René Dif

René Dif (born 17 October 1967) is a Danish musician, singer-songwriter, DJ and actor, best known as the male lead vocalist of the Danish eurodance group Aqua.[1]

René Dif
René Dif in July 2013
Background information
Born (1967-10-17) 17 October 1967
OriginCopenhagen, Denmark
GenresPop, dance-pop, eurodance, europop
Occupation(s)Musician, singer-songwriter, DJ, actor
InstrumentsVocals, turntables
Years active1989–present
LabelsUniversal
Associated actsAqua

Biography

1967–1994: Early years and private life

René was born in Copenhagen. His father was Algerian and his mother Danish. He has two younger brothers and a sister. He was never interested in school and was kicked out of it several times. As a result, Dif left school after ninth grade to work on a cruise ship.

1994–1995: Groove your soul

While he was in Barbados, René heard a local DJ on the radio and decided to become a DJ. He went to Norway to pursue his dream of becoming a star. Dif met Lene Nystrøm on a cruise ship in 1994. When he, Claus Norreen, and Søren Rasted were setting up a band, they needed a singer, and Lene was asked to join. The band, which was later known as Aqua, became an international success. While a DJ in Norway, Dif met DJ Alligator, with whom he made an album, Groove your soul, and the debut single "I believe". Although unsuccessful, they marked the debut of Dif as an aspiring DJ with vocal abilities.

1996–2001: Aqua

Dif, as a member of Aqua, has had over 10 top 10 hits in his home country. The band sold more than 28 million records worldwide and appeared in the Guinness Book of Records as the only debut band with three "self-penned" number one hits in the UK. René has received more than 140 Gold and Platinum albums (and received a Diamond album in Canada for 1 million sold albums). Aqua's main hits were "Roses Are Red", "My Oh My", "Barbie Girl", "Lollipop (Candyman)", "Doctor Jones", "Turn Back Time", "Good Morning Sunshine", "Cartoon Heroes" and "Around the World".

2001–present: Solo career

Following Aqua's split in 2001, Dif released solo singles, including "Let it all out (Push it)" and "The uhh uhh song". In 2004 he began a career as an actor, starring in several movies directed by Lasse Spang Olsen. He owned a short-lived bar in downtown Copenhagen. In 2002 he published an autobiography titled Popdreng – Ud af skabet.

2007–present: Aqua reunion

Aqua reunited in 2008 as a live band. In March 2011, Aqua released the first single, "How R U Doin?", from their third album Megalomania, released in September 2011 following the release of two more singles, "Playmate to Jesus" and "Like a Robot".

Personal life

Rene Dif was in a relationship with fellow Aqua band member Lene Nystrøm, whom he invited to join the band in 1994. They were in a relationship for three years, before they broke up.[2]

He later married Rikke Maija, a health coach who he has two children with. [3] They have since now divorced.

He is now in a relationship with Linet Jo.[4][5]

Discography

with Aqua
Main article: Aqua discography

Studio albums
List of albums, with selected chart positions and certifications
Year Album details Peak chart positions Certifications
DEN
[6]		 NOR
[7]		 SWE
[8]		 GER
[9]
1995 Groove your soul (Factual Beat feat. René Dif)
  • Released: 1995
  • Label: Happy One Records (HAP 013-2)
  • Formats: CD
 — — — —
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released.

Compilations
  • 1994: Frække Frida og de frygtløse spioner

Singles
List of singles, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
DEN
[6]		 NOR
[7]		 SWE
[8]		 GER
[9]
2003 "Let it all out (Push it)" 2––— Non-album single
"The uhh uhh song" –––—
2004 "Uhh la la la" –––—
2007 "Jamaica ska" 14––—
"All up to you" 17––—
2012 "Til døden os skiller" –––— TBA
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released.

Guest appearances
List of guest appearances, with selected chart positions
Year Title Peak chart positions Album
DEN
[6]		 NOR
[7]		 SWE
[8]		 GER
[9]
1994 "Så rykker vi (Shedet hvor det rykker)" (Stop & Stop feat. René Dif) –––— Non-album single
"Si-bab-rapper-di-åh" (Arne Siemsen, René Dif & Annette Brandt) –––— Frække Frida og de frygtløse spioner
1995 "I believe" (Factual Beat feat. René Dif) –––— Groove your soul
"Give me your love" (Factual Beat feat. René Dif) –––—
"Itsy Bitsy spider" (Joyspeed) ––54— Non-album single
"—" denotes items that did not chart or were not released.

Promotional singles
  • 1999: "I bif med Dif"
  • 2006: "Way to go" (MySpace release only)
  • 2011: "Sitting in a room" (Digital release only)

Music videos
Year Title Director(s) Notes
2003 "Let it all out (Push it)" Andreas Tibblin René Dif's debut solo music video for "Let it all out (Push it)" is directed by Andreas Tibblin for Coolcleaner Films. He appears as a macho player and a DJ in various locations surrounded by beautiful women. In some scenes René's popping out of the video. This song samples Salt-n-Pepa's song "Push It".
2011 "Sitting in a room" Unknown A fun video nearly shot eight years after his debut solo music video for "Let it all out (Push it)".
2012 "Til døden os skiller" Sidney Lexy Plaut Directed by the group DP Sidney Lexy Plaut & Co in cooperation with René Dif.

Filmography

Motion pictures
  • 1999: Get ready to be boyzvoiced (Cameo)
  • 2004: Den gode strømer (The good cop) (Thomas)
  • 2004: Inkasso (The collector) (Omar Halim)
  • 2007: Pistoleros (Eurotrash) (Luc)
  • 2009: Sorte Kugler (Black eggs) (Cameo)
  • 2011: Far til fire – På japansk (Father of four – In Japanese mode) (TV Producer)
  • 2011: Det grå guld (The grey gold) (Neighbour #1)

Television
  • 2000: Reimer Bo møder (1 Episode)
  • 2001: Venner for livet – Friends forever (1 Episode)
  • 2001: Eurovision Song Contest 2001 (1 Episode)
  • 2002: Danish Dance Awards 2002 (1 Episode)
  • 2002: Go' aften Danmark (1 Episode)
  • 2003: Robbie Williams – Live in Horsens (1 Episode)
  • 2003: Stjerne for en aften – Portræt af en stjerne (1 Episode)
  • 2003: Rundfunk (1 Episode)
  • 2003: Go' aften Danmark (1 Episode)
  • 2004: Boogie Århus Listen (1 Episode)
  • 2004: Shooting Stars (1 Episode)
  • 2004: Sara & Signe (1 Episode)
  • 2005: aHA! (1 Episode)
  • 2005: Kanal 5's Bet on Bet Pokershow (1 Episode)
  • 2005: Clement direkte med Clement Kjersgaard (1 Episode)
  • 2006: Musikprogrammet – Dance 90'ernes danske eksportsucces (1 Episode)
  • 2006: Go' aften Danmark (1 Episode)
  • 2007: Gu'skelov du kom (1 Episode)
  • 2008: Zulu djævleræs (2 Episodes)
  • 2009: Den store klasse fest (1 Episode)
  • 2009: Zulu djævleræs (3 Episodes)
  • 2009: Vild med dans (6 Episodes)
  • 2014: South park (Cock Magic) (Performing Barbie Girl)

Commercials
  • 2006: Extra Bladet (Magazine)
  • 2007: Kim's Crisps – Chips Kongen (Food; 3 Commercials)
  • 2012: CBB Mobile (Mobile)

Books
  • 2002: Popdreng – Ud af skabet (Autobiography)

References
  1. Lewis, Anna (14 September 2016). "Here's what Barbie Girl stars Aqua are up to now..." Cosmopolitan. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  2. Lene Nystrom, Eurodance Encyclopedia, 31 January 2015
  3. "OMG remember when Aqua sang Barbie Girl? Check out what the band look like now". Metro. 8 June 2016. Retrieved 29 August 2019.
  4. Telefon: 33111313, Rådhuspladsen 37 1785 København V. "Ny 'Barbie Girl' til Dif: Scorer 17 år yngre kvinde". ekstrabladet.dk (in Danish). Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  5. "René Dif afslører: Sådan fandt jeg min kæreste". BILLED-BLADET (in Danish). 17 May 2019. Retrieved 19 January 2020.
  6. "Hits of the World: Denmark (IFPI/Nielsen Marketing Research) 06/04/97". Billboard. Nielsen Business Media. 108 (37): 51. 21 June 1997. ISSN 0006-2510.
  7. "Norwegian Charts > Aqua". norwegiancharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  8. "Swedish Charts > Aqua". swedishcharts.com Hung Medien. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
  9. "Chartverfolgung / Aqua / Album" (in German). Musicline.de PhonoNet. Retrieved 15 August 2010.
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