Aqua, the Danish-Norwegian band behind the hit song “Barbie Girl,” is breaking up after three decades together.
“After many incredible years, we have decided to close the chapter of AQUA as a live band,” the 90s group said in a statement shared to their social media accounts Monday. “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 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 group did not get into details about the reason for the split, saying: “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.”
Aqua members Lene Nystrøm, René Dif and Søren Rasted signed the message.
The Eurodance group originally formed in 1989, and skyrocketed into the mainstream with their 1997 breakthrough single “Barbie Girl,” which made the Billboard Hot 100 top ten in America and stayed number one in the United Kingdom for four weeks.
They put out their most popular album, Aquarium, that same year, which solidified them as an international sensation with songs like “Roses Are Red,” “Doctor Jones” and “My Oh My.”
After the release of “Barbie Girl,” Aqua won a massive court case against Barbie maker Mattel. In the case, which made it all the way to the Supreme Court, the toy maker tried to argue that the popular song tarnished the Barbie brand because of the innuendos in the song. In the end, the case was dismissed after the court ruled the song was protected by parody law.
Following the release of their next album Aquarius in 2000, the bubblegum pop group suddenly split up in 2001 and told the public that “the spark was missing” in the band.
In 2007, they reunited and announced a Danish tour to mark the 10-year anniversary of “Barbie Girl.” Aqua went on to put out their album Megalomania in 2011, and in 2017, announced another tour to celebrate the 20th anniversary of “Barbie Girl.”
“From the bottom of our hearts: thank you to everyone who has been part of this journey over the past 30 years,” Aqua wrote in their statement Monday. “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.”
