Whao, this is a massive throwback to the days of unapologetic pop hits, tacky fashion wear, Tamagotchis, floppy discs, lava lamps and just good ol’ fun. Following the announcement of another Danish band who’s returning to Singapore in September to perform for the umpteenth time, Danish Eurodance group Aqua too will be dropping by our sunny city to bring us on a nostalgic trip with their music on Nov 25 at The Star Performing Arts Centre.
It’s been 20 years (can’t believe it’s been that long already) since Aqua dominated the airwaves with hits like the unforgettable “Barbie Girl” (admit it, you know all the words), “Doctor Jones”, “Roses Are Red”, and a whole bunch of others from their debut album, Aquarium. Oh, there’s also that ballad, “Turn Back Time”, which made it to the romantic drama film Sliding Doors back in 1998. Following the successes of their debut album, they went under the radar in 1999 to focus on recording their sophomore record, Aquarius, which was released in Feb 2000. While they adopted new musical styles in the album and got very mixed reviews for it, the record still did well across Australia and Europe, peaking at #1 in Denmark, #7 in UK and #16 in Australia.
Aqua then split up in 2001, following the release of the second album, which received moderate success. But they reunited in 2008 for a summer tour in Europe and tried to make a comeback with the release of their third and final album, Megalomania, which was released in 2011, 11 years after their last album. The lead single “How R U Doin?” was certified gold for selling 15,000 copies in Denmark. And then they split up again.
Since their first split, Aqua has been going on tours only for special occasions, like this one, where they’ll be celebrating the 20th anniversary of “Barbie Girl”. We won’t be getting the full group unfortunately; former guitarist Claus Norreen left because his musical focus has apparently changed. But don’t fret, lead vocalist Lene Nystrøm, male vocalist-rapper René Dif and keyboard-guitarist Søren Rasted, together with their live band entourage, will be still be present to put on a fantastic show.
Besides, why would you pass up the opportunity to see a group you grew up listening to, or at least heard of (we’re sure you still have the physical CD somewhere at home)? Also, if you were too young to see them live back in 1999 when they performed at the now-defunct Sparks Disco located on the seventh floor of Takashimaya, here’s your chance.
Tickets are priced from $98-$168 and will be available via Sistic from Jun 27. There’s also the limited VIP ticket that’s $248 a pop, which entitles you to a meet & greet sesh with the band. More info here.
