Europop sensations Aqua have announced they are ‘closing the chapter’ for the band after three decades together.
The Danish group sold over 33million records worldwide, thanks to their endlessly catchy number one hit Barbie Girl.
Band members René Dif, Lene Nystrøm, and Søren Rasted posted a lengthy farewell on the group’s Instagram page, announcing the end of all live shows.
‘Dear everyone ❤️,’ the group penned. ‘After many incredible years, we have decided to close the chapter of AQUA as a live band.
‘AQUA has been such a huge part of our lives, and together we’ve had the chance to experience more than we ever dared to dream of.
‘We’ve travelled the world countless times, met so many wonderful people, sung together with millions of you, and shared memories that we will carry with us forever.’
They first formed in 1995, releasing their debut album Aquarium two years later, which transformed them into global icons.
‘When you’ve been together for this long, you also learn when it’s time to protect what you’ve created together,’ the statement continued.
‘For us, this feels like the right moment to say goodbye, while the memories are still strong, and while the love for the music, the story, and each other remains intact.’
Barbie Girl is the group’s biggest hit, earning two Grammy nods and the title of one of the best-selling singles of all time according to Official Charts.
The popularity of the song actually landed them in court in the 2000s when Mattel filed a lawsuit against them for damaging the brand’s reputation with the cheeky lyrics.
MCA Records filed a countersuit and the judge eventually dismissed the case, stating: ‘The parties are advised to chill.’
For a long time, the band were unable to discuss the lawsuit, which was directed at their label, not Aqua, despite being frequently asked at the time.
However, in a 2023 interview with Rolling Stone, Søren said: ‘The lawsuit was really just a good advertisement for us since you can’t really get rid of the song, but everyone knew about the lawsuit. We couldn’t have asked for anything better.’
Aqua went on to perform the song at the 2001 Eurovision Song Contest, opening and closing their mashup of singles with the famed track.
Mattel appears to have put this behind them as the brand licensed Barbie Girl for the 2023 film, as well as sampling it in Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s Barbie World.
Shortly after Eurovision, Aqua confirmed they had split and would not reunite until 2007, when they released a greatest hits album.
Despite not releasing any new albums since 2011’s Megalomania, the group have continued to tour and perform consistently over the years and are the most successful Danish group of all time.
Original member Claus Norreen left in 2016, saying he no longer wished to tour and his ‘musical focus’ had changed.
In their statement, Aqua added: ‘From the bottom of our hearts: thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey over the past 30 years. Thank you for the love, the energy, the support, and for all the moments we’ve shared together.
‘Nothing but love and gratitude from here on. Endless love ❤️ Lene, René & Søren.’
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