Danish pop band Aqua, featuring René Dif, Lene Nystrøm, and Søren Rasted, were en route from Denmark to San Francisco for the kick-off of their U.S. tour when they received a surprising text from their manager — they had just been nominated for two Grammy Awards. Reflecting on the shocking news, Dif chuckles, “A lot of different feelings go through your mind. Is it real? Is it not real? It’s the most impossible thing when you’re young, thinking it would be nice to stand up there or just be nominated, but it was so far from reality at that time. But then, 26 years later, it apparently happened.”
Aqua’s Grammy nominations come on the heels of a resurgence in their popularity, due in part to the use of their 1997 hit “Barbie Girl” in the new Barbie movie. However, the band had already experienced a revival earlier this year, playing sold-out shows in New York and Los Angeles before the movie premiered. The band was overwhelmed by the positive reception, with Dif recalling, “Kids were singing all the lyrics, from the first song to the last song — and they were screaming.” Aqua’s success extends beyond the U.S., with multiple chart-topping hits around the world and record sales of 33 million.
Aqua faced legal challenges in the past, notably from Mattel, the maker of Barbie, who claimed that “Barbie Girl” violated the doll’s copyrights and trademarks. The lawsuit was ultimately settled, and now with the Barbie movie’s success and their Grammy nominations, the band feels vindicated. They continue to connect with fans across generations and are looking forward to the future, with plans for their U.S. tour, attending the Grammy Awards, and releasing new music.
Reflecting on their impact, Rasted believes that Aqua’s colorful and carefree image helped usher in “one last era of naïve pop music,” adding, “We took a lot of chances with the hair, the spikes, the bright clothes, when everybody [in the ’90s] was super-dead-serious with guitars and singing about how awful they had it. But then a piece of fresh air like us comes in, and it’s just one big pop party.”
As the band looks ahead, Dif humorously suggests, “Oh… we need our own dolls now.” This Technicolor-bright future for Aqua is sure to captivate fans old and new, creating a pop spectacle that transcends time and generations.
