Inside Lene Nystrom And Soren Rasted's Love Story And The 'Barbie Girl' Lawsuit Amid Aqua Split

The much-loved Danish-Norwegian Eurodance band, Aqua, has called it quits after decades of making the world groove to their musical beats. The band announced that they are breaking up after almost 30 years, since the release of their iconic hit, Barbie Girl. The original four members of the band included Søren Rasted, Lene Nystrøm, René Dif and Claus Norreen. Norreen left the band in 2016.

The band has an extensive history in the industry and has been around for decades. They are known for their albums, Aquarium, Aquarius and Megalomania. While their songs have often been described as catchy, that is not the only intriguing factor about them. The group is also known for their in-band romance between Lene Nystrom and Soren Rasted. However, did you know Lene was dating another band member when she first joined Aqua?

Danish-Norwegian Eurodance band, Aqua, breaks up decades after the release of Barbie Girl

The Danish-Norwegian Eurodance band, Aqua has closed the chapter on their band life. The group took to their social media handle and posted a long note to share the heartbreaking news with their fans. The bitter-sweet ending came on May 18, 2026 (ET), when the band shared a post on their official Instagram handle and announced that they are saying goodbye to the chapter of "Aqua as a live band". They acknowledged the significant role the band has played in their lives and said, "AQUA has been such a huge part of our lives, and together we’ve had the chance to experience more than we ever dared to dream of." They further added:

"When you’ve been together for this long, you also learn when it’s time to protect what you’ve created together. For us, this feels like the right moment to say goodbye, while the memories are still strong, and while the love for the music, the story, and each other remains intact."

Aqua was formed in 1996 in Copenhagen and achieved global success in the late 1990s and early 2000s. The band rose to immense fame despite releasing only three albums throughout their career. The fans loved their music and quirky vibes. The band thanked the fans for their love and even acknowledged the same in their final post. They concluded the message by thanking their fans and signing off with "nothing but love and gratitude."

Lene Nystrom was dating Rene Diff when she joined Aqua

Yes! You read that right! Lene Nystrom was in a three-year relationship with her bandmate, Rene Diff, when she first joined the group in 1994. The couple was in a serious, committed relationship. However, after being together for three years, they parted ways as their romance fizzled out. However, she found love again, and this time it led to marriage.

Lene Nystrom and Soren Rasted's love story

According to several reports, Lene Nystrom found love once again with the band's guitarist, Soren Rasted. The couple began dating after Lene split from Rene Diff. However, their relationship was not an easy ride. According to reports, it was Lene and Soren's relationship that led to the band's disbandment in 2001. Nonetheless, the same was never confirmed.  While things between the bandmates grew complicated, Lene Nystrom and Soren Rasted didn't let it come between them. The couple tied the knot on August 25, 2001, and moved permanently to Denmark following their wedding.

Lene Nystrom and Soren Rasted built a happy home in Denmark and welcomed two beautiful children together. Lene gave birth to their daughter, India, on November 6, 2004, and their second child, a boy they named Billy, in 2006. However, their marital bliss eventually came to a heartbreaking end, with the couple announcing their divorce on April 27, 2017. Nonetheless, as a contrast to their dramatic romance, their separation happened without any scandal or dramatic reasons, with the reports citing "irreconcilable differences" as the reason. The couple remained close despite parting ways and committed to their children.

Aqua and the Barbie Girl lawsuit

The CD booklet for Aqua's album, Aquarium, included the sentence: "The song, Barbie Girl, is a social comment and was not created or approved by the makers of the doll". However, the statement wasn't enough to please the makers of Barbie, Mattel, and they filed a lawsuit against MCA in 2000. The lawyer for the band, Russell Frackman, spoke with Rolling Stones and revealed that the lawsuit had 11 different claims and Mattel "pretty much threw the kitchen sink at us. They all, essentially, boiled down to trademark infringement in one way or another. They even claimed that they infringed on what they called 'Barbie Pink.'" Lene on the other hand found it hilarious and said:

"I thought it was hilarious, to be honest. I have to say, only in America. They didn’t sue us. They sued our label. For a long time, we couldn’t talk about it. If we were interviewed, we couldn’t speak about it. There were a lot of hassles around it, but it was also hilarious. And it was a free commercial on both sides, for Mattel and for us."

image credit: Aqua/YT, Aqua/IG, ___livia95___/X, CartoonsOTMoon/X, @TraderGirlQ/X

What are your thoughts on Lene Nystrom and Soren Rasted's love story and Aqua parting ways? Let us know.

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