“I’m a Barbie lady, within the Barbie world/Life in plastic, it’s incredible.” These lyrics, from Aqua’s 1997 smash hit “Barbie Woman,” 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 observe on their debut album Aquarium, it was the Danish dance-pop band’s first single launched in the USA.
Quickly after “Barbie Woman” 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 change into England’s second-bestselling file of 1997, solely behind Elton John‘s “Candle within 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 Yr 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.
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Whereas Aqua dreamed of being profitable musicians and making an affect with their joyful music, they by no means thought they’d have a High 10 hit in the USA. “A lot of the Scandinavian teams that broke in America had been from Sweden, although A-Ha had been from Norway. Not many got here from Denmark,” Nystrøm defined to Rolling Stone. “So I can’t even describe the sensation [of learning the song broke in America].”
The inspiration behind and video for Aqua’s “Barbie Woman”
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 instructed Rolling Stone, “It made me consider, ‘Life in plastic, it’s incredible.’ I assumed that was an amazing line. Then I wrote, ‘Come on, Barbie, let’s go get together.’”
All 4 members wrote “Barbie Woman” 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, nonetheless, sealed the deal. It obtained common play on MTV, and not too long ago 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 brought on 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 go well with 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 industrial directed by “Single Women” choreographer JaQuel Knight. The corporate sanitized the lyrics to suit the aspirational Barbie model, with the dolls singing “You is usually a star / Regardless of who’re you might be” and “I’m a lady in my world / Filled with style and enjoyable.”
The which means and legacy of Aqua’s “Barbie Woman”
The lyrics had been by no means meant to be a dig at Barbie, in fact, 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 instructed Rolling Stone, “The message is that it’s OK to be the individual you might be and look the best way you look and be assured in that. You don’t essentially need to have plastic surgical procedures to be a greater individual. All these metaphors within the track had been taboo to speak about, however we got here out with a tongue-in-cheek option to current our track.”
The track’s affect continues to be felt at the moment. In 2014, Ludacris nodded to the track with “Social gathering Women” 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 Woman,” singing, “You may’t contact me there, you possibly can’t contact my physique / Until I say so, ain’t your barbie, no.”
Order the Twenty fifth-anniversary reissue of Aquarium.