Aqua
Members : Claus Norreen , Soren Rasted , Lene Nystrom , Rene Dif
The group was formed in 1994
although the production and writing nucleus of Claus and Soren had been together since 1989 as members of Joyspeed (they composed music for a Danish movie called Fraekke Frida).They enjoyed a solitary success in the Danish charts with Itsy Blitzy. Joyspeed got a contract with a record company in Sweden. Its first single was released in the Swedish charts but lasted there only for a week. It was a flop and their music style had to be reconsidered.
The name AQUA
came from a poster in Rene, Lene, Claus and Soren’s practice room. Their new style started to take shape: they headed to soft and melodic euro pop songs so they decided to dissolve their old contract and got a new one from Universal Music in Denmark. Their debut single, Roses Are Red, released in September 1996, was a huge success in Denmark (topping the charts, achieving platinum sales and earning a Danish Grammy nomination as Best Danish dance act). The follow-up, My Oh My, released in February 1997, also went straight to no. 1 in Denmark (it received gold after only 6 days). The smash hit Barbie Girl was released next. Maverick Danish pop quartet Aqua could hardly have earned a higher profile than that produced by their third UK single, Barbie Girl. A tribute-cum-pastiche of the American toy favoured by pre-adolescent girls, it received extensive television and radio airplay as it climbed and eventually topped the UK charts. It sold over 4 million copies and lead Aqua to fame all around the world. Aqua’s album (titled Aquarium) was soon released and received gold after just two days!
Doctor Jones (track 5 on the Aquarium album)
has proved to the world that Aqua was not a one-hit-wonder. It reached successively the no.1 spot in many countries such as Israel and the UK. Lollipop (Candyman) followed and made it to the Top 5 of the Australian charts whereas it peaked no.7 in Israel.
In total, around 3 million copies
of the album Aquarium have been sold through out the world. After My Oh My (once again no.1 in Israel and no.6 in the UK) Aqua released Didn’t I taken from the Japanese version of Aquarium in the beginning of 1998. They also released a remix album called Aqua Mania Remix. Aqua’s following single was Turn Back Time. Released in 1998, it made its debut at no. 1 in the UK and no.3 in Israel. It was the theme song from the movie Sliding Doors. Turn Back Time was one of a few ballads featured on the album. This proved the diversity of Aqua, a variation from classical to rock-like band. The last single to be taken from Aquarium was Good Morning Sunshine, which ranked no. 19 in Israel and no. 18 in the UK.
Cartoon Heroes was the first single
from the new Aqua album Aquarius. Aqua had been extremely popular in Canada with sales of more than one million albums. Around The World, went to no.26 in the UK. Afterwards they released their third single from the Aquarius album, Bumble Bees. Aqua was also featured on Pavarotti’s album – titled Pavarotti & Friends for Cambodia & Tibet – released worldwide in 2000.
The next single to be released
was We Belong To The Sea, with a video clip shot in Spain. It’s already a very successful track everywhere in Europe and Israel where it peaked at no.6 and is still charting.
In March 2001
Aqua won three awards at the Danish music awards. Best Music Video (Around The World), Best Pop Album (Aquarius) and the Danish government’s special award for international success leading to high export figures.
Søren and Lene
recently got married in Las Vegas. Aqua shall be taking a break and not recording a new album; Aqua stress that the break is absolutely non-dramatic. The four some are still best friends. They still own a recording studio in London, and none of them could possibly dream about a life outside the music business. Lene and René have already announced they will pursue solo careers, while Søren and Claus will continue writing and producing music, as a duo and as individuals, for Lene and René as well as other artists.
