It was always planned to include Aqua’s song “Barbie Girl” in the Barbie movie, despite the Danish band claiming otherwise. Over a year ago, Aqua told the press that their iconic 1997 song “Barbie Girl” would not be featured in Greta Gerwig’s highly anticipated Barbie movie starring Margot Robbie. Viewers were understandably upset when they learned that the perfect couple would not work. However, the Barbie movie will include a remix of Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s “Barbie Girl” titled “Barbie World”, which can be heard briefly at the end of the trailer.
Speaking to Rolling Stone magazine, Robbie revealed that the Barbie movie soundtrack was always meant to include the song “Barbie Girl”, albeit in a remixed version. Lead character Barbie says Gerwig planned to include the iconic song in the film, especially since she and many others have begged for it. Here’s what Robbie had to say:
“I was like, ‘Greta, how are we going to play this song? We can’t make a Barbie movie without reference to Aqua’s Barbie Girl. Must be. And (Greta) said, “Don’t worry, we’ll find a good way to turn it on.” And then when he said, “Guess who’s remixing Aqua’s Barbie Girl? Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice. I thought: “Together? Are you kidding?!” I immediately knew that all my friends would go crazy.
The dispute between Mattel, the manufacturer of Barbie dolls and co-producer of the upcoming film, and Aqua dates back to 1997, when the song Barbie Girl became a worldwide hit. Mattel, concerned that the song’s obscene lyrics would turn the doll into a sexual object and damage Barbie’s trademark, filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against Aqua, followed by a countersuit. Both came to nothing in court, although relations between the two parties remain tense to this day.
Over a year ago, Aqua’s manager Lene Nyström Ulrich Möller-Jorgensen stated that their song “Barbie Girl” would not be used in the film. However, Gerwig planned to include the iconic song early on. It’s a wise choice on the part of the director, as it’s nearly impossible to imagine a Barbie adaptation without Barbie Girl. It’s also wise to update the song with a modern remix, since the original song’s lyrics, which refer to Barbie as a “blonde bimba doll,” don’t exactly match the Gerwig movie, which explores complex themes like existential melancholy, imperfection, and identity. .
Source: Rolling Stone