“I’m a Barbie girl, in the Barbie world/Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.” These lyrics, from Aqua’s 1997 smash hit “Barbie Girl,” are undeniably nonetheless part of the social consciousness 25 years later. It’s a bubblegum gem of 90s dance pop, that includes lead singer Lene Nystrøm’s vocals and René Dif’s raps as they serve up tongue-in-cheek social commentary over uber-danceable synths. The third monitor on their debut album Aquarium, it was the Danish dance-pop band’s first single launched in the USA.
Quickly after “Barbie Girl” was launched in April 1997, Aqua went from being a small native band to an in-demand world sensation. It debuted at No. 7 on Billboard’s Sizzling 100 and No. 1 on the UK Singles chart, spending 4 weeks on the prime to turn out to be England’s second-bestselling file of 1997, solely behind Elton John‘s “Candle in the Wind.” It topped the charts throughout Europe – hitting No. 2 in Denmark – Australia, New Zealand, and Canada, and was named Danish Hit Of The 12 months in 1998. It was fortunate timing: Simply as Aqua launched Aquarium, the bubblegum pop of Backstreet Boys, *NSYNC, and Spice Women had been beginning to rule the charts.
Order the Twenty fifth-anniversary reissue of Aquarium.
Whereas Aqua dreamed of being profitable musicians and making an affect with their joyful music, they by no means thought they’d have a Prime 10 hit in the USA. “Most of the Scandinavian groups that broke in America were from Sweden, though A-Ha were from Norway. Not many came from Denmark,” Nystrøm defined to Rolling Stone. “So I can’t even describe the feeling [of learning the song broke in America].”
The inspiration behind and video for Aqua’s “Barbie Girl”
The track was impressed by Aqua keyboardist Søren Rasted’s visiting an artwork exhibit within the group’s hometown of Copenhagen. He was captivated by a spherical orb of Barbie dolls. As he advised Rolling Stone, “It made me think of, ‘Life in plastic, it’s fantastic.’ I thought that was a great line. Then I wrote, ‘Come on, Barbie, let’s go party.’”
All 4 members wrote “Barbie Girl” collectively, and Rasted and former guitarist Claus Norreen, together with Johnny Jam and Delgado, produced it. The Roland JV-2080 synth – the instrument that helped them discover their distinct sound – was throughout Aquarium, giving the album an upbeat dance-pop really feel.
The music video, nevertheless, sealed the deal. It obtained common play on MTV, and just lately hit one billion views on YouTube. It was one of many first movies by now-celebrated director Peder Pedersen. His references included the Beastie Boys Spike Jonze-directed “Sabotage” video, and cartoons like The Flintstones and Scooby Doo.
Mattel controversy
Whereas the track had a playful sound and colourful video, its suggestive lyrics triggered controversy, together with with Barbie producer Mattel, who filed a lawsuit in 2000. The toy firm claimed it turned the kid’s doll right into a intercourse object. The swimsuit was ultimately dismissed in 2002, when it was dominated that the track was a parody protected by the First Modification.
Mattel would then license the rights to the track for a 2009 Barbie business directed by “Single Ladies” choreographer JaQuel Knight. The corporate sanitized the lyrics to suit the aspirational Barbie model, with the dolls singing “You can be a star / No matter who are you are” and “I’m a girl in my world / Full of fashion and fun.”
The which means and legacy of Aqua’s “Barbie Girl”
The lyrics had been by no means meant to be a dig at Barbie, after all, however a tradition that glorifies our bodies perfected by cosmetic surgery. As an alternative, the message is to search out confidence in your self as you might be. As Dif advised Rolling Stone, “The message is that it’s OK to be the person you are and look the way you look and be confident in that. You don’t necessarily have to have plastic surgeries to be a better person. All these metaphors in the song were taboo to talk about, but we came out with a tongue-in-cheek way to present our song.”
The track’s affect continues to be felt at present. In 2014, Ludacris nodded to the track with “Party Girls” that includes Wiz Khalifa, Jeremih, and Cashmere Cat. In 2018, pop queen Ava Max flipped the track into an anthem about consent with “Not Your Barbie Girl,” singing, “You can’t touch me there, you can’t touch my body / Unless I say so, ain’t your barbie, no.”
Order the Twenty fifth-anniversary reissue of Aquarium.
