Exclusive: Aqua Finally Speaks Out on Barbie Movie's Use of their Song Amidst Mattel Lawsuit Fallout

Summary

Aqua members initially didn't expect their song "Barbie Girl" to be included in the Barbie movie, but a collaboration with Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice happened quickly.

Mattel and Aqua had a complex history due to previous lawsuits concerning "Barbie Girl," but Aqua viewed the collaboration as a reconciliation. Incorporating "Barbie Girl" into the movie was a necessary acknowledgement of Aqua, and ultimately, the audience profited from the renewed ties with Mattel.

Aqua has finally addressed Barbie's unconventional use of their hit song "Barbie Girl." Originally released in 1997 on their debut album "Aquarium," the Danish Europop band's song gained significant popularity and was highly anticipated by many fans to be featured in Greta Gerwig's Barbie movie. However, Barbie opted to use a remixed version of the song, featuring rap stars Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice alongside Aqua's '90s classic.

Now, the members of Aqua are opening up about their thoughts on the Barbie movie soundtrack's use of their song. In an interview with The Guardian, band member Lene Nystrøm explains that the collaboration with Minaj and Ice Spice unexpectedly came together rapidly, contrary to their initial belief that the song would not be included. The full quote from Nystrøm can be found below:

"We initially believed that this collaboration would be a perfect match. We were fully aware of their desire for something innovative and unique. Surprisingly, just a couple of months ago, we received a request to work on the [Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice] collaboration. The entire process unfolded rapidly."

René Dif, a member of the Aqua Band, emphasized that they viewed this collaboration as a significant step towards reconciling with Mattel.

“It’s just nice to have Mattel come to us and say: ‘Hey, that’s cool.’”

Why "Barbie Girl" Being Included In Barbie Was Uncertain

Contrary to expectations, Aqua's original song, "Barbie Girl," was not initially planned to be included in the actual Barbie film. The announcement made by Nystrøm's manager that the song would not feature in the movie left fans astonished. However, Margot Robbie later revealed that Gerwig's film was always intended to incorporate "Barbie Girl" as it would be incomplete to not acknowledge Aqua's iconic track in a Barbie movie.

The inclusion of "Barbie Girl" in the Barbie franchise was uncertain due to Aqua's complicated relationship with Mattel. Released in 1997, the song initially faced criticism from Mattel for perceived oversexualization of the toy. This led to a trademark infringement lawsuit from Mattel against MCA Records, which was met with a counterclaim. However, the courts eventually dismissed the cases and ruled that the song was legally protected as a parody.

Over time, it seems that Mattel, as a co-producer of the Barbie movie, realized that excluding "Barbie Girl" would not align with the cultural impact of the film. Just as the movie became a cultural phenomenon, the song became entrenched in the zeitgeist. Ultimately, removing Aqua and their song from the film would have been a significant oversight, and audiences benefited from this reconciliation.

Source: The Guardian