Aqua (band)

Aqua
Aqua (from left: Rasted, Dif, Nystrøm, Norreen) at the Grøn Koncert in 2008.
Aqua (from left: Rasted, Dif, Nystrøm, Norreen) at the Grøn Koncert in 2008.
Background information
Also known asJoyspeed (1989–1995)
OriginCopenhagen, Denmark
Genres
Years active
  • 1995–2001
  • 2007–2012
  • 2016–present
Labels
Spinoffs
Members
Past members
Websiteaquaofficial.com

Aqua is a Danish-Norwegian Europop band,[6][7] best known for their 1997 single "Barbie Girl".[8][9] The group formed in 1995 in Copenhagen[10] and achieved international success around the globe in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band released three albums: Aquarium in 1997, Aquarius in 2000 and Megalomania in 2011. The group sold an estimated 33 million albums and singles, making them the most profitable Danish band ever.[11][12]

The group managed to top the UK Singles Chart with three of their singles. The group also caused controversy with the double entendres in their "Barbie Girl" single, with Mattel filing a lawsuit against the group. The lawsuit was finally dismissed by a judge in 2002, who ruled "The parties are advised to chill".[13]

The band's members are vocalists René Dif and Lene Nystrøm, keyboardist Søren Rasted, and guitarist Claus Norreen. During their split, Nystrøm, Dif and Rasted all achieved solo chart success, while Norreen remixed other artists' material. At a press event on October 26, 2007, the group announced a reunion tour, as well as the release of a compilation album featuring new material. Their third album, Megalomania, was released on 3 October 2011.

  1. ^ Jon O'Brien. "Aqua - Megalomania". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2019. Danish pop quartet Aqua
  2. ^ Jeremy Ulrey. Aqua at AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2019.
  3. ^ Nicolae Sfetcu (9 May 2014). "Dance Music". Retrieved 30 September 2019. Some artists like Aqua, Daze or Hit'n'Hide are not usually considered mainstream eurodance, but fall into the bubblegum pop category
  4. ^ Stephen Thomas Erlewine. "Aqua - Aquarius". AllMusic. Retrieved 30 September 2019. Aqua never strays from their danceable Europop foundation, but they find remarkable variety within that framework
  5. ^ "Blast from the past: Aqua will be bringing their bubblegum pop music to Singapore after 18 years". Sgmagazine.com. 23 June 2017.
  6. ^ Mødet med Aqua (in Danish). Jyllands-Posten. "Dansk-norske Aqua [...] [English: Danish-Norwegian Aqua [...]]"
  7. ^ Aqua (in Danish). DR (broadcaster). "GRUPPE (POP/EURODANCE) DANSK/NORSK [English: GROUP (POP/EURODANCE) DANISH/NORWEGIAN]"
  8. ^ "Aqua : Greatest Hits". 4 September 2011. Archived from the original on 4 September 2011. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  9. ^ "Aqua on 'Barbie Girl' Resurgence, Grammy Nods and US Tour: 'It's Been Out-of-This-World Fantastic!' (Exclusive)". Peoplemag. Retrieved 12 March 2024.
  10. ^ Bille, Torben, ed. (2002). Dansk rockleksikon (in Danish) (1st ed.). Politikens Forlag. p. 58. ISBN 87-567-6525-8. Dannet 1995 i København. [English: Formed 1995 in Copenhagen.]
  11. ^ Lewis, Rebecca (12 September 2016). "Aqua reunite to mark 20 years since Barbie Girl hit the airwaves". Metro. DMG Media. Retrieved 10 August 2017.
  12. ^ "Remember the 'Barbie Girl' song? Mattel actually sued, but was told 'to chill.'". pp. The Washington Post.
  13. ^ Mears, Bill (27 January 2003). "Barbie song appeal strikes an off note for high court". CNN. Archived from the original on 27 January 2021. Retrieved 18 April 2020.