‘Barbie Girl’ by Aqua is one of the most celebrated and instantly recognisable songs of all time, known for its tongue-in-cheek humour and irresistible pop hooks. With this in mind, reinventing such a song might seem like an impossible task—on the surface, at least. But YouTuber Hannah Grae has since taken on that task and won, putting together a new version of ‘Barbie Girl’ that has got the whole Internet talking.
Although she keeps the melodies the same, Hannah dramatically changes the arrangement, playing the song as a stripped-back ballad instead of a bubblegum pop anthem. The main change Hannah makes, however, is to the lyrics of the song, altering them so they are written from the perspective of a ‘Barbie girl’ during the 2020s.
It’s this element of the cover that has really got the Internet interested, with many of Hannah’s new lyrics proving to be sharp comments on toxic masculinity and the perception of women in society – not something you would typically expect from a kitschy pop hit that was released during the 1990s! “I’m a Barbie girl, living in a man’s world” begins the new version of the song, undoubtedly setting the tone for what’s to follow.
Hannah Grae has gone on to release several original songs too, and indeed is still active as a musician. Aside from her ‘Barbie Girl’ cover, another video on her channel that has proved popular is the lyric video to her original pop-punk song ‘It Could’ve Been You,’ which appears to be a favorite tune among her dedicated listeners.
There is a reason why Hannah’s take on Aqua’s ‘Barbie Girl’, however, is the most popular video on her channel by a long shot. It takes guts to cover such a recognizable song, never mind to change its lyrics, but Ms. Grae has pulled it off to the extent that the Internet still can’t get enough of her version, even years after it was uploaded.
Hannah Grae’s daring ballad reinvention proves “Barbie Girl” still has something to say. By reshaping the melody and reframing the lyrics for the 2020s, she turns a 1990s pop classic into sharp social commentary. Want to listen or learn more about Hannah and the original track? Useful links to explore follow below.