 most played songs globally for the first time.
It is now played approximately one million times a day.
Aqua’s new wind in the sails has attracted attention internationally, including the British newspaper The Guardian now published a longer interview with the band.
It was done when, according to the newspaper, Aqua recently held their first ever US concert as a headliner.
STILL PINK: Aqua in 2021. From left: Søren Rasted (54), Lene Nystrøm (49) and René Dif (55). Photo: Dec Kid
In the reportage, the stamp Aqua has had for a quarter of a century is addressed: “One hit wonders” – a term coined for artists known for only one hit.
There it is pointed out that two more of the singles after “Barbie Girl” also went to number one in the UK: “Doctor Jones” and “Turn Back Time”.
“Doctor Jones” also topped the charts in a number of other countries, and in the year 2000, Aqua did it sharply again with the single “Cartoon Heroes”.
– I think that some critics wanted us to be “one hit wonders”, because they didn’t want to respect that, says Lene Nystrøm to The Guardian.
– Happened very quickly
Aqua’s record company MCA was sued in 1997 by the Barbie concept’s owner and manufacturer, American Mattel. They did not like the song and video’s sexualization of the popular doll.
MCA countersued for defamation. The conflict was put to rest in 2002, when a judge dismissed both lawsuits and concluded: “The parties are encouraged to calm down a bit.”
TROPHY PARTY: Aqua in 2000, as gold and platinum trophies showered around them for all the records they sold. Photo: Linnemann, Kristian / NTB
In the wake of the “Barbie” movie, there has been renewed debate about whether the Aqua song was just a sexually charged joke, or whether it was critical art.
Anyway, Mattel – which is also behind the film – came to the scene in May, according to the band, with a request for Aqua to appear on the Nicki Minaj/Ice Spice single.
Lene Nystrøm tells The Guardian that Aqua initially understood that the filmmakers would rather have something new and fresh than their classic hits.
– Then we were asked to do the collaboration. It happened very quickly, she says.
According to the newspaper, the band now feels that Mattel has buried the hatchet with this.
According to The Guardian, Aqua has been touring steadily since 2012. Their next two concerts are “We love the 90’s” events in Stavanger and Fredrikstad, before three concerts in Canada await at the end of the month.
Lene Nystrøm’s ex-husband and Aqua member Søren Rasted tells the newspaper that the band is sometimes tired of each other, and sometimes not.
The former couple seem to be good friends, judging by friendly photos on Instagram.
– We have around 40 concerts a year, and 40 concerts are not your whole life, so it becomes something you look forward to every time, says the Dane.
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Published: 09.08.23 at 04:06
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2023-08-09 02:06:19
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