Aqua’s “Barbie Girl” has reentered the spotlight in the wake of Greta Gerwig’s Barbie movie. The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) certified the 1997 hit triple platinum, denoting sales of 3 million singles in the U.S. alone. On Sunday night (July 9), the group was presented with a plaque for the milestone by UMe. The three remaining members of Aqua – René Dif, Lene Nystrøm, and Søren Rasted – were in attendance. Former member Claus Norreen left the band in 2016.
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Upon its release, “Barbie Girl” became a cultural phenomenon. The kitschy song hit the top of the charts in several countries including the U.K., Australia, France, Netherlands, and many others. It hit No. 2 on Billboard‘s Dance Singles chart in the U.S.
The song has received a rebirth via the soundtrack for the blockbuster film Barbie. Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice teamed up for a song of the same name on the soundtrack, sampling Aqua’s hook in their revamped rap.
Though “Barbie Girl” is fresh on the minds of pop culture thanks to Gerwig’s movie, it has popped up time and time again in the zeitgeist since its release. Love it or hate it, no one can deny the lasting impact of “Barbie Girl.”
In addition to their 3x platinum plaque, Aqua recently played their first shows in the U.S. since 1997. The group played two sold-out shows in the last few weeks – one at New York’s Irving Plaza on June 26 and another at Los Angeles’ Belasco on July 6.
Aqua’s Nystrøm, Dif, and Rasted recently chatted with American Songwriter about the 25th anniversary of their debut album, Aquarium, which featured “Barbie Girl.”
“A good melody never dies,” Nystrøm told American Songwriter of the enduring appeal of “Barbie Girl.” “It will continue to live I believe.”
Rasted continued, “We have been very lucky. We had seven singles from our first album [and] seven of them went No. 1 in several places in the world. ‘Barbie Girl’ went No. 1 in many countries. It is difficult to determine why, but I think it’s straight-up just a good song. It’s easy to understand and Barbie still exists today.”
Photo: Rasmus Luckman / Courtesy Reybee PR
