A new stage musical based on the music and story of pop phenomenon Aqua will premiere at The Royal Danish Opera in Copenhagen in 2028, before aiming for productions in the West End and Broadway.
Titled Aqua The Musical, the show marks the first time the Danish supergroup has authorised its music and life story to be adapted for the stage. Produced by AHA Creations, the musical will tell the band’s journey from pop stardom to global acclaim — soundtracked by hits including Barbie Girl, Doctor Jones, and Turn Back Time.
“Come on Barbie, let’s go party,” the world’s most recognisable pop lyric, is set to find new life in a colourful, large-scale production designed for international audiences.
A Danish pop legacy takes the stage
Aqua, one of Denmark’s biggest musical exports, shot to fame in the late 1990s with their debut album Aquarium and the global megahit Barbie Girl, which topped charts in more than 14 countries and sold over a million copies in its first week. The group followed up with Aquarius in 2000, featuring Cartoon Heroes and Around the World, before reuniting in 2007 for tours and new releases.
The group’s legacy was reignited in 2023 when Barbie Girl was featured in Greta Gerwig’s Oscar-winning film Barbie, while Nicki Minaj and Ice Spice’s remix Barbie World earned two Grammy nominations and charted globally. The original track has since surpassed 600 million streams on Spotify.
Now, Aqua are turning their story into a full-scale theatrical experience. The band is closely involved in the creative development of the show to ensure authenticity.
“We’ve had a wild ride, full of experiences that have never really been told before,” the group said. “We’re incredibly excited to relive them as a musical. If the team captures even a fraction of what it felt like, we can promise it will be entertaining – and something a little out of the ordinary.”
Creative team and production
Directed by Thomas Agerholm, with scenography by Benjamin La Cour, Aqua The Musical is written by Claus Reenberg, Mads Æbeløe, and Nikolaj Tarp. The show is being developed in collaboration with Fredericia Musicalteater, known for producing large-scale musical theatre in Denmark.
Producer Martin Palme Skriver, Executive Director of AHA Creations, said the project represents a rare opportunity to bring a Danish musical to international stages: “Aqua created a playful universe tailor-made for musical theatre. With Aqua The Musical, we have a unique opportunity to launch a Danish-produced show onto the global stage.”
AHA Creations holds worldwide rights to the musical for at least 25 years, with ambitions to transfer it to major musical theatre markets including London’s West End, New York’s Broadway, Hamburg, and Toronto.
A global pop story reborn
Described as “a dramatic musical tale of dreams, ambition, success, and the challenges that come with it,” the show will blend Aqua’s chart-topping hits with a story of perseverance and self-belief — celebrating the band’s place in pop history while exploring the personal journeys behind their fame.
With its world premiere set for Copenhagen in 2028, Aqua The Musical promises to be one of the most ambitious new musical exports from Denmark — and could soon be making a splash in the West End.
📷 Main photo: Aqua The Musical, Denmark
More >
More >