The vibrant energy of the ’90s was reignited as the iconic Danish pop band Aqua took the stage at The Fillmore in Philadelphia, Pa. The air was buzzing with anticipation, and fans from all walks of life gathered to witness a nostalgic journey through the band’s chart-topping hits.
As the lights dimmed, the unmistakable beat of “Cartoon Heroes” filled the venue, instantly transporting the audience back to a time when catchy pop tunes ruled the airwaves. Aqua, led by the charismatic Lene Nystrøm and René Dif, burst onto the stage with infectious enthusiasm, setting the tone for a night of pure entertainment.
The stage was bathed in a sea of vibrant colors, mirroring the band’s playful and lively persona. Aqua’s musician Søren Rasted, demonstrated his musical prowess, delivering tight and energetic performances that showcased the evolution of the band’s sound over the years.
The setlist featured...
As the lights dimmed, the unmistakable beat of “Cartoon Heroes” filled the venue, instantly transporting the audience back to a time when catchy pop tunes ruled the airwaves. Aqua, led by the charismatic Lene Nystrøm and René Dif, burst onto the stage with infectious enthusiasm, setting the tone for a night of pure entertainment.
The stage was bathed in a sea of vibrant colors, mirroring the band’s playful and lively persona. Aqua’s musician Søren Rasted, demonstrated his musical prowess, delivering tight and energetic performances that showcased the evolution of the band’s sound over the years.
The setlist featured...
- 12/21/2023
- by Kristyn Clarke
- Age of the Nerd
The Scandinavian pop group’s sly, satirical take on Barbie pre-empted the hit film’s own subversion by 26 years. And they’ve noted some similarities …
In the middle of a recent New York City concert, Aqua’s male lead vocalist René Dif and keyboardist Søren Rasted looked at each other in elation and disbelief. As singer Lene Nystrøm warbled towards the refrain of Calling You – a mostly overlooked number that closed out their 1997 debut album Aquarium – the tightly packed audience of 1,200 (aged roughly nine to 65) were confidently singing along, not missing a beat.
“I went: what is going on?!” Dif tells me the following afternoon at the rooftop bar of their hotel. “They can even sing this song? And it was not just five people!”...
In the middle of a recent New York City concert, Aqua’s male lead vocalist René Dif and keyboardist Søren Rasted looked at each other in elation and disbelief. As singer Lene Nystrøm warbled towards the refrain of Calling You – a mostly overlooked number that closed out their 1997 debut album Aquarium – the tightly packed audience of 1,200 (aged roughly nine to 65) were confidently singing along, not missing a beat.
“I went: what is going on?!” Dif tells me the following afternoon at the rooftop bar of their hotel. “They can even sing this song? And it was not just five people!”...
- 8/7/2023
- by Angelica Frey
- The Guardian - Film News
Bubblegum music can have layers. For example, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” is a critique of Pamela Anderson and women like her. In addition, the song was supposed to be fun and tongue-in-cheek.
Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ was a song about Pamela Anderson and plastic surgeries
During a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, Aqua member Lene Nystrøm discussed the meaning of “Barbie Girl. “It’s tongue-in-cheek,” he said. “It’s pop music. If you want to see the layers to it, there’s all the layers you want.
“But we kind of took the piss out of the Pamela Anderson Baywatch perfect picture with silicon boobs,” she added. “We wanted to take the piss out of that kind of perfect girl. That was the main thing we discussed. We didn’t say it very often, but that was the main thing behind it.” Notably, Anderson’s character on Baywatch, C. J. Parker,...
Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ was a song about Pamela Anderson and plastic surgeries
During a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, Aqua member Lene Nystrøm discussed the meaning of “Barbie Girl. “It’s tongue-in-cheek,” he said. “It’s pop music. If you want to see the layers to it, there’s all the layers you want.
“But we kind of took the piss out of the Pamela Anderson Baywatch perfect picture with silicon boobs,” she added. “We wanted to take the piss out of that kind of perfect girl. That was the main thing we discussed. We didn’t say it very often, but that was the main thing behind it.” Notably, Anderson’s character on Baywatch, C. J. Parker,...
- 7/23/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
Tl;Dr:
An art piece made a songwriter think of two of the most famous lines of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.” The members of Aqua clashed over how the vocals of the song should sound. Nicki Minaj’s take on “Barbie Girl” became a hit in its own right.
Even novelty music can have highbrow origins. For example, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” was inspired by a work of art. The art in question was an unusual piece made from Barbies.
Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ was inspired by a planet made out of Barbie dolls
Søren Rasted is a member of Aqua. During a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, he discussed the origin of his band’s signature hit. “When we were writing songs for the first album, I went to an art exhibition at a store in Copenhagen,” he recalled. “They’d taken a bunch of Barbie dolls and made a planet out of them.
An art piece made a songwriter think of two of the most famous lines of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl.” The members of Aqua clashed over how the vocals of the song should sound. Nicki Minaj’s take on “Barbie Girl” became a hit in its own right.
Even novelty music can have highbrow origins. For example, Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” was inspired by a work of art. The art in question was an unusual piece made from Barbies.
Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ was inspired by a planet made out of Barbie dolls
Søren Rasted is a member of Aqua. During a 2022 interview with Rolling Stone, he discussed the origin of his band’s signature hit. “When we were writing songs for the first album, I went to an art exhibition at a store in Copenhagen,” he recalled. “They’d taken a bunch of Barbie dolls and made a planet out of them.
- 7/22/2023
- by Matthew Trzcinski
- Showbiz Cheat Sheet
When Greta Gerwig’s Barbie was first announced, many fans expected Aqua’s popular song, “Barbie Girl,” to be featured. With the song’s upbeat tune and catchy lyrics, it seemed like a no-brainer for it to be included in the movie’s soundtrack. However, this excitement was squashed in 2022 when it was definitively revealed that the song wouldn’t be included in the movie or on the soundtrack.
The reason that “Barbie Girl” won’t be in Barbie is more than just a licensing or rights issue though. Some of it has to do with the fact that Barbie’s parent company Mattel sued the Aqua group for trademark infringement because of the song in 1997. Mattel was worried that the song would ruin the wholesome Barbie brand and one of their major complaints was that the music video “features the Ken doll dismembering the Barbie doll by pulling off her arm.
The reason that “Barbie Girl” won’t be in Barbie is more than just a licensing or rights issue though. Some of it has to do with the fact that Barbie’s parent company Mattel sued the Aqua group for trademark infringement because of the song in 1997. Mattel was worried that the song would ruin the wholesome Barbie brand and one of their major complaints was that the music video “features the Ken doll dismembering the Barbie doll by pulling off her arm.
- 7/22/2023
- by Brynnaarens
- Den of Geek
Margot Robbie Told "Barbie" Director Greta Gerwig That Aqua's "Barbie Girl" "Has to Be" in the Movie
Buzz around Greta Gerwig's star-studded live-action "Barbie" movie continues to grow as fans gear up for the movie's premiere next month. After Warner Bros. unveiled a first look at the film and its release date on Twitter on April 27, 2022, fans immediately began to speculate what else they could expect from the forthcoming movie - mainly whether or not Aqua's iconic 1997 song "Barbie Girl" will appear in the film.
As perfect as that pairing would be, it initially seemed like there were no plans for that to happen. "The song will not be used in the movie," Ulrich Møller-Jørgensen, manager of Aqua lead singer Lene Nystrøm, told Variety in April 2022. Møller-Jørgensen didn't provide further insight, but Nystrøm seemed relieved about it. In a September 2022 interview with Variety, the singer said that the band's song appearing in the live-action movie would be too on-the-nose, or as she put it, "cheese on cheese.
As perfect as that pairing would be, it initially seemed like there were no plans for that to happen. "The song will not be used in the movie," Ulrich Møller-Jørgensen, manager of Aqua lead singer Lene Nystrøm, told Variety in April 2022. Møller-Jørgensen didn't provide further insight, but Nystrøm seemed relieved about it. In a September 2022 interview with Variety, the singer said that the band's song appearing in the live-action movie would be too on-the-nose, or as she put it, "cheese on cheese.
- 6/26/2023
- by Njera Perkins
- Popsugar.com
When “Barbie” hits the big screen next year, one classic song will be missing.
In a new interview with Variety, the members of Danish-Norwegian euro-pop group Aqua revealed their 1997 global smash “Barbie Girl” won’t be featured in the Greta Gerwig comedy.
Read More: First Look At Ryan Gosling As Barbie’s Ken In Upcoming Movie, Eva Mendes Shares Her Reaction
Though they don’t know why the director opted to exclude the song, singer Lene Nystrøm suggested that it may have been too on-the-nose, saying it would be “cheese on cheese.”
Fellow band member Søren Rasted joked, “We should say we turned it down. Ryan Gosling is not good enough!”
Nystrøm added, “I totally understand why they didn’t use it, but it’s going to bring us a lot of attention, no matter what.”
When “Barbie Girl” hit the airwaves in the late ’90s, the satirical song reached...
In a new interview with Variety, the members of Danish-Norwegian euro-pop group Aqua revealed their 1997 global smash “Barbie Girl” won’t be featured in the Greta Gerwig comedy.
Read More: First Look At Ryan Gosling As Barbie’s Ken In Upcoming Movie, Eva Mendes Shares Her Reaction
Though they don’t know why the director opted to exclude the song, singer Lene Nystrøm suggested that it may have been too on-the-nose, saying it would be “cheese on cheese.”
Fellow band member Søren Rasted joked, “We should say we turned it down. Ryan Gosling is not good enough!”
Nystrøm added, “I totally understand why they didn’t use it, but it’s going to bring us a lot of attention, no matter what.”
When “Barbie Girl” hit the airwaves in the late ’90s, the satirical song reached...
- 9/28/2022
- by Corey Atad
- ET Canada
Aqua has reacted after their iconic 1997 hit “Barbie Girl” was excluded from the soundtrack for Margot Robbie’s forthcoming Barbie film.
The Danish-Norwegian group released the euro-pop anthem 25 years ago. Since then, it has amassed a huge following with its music video reaching 1.1 billion views on YouTube.
Many fans believed that the song’s inclusion on the soundtrack for the Greta Gerwig film was a sure thing.
It has since been revealed, however, that “Barbie Girl” will not feature in the movie.
Speaking about their exclusion from the soundtrack with Variety, band member Lene Nystrøm speculated that the lyrics of “Barbie Girl” would be too on-the-nose for the film, or in her words, “cheese on cheese”.
Bandmate Søren Rasted quipped that Aqua should say “we turned it down”, jokingly adding:”Ryan Gosling is not good enough!”
“I totally understand why they didn’t use it,” said Nystrøm. “But it’s...
The Danish-Norwegian group released the euro-pop anthem 25 years ago. Since then, it has amassed a huge following with its music video reaching 1.1 billion views on YouTube.
Many fans believed that the song’s inclusion on the soundtrack for the Greta Gerwig film was a sure thing.
It has since been revealed, however, that “Barbie Girl” will not feature in the movie.
Speaking about their exclusion from the soundtrack with Variety, band member Lene Nystrøm speculated that the lyrics of “Barbie Girl” would be too on-the-nose for the film, or in her words, “cheese on cheese”.
Bandmate Søren Rasted quipped that Aqua should say “we turned it down”, jokingly adding:”Ryan Gosling is not good enough!”
“I totally understand why they didn’t use it,” said Nystrøm. “But it’s...
- 9/27/2022
- by Annabel Nugent
- The Independent - Music
High-pitched vocals, bright visuals, and kitschy lyrics made pop band Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’ a novelty hit for the ages, and the perky euro-pop anthem, which took the world by storm in 1997, is still going strong 25 years later.
The video has amassed more than 1.1 billion views on YouTube but the main question is will the song make it to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming ‘Barbie’ movie?
The answer to that question is no, reports ‘Variety’.
Which isn’t surprising given that Mattel sued Aqua in the ’90s and lost but it’s still disappointing for many.
The Danish-Norwegian group, however, is decidedly confused.
Lene Nystrom theorizes that using ‘Barbie Girl’ in the movie would be too on-the-nose or, in her words, “cheese on cheese”.
Soren Rasted finds the whole situation amusing: “We should say we turned it down. Ryan Gosling is not good enough!”
However, they’re excited for the film.
The video has amassed more than 1.1 billion views on YouTube but the main question is will the song make it to Greta Gerwig’s upcoming ‘Barbie’ movie?
The answer to that question is no, reports ‘Variety’.
Which isn’t surprising given that Mattel sued Aqua in the ’90s and lost but it’s still disappointing for many.
The Danish-Norwegian group, however, is decidedly confused.
Lene Nystrom theorizes that using ‘Barbie Girl’ in the movie would be too on-the-nose or, in her words, “cheese on cheese”.
Soren Rasted finds the whole situation amusing: “We should say we turned it down. Ryan Gosling is not good enough!”
However, they’re excited for the film.
- 9/27/2022
- by Glamsham Bureau
- GlamSham
If you were alive in the late '90s, you've almost certainly heard Aqua's "Barbie Girl." At once a catchy earworm and a deeply silly novelty tune, it remains one of the more inexplicable songs to ever top the charts. Listeners almost certainly will have a different relationship to the song depending on how old they were when they heard it, but as a very young kid in the '90s, it was a song I heard — and loved -- mostly at sleepovers, where it was in heavy rotation. I most distinctly remember dancing to it at a cousin's birthday party, after we set up her new password journal but before we stuffed ourselves with brightly colored birthday cake ice cream.
That type of hot-pink-tinged memory is right in line with the magic of "Barbie Girl," a celebratory song that imagines a world where "life is plastic" and "it's fantastic.
That type of hot-pink-tinged memory is right in line with the magic of "Barbie Girl," a celebratory song that imagines a world where "life is plastic" and "it's fantastic.
- 9/27/2022
- by Valerie Ettenhofer
- Slash Film
When the readers of Rolling Stone were asked to pick the worst song of the Nineties back in 2011, they didn’t go with “Macarena,” “Achy Breaky Heart,” “MMMBop,” “Mmm Mmm Mmm,” “Nookie,” or even “I’m Too Sexy.” The proud honor went to “Barbie Girl.” And even if you’ve never heard of the Danish-Norwegian Europop group Aqua, you’ve definitely heard their song that proudly declares, “Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.” “Barbie Girl” was inescapable when it arrived 25 years ago, and it’s never truly gone away. This past February,...
- 4/1/2022
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Hulu is expanding its library of hit animated series. In a new deal with 20th Century Fox Television Distribution, beginning today Hulu is offering the full run of Emmy-winning comedy Bob's Burgers, as well as all seasons of The Cleveland Show. The complete library of Futurama and all past seasons of American Dad! also will be coming to Hulu in the coming weeks. They join animated sitcoms already available on Hulu, including South Park, Rick & Morty, The Boondocks, Aqua Te…...
- 7/11/2017
- Deadline TV
Having just said goodbye to 2010 - a year which few would argue had been a particularly impressive one for the world of cinema - it is with a hint of disappointment that I must bring to your attention a DVD release of such crashing and unbridled nonsense so early on in 2011. The film in question is Haakon Gundersen’s Betrayal (2009), starring none other than Lene Nystrom of 90s pop group "Aqua".
Set in Nazi occupied Oslo, Betrayal tells the story of a group of Wehrmacht officers and a local club owner, Tor Lindblom (Fridtjov Saheim), as he illegally supplies them with a wide range of industrial and recreational amenities. Unfortunately for Tor, he falls in love with nightclub singer Eva Karlsen (Nystrom), who, as luck would have it, just so happens to be a British secret agent. When an outside party decides to send in an officer to check these transactions are legal,...
Set in Nazi occupied Oslo, Betrayal tells the story of a group of Wehrmacht officers and a local club owner, Tor Lindblom (Fridtjov Saheim), as he illegally supplies them with a wide range of industrial and recreational amenities. Unfortunately for Tor, he falls in love with nightclub singer Eva Karlsen (Nystrom), who, as luck would have it, just so happens to be a British secret agent. When an outside party decides to send in an officer to check these transactions are legal,...
- 1/18/2011
- by Daniel Green
- CineVue
Aqua have revealed that they are working on a new studio album, expected to be released next year. The Danish pop group, whose Greatest Hits collection is out on September 28, claimed that they are planning to update their sound on the new record. "It's more serious. What we are able to do is go in a different direction but you'll always be able to hear it's us because we have this Scandinavian style and we both have distinctive voices," singer Lene Nystrøm told Attitude. "We're back (more)...
- 9/23/2009
- by By David Balls
- Digital Spy
Danish/Norwegian band Aqua have a new single called "Back to the 80's" and recently premiered a music video for the song. The band's vocalists, Lene Nystrom Rasted and Rene Dif, appear in the video wearing top hats and perform with the rest of the band's members on a disco-themed stage.
"Back to the 80's" is a new song planned to be included in Aqua's upcoming compilation album "Greatest Hits". The track contains lyrics which make reference to Michael Jackson. "When M&M was just a snack/and Michael Jackson's skin was black," so part of its line reads.
Aqua are expected to drop the album across Europe on June 15. In addition to "Back to the 80's" and their hit singles from previous records, they also list two other new songs, "My Mamma Said" and "Live Fast, Die Young", for the effort.
Aqua's "Back to the 80's...
"Back to the 80's" is a new song planned to be included in Aqua's upcoming compilation album "Greatest Hits". The track contains lyrics which make reference to Michael Jackson. "When M&M was just a snack/and Michael Jackson's skin was black," so part of its line reads.
Aqua are expected to drop the album across Europe on June 15. In addition to "Back to the 80's" and their hit singles from previous records, they also list two other new songs, "My Mamma Said" and "Live Fast, Die Young", for the effort.
Aqua's "Back to the 80's...
- 6/11/2009
- by AceShowbiz.com
- Aceshowbiz
IMDb.com, Inc. takes no responsibility for the content or accuracy of the above news articles, Tweets, or blog posts. This content is published for the entertainment of our users only. The news articles, Tweets, and blog posts do not represent IMDb's opinions nor can we guarantee that the reporting therein is completely factual. Please visit the source responsible for the item in question to report any concerns you may have regarding content or accuracy.