Song submissions for Dansk Melodi Grand Prix 2015 closed on 8 September, and today Danish state broadcaster DR revealed that it received 687 entries. As we wait for the Danes to reveal their shortlist, we’re already dreaming about the acts we’d like to hear sing for Denmark at Eurovision 2015. And what act sprung to mind first? Aqua. The Danish-Norwegian eurodance group performed at Eurovision 2001 in Copenhagen—but only as an interval act. Should this be the year that they do it for real? Let’s take a look…
In the year 1997, I was first introduced to the Scandinavian brilliance that is Aqua. It was my first year at University and “Barbie Girl” hit the student music scene – big time! It was so corny, cheesy and fantastic all at the same time and I loved it. This was a group that was clearly having fun, taking the piss out of themselves as well as everyone else. The lyrics were fun, the music was catchy and the video was awesome. A lot of people dismissed them as being one hit wonders for the novelty of their “cartoon” pop record. But not me.
For every “Barbie Girl” Aqua can flip the coin and produce an equally amazing “toned down” song.
What do I mean by this? Well, I was given their debut album “Aquarium” as a joke present at Christmas and needless to say I played it non stop, so in your face Mattel! Here’s Barbie Girl in all its glory…
So, there you are jumping around your room singing along to lyrics such as “come jump in, bimbo friend, let us do it again” and then this happens…
“Turn Back Time” – a beautiful song that shows the lead singer, Lene Nystrøm, has a superb voice and nothing at all like how you would expect “Barbie” to sing, hence proving they were not just “bubble gum pop” and were proper, hardcore, grown-up chewing gum. The song was a massive hit and featured on the soundtrack for “Sliding Doors” and the video, again, was amazing . They have started to follow the idea of creating a “mini movie” to accompany each song rather than simply “produce” a “pop video”.
Interestingly, a fact I have just this minute learned, is that the song actually samples “Heart” by the Pet Shop Boys. Who knew?
No sooner had we got “Barbie Girl” out of our heads when Aqua followed up with “Doctor Jones” and I have to say I much preferred this track. I loved Indiana Jones, I loved the fact this proved Aqua weren’t the one-hit wonders that everyone assumed they would be and, well, I loved getting drunk and dancing along…
You wouldn’t think that the same group who just sang a tribute to everyone’s favourite fictional professor of archaeology turned treasure hunter could then go on to produce a moving love ballad (albeit very 1990s) but Aqua did just that with “Be A Man”…
“Lollipop (Candyman)” was their second biggest hit in the USA and I think I actually love the video more than the song itself. As a 1980s kid growing up with tv shows such as Button Moon and the classic episodes of Doctor Who how could I not adore this video? The song is just an added bonus…
To close out the Aquarium album and as a “flip side” to the above we have “Good Morning Sunshine“, which, if listened to at just the right time of the morning, can actually make the sun shine…
In 1999 the world was about to be destroyed by a giant octopus but luckily we had Aqua to save the planet. You might not remember it quite that way but take a look at their title track “Cartoon Heroes” from their follow-up album “Aquarius”, they were absolutely back with a with a bubble-gum popping bang…
From “outer space” right back down to Earth Aqua once again prove they could still do “serious” and on the album gave us “We Belong To The Sea” and the video is, once more, genius…
Aquarius contains other equally power-cheesey songs such as Freaky Friday, Back From Mars and An Apple A Day and up until now it’s either been hardcore, ten-four poptastic or slow ballad but I think “Around The World” is a some new “middle ground”…
Aquarius then closes with two wonderful ballads “Goodbye To The Circus” and, one of my all time favourite songs “Aquarius”
Even after Aqua took a break they returned with the same familiarity but – they’d grown. Their bubble-gum pop sound was so massive that even Violet Beuregarde would be impressed. For anyone who also loves the 1980s then “Back To The 80’s” must push all your buttons…
If Aqua’s pop returned with an explosion then, to keep with the theme above, their “other side” stepped right out from the shadows and punched us hard with “My Mama Said“. Quite dark but both the song and video are breath-taking…
Their latest album “Megalomania” is still quite new to me but when I hear songs such as “Sucker For A Superstar“…
Followed by “Playmate To Jesus“…
I think they have still got it, they have both ends of the musical spectrum covered, they are fun, theatrical, cheesy, superb, CLASSIC and after almost 20 years I still love them. Thank you Aqua, thank you for the music and please come home to Eurovision!
Now, I pose the question to you: Cheesy Pop Band or A Classic Of Our Time? With the right song could they win it all for Denmark at Eurovision?
Photo: Courtesy of Aqua
Well I wouldn’t bet on Aqua. If you wanted Aqua to enter then you should’ve created this article earlier so they might see this and get inspired to do so. Maybe in 2016 we’ll see but probably not for 2015.
Oh Land, of course. I love White Nights. Good call!
I would love to see Oh Land for Denmark, but I don’t think this will happen.
Agreed. Turn Back Time is one of their best!
I would love to see Aqua or lead singers from group at Eurovision for Denmark or Norway, with song like Turn back time.
Some people should loosen up a little. Realistically speaking, I seriously doubt a group like Aqua would ever go to Eurovision. That being said, we’re just having a little fun here and saying “What if they would?” If they did obviously they would send something more contemporary, not an eurodance very-90s tune. But even if they did, I would find it highly amusing. I don’t think they would win though, but I wouldn’t care, I would love to see them take part nonetheless!
@deven good argument there. Aqua are currently touring Australia and if you look at the last video Playmate To Jesus hopefully you will see that they are not just cheesy pop. Also, Denmark had THE most cheesiest song this year that was a blatent rip off from an equally cheesy 70s song. Don’t get me wrong I loved it but it proves the Danes still like their cheese with their bacon 🙂
No, I don’t think Aqua should represent Denmark at Eurovision for a few reasons: 1. The success of cheesy Eurodance songs has died down since the 90’s. 2. I haven’t heard of any Aqua songs since 2004 (I was 6 at the time now in fairness.), so that is a big indication that their 15 minutes of fame is well and truly over. 3. The UK has sent outdated singers in the past and it was a disaster. Engelbert came 25th while Bonnie Tyler came 19th. Both very poor performances to say the least despite Engelbert being quite hotly tipped… Read more »
@jamaraqueer well said.
1) There is nothing wrong with bubble gum pop 2) They are no longer bubble gym pop 3) They can produce great music so could find the right song for Eurovision. Go Aqua!
@Guido: The fact you love Aqua and all that trashy pop stuff that came around that time, does not mean you are defining music and that is what you have to understand. As for anything else … whatever floats your boat, but seriously I love no longer being 13 and immature … good luck at that Peter Pan.
Well David if we close our eyes and wish really really hard, it just might 🙂
I agree. Playmate To Jesus has a completely different sound.
The likelihood of Aqua actually winning Denmark’s national selection seems pretty low. Me & My and Daze, both famous in the same eurodance genre, recently tried (2007 and 2013 respectively). Neither of them did very well.
That being said, “Playmate to Jesus” doesn’t much sound like eurodance to me. I suppose it could happen. The lead singer’s voice is somewhat more nasal than I’d prefer. But hey, if they come up with a good song, I’m down with an experienced act performing.
Cool!
“That crap”…. you don’t understand anything Charles, go find someone to help you with your “needs” hehe
Ohhh, the Vengabus is coming and everyone is jumping. Love. It.
Go Aqua! It’d be great to watch them at ESC
Aqua … the biggest pop nightmare of the 90s alongside the Spice Girls, Vengaboys and all the crap that came out of the UK during the second half of that decade … With this description, I don’t even have to say what my feelings are about them ever representing Denmark at any ESC edition.
But they have proved that they are not just bubble gum pop and can produce classic tunes accompanied by very high quality videos.
The bubblegum dance music Aqua does isn’t as popular as it was at their peak in the early 2000s so I doubt they’d do well in DMGP or Eurovision if they win. I’ve never liked this genre of music anyways so I wouldn’t like them to participate.