The song “Barbie Girl” became the Danish-Norwegian Aqua’s ticket to an international career. The joy of the group did not last long. When they received a lawsuit from the manufacturer of the popular doll to which the lyrics of the song referred, they had to fight for their good name. How did the fate of the group go?
The beginnings of the Aqua team were not the easiest. The change of label and manager brought results
Before the songs of the band Aqua conquered the world charts, the musicians had an unsuccessful contract with the XM label. The failure prompted them to terminate their contract and hire a new manager who created a new image for them in the industry. The cooperation turned out to be fruitful. They quickly started working on a new sound, which gave birth to the musical trend “Bubblegum Pop Sound”, typical of their work, whose melodies and lyrics were rhythmic and quickly fell into memory. Soon after, they signed a contract with Universal Music Denmark and adopted the name Aqua.
Already the first single “Roses Are Red”, which they released under the auspices of new producers, became a huge hit and occupied the top of the charts for two months. The next track “My Oh My” was equally successful, and the band Aqua began to be more and more appreciated in the music industry. With the decision to record the album, the label decided to promote the group also in other countries around the world. In 1997, the band’s first album “Aquarium” debuted on the phonographic market, with the song “Barbie Girl”, which brought the musicians international popularity.
The song “Barbie Girl” caused controversy. The producer of the iconic doll filed a lawsuit in court
The song “Barbie Girl” did not immediately find favor with the listeners due to the controversial lyrics containing sexual overtones. The lines included sentences such as “I’m a blonde stupid girl and I live in a fantasy world. Dress me in tight clothes, I’ll be your doll” or “You can touch, you can play. As long as you say you’ll be mine forever.”
Although the musicians were accused of promoting the objectification of women, they claimed that they had a completely different goal. According to the artists, the song was intended to show the stereotypical perception of women by the opposite sex. “There were a lot of headlines about plastic surgery at the time, which affected us, but really we just wanted to make a fun song. We didn’t think too much about it – the leader of the band after years. Maybe it was because of the numerous controversies that the song quickly gained international popularity and took 7th place on the prestigious Billboard Hot 100 list in the United States.
The manufacturer of the famous doll, Mattel, was reluctant to watch the actions of the Aqua team from the beginning. Negative comments and numerous scandals that appeared again and again around the song prompted representatives of the brand to file a lawsuit against MCA. In 2000, charges were filed against for infringement of the “Barbie” trademark, as well as the use of the company’s flagship product in promoting a sexually explicit song. In addition, the creators were accused of copyright infringement and negative impact on Mattel’s good name. The label, surprised by the lawsuit, decided to file a counter-claim for defamation. Both the dollmaker’s and MCA Records’ allegations were dismissed. The appeals also turned out to be ineffective, because the court ruled that the work was released as a parody, and therefore it is protected by law.
Two breaks in the activities of the Aqua team. They finally returned to the stage
returned to live performances, and the turning point in their career was the 2001 Eurovision Song Contest. The musicians performed the song “Barbie Girl”, for which they were criticized in the media. They were also accused of singing with playback, which is unacceptable during such an important plebiscite. Negative comments made the cup of bitterness overflow and the creators decided to suspend their activities. They returned to the market only in 2008, announcing a great concert tour.
Of the 25 planned performances, only 8 were performed. Their second album was also released, which was a compilation of the group’s greatest hits, and two years later the album “Megalomania” debuted, which, contrary to the assumptions, did not captivate the fans. In 2014, the Aqua band suspended their activities again, only to return to the Danish scene for good after two years. This year, the musicians will celebrate 26 years of their activity.
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Source: Gazeta
Bruce is a talented author and journalist with a passion for entertainment . He currently works as a writer at the 247 News Agency, where he has established himself as a respected voice in the industry.
