The end of an era is at hand. Aqua, the 90s pop group most well-known for their one-hit wonder song “Barbie Girl”, is calling it quits.
In a post shared on social media, Aqua issued a statement letting fans know they have retired and expressing gratitude for all the years of support. “Dear everyone,” the message began. “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,” they continued. “We’ve traveled 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.”
The band then went on to add, “When you’ve been together for this long, you also learn when it’s time to protect what you’ve created together. 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.”
Finally, Aqua expressed, “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.”
It should be noted that the group stated that they are closing this “chapter of AQUA as a live band.” This could indicate that they plan to record and release music, but that is unclear at this time.
Aqua ended their letter by sending ‘Endless love’ to their fans
Aqua was formed in Copenhagen, Denmark, in 1995. The group’s founding members are René Dif, Søren Rasted, Lene Nystrøm, and Claus Norreen. Notably, Noreen exited the group in 2016, after their second reunion.
In 1997, Aqua released their debut album, Aquarium, which featured the song “Barbie Girl”. I probably don’t even have to tell you how insanely massive the tune was. Almost instantly it began dominating radio and TV airwaves.
The group dropped their follow-up, Aquarius, in 2000. It was a major success internationally, but in the United States, it did not recapture the popularity of their previous album. This same year, the band and their label faced a lawsuit from Mattel over “Barbie Girl”, but ultimately the courts sided against the toy company.
After all that, Aqua split in 2001. They reunited in 2007 and released their third and final album, Megalomania, in 2011. The next year, 2012, they split again. Fast forward a few years, Aqua reunited again in 2016, and have been infrequently touring and putting out music for the past decade.
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