They released some of the biggest hits of the '90s, but then, just like Tazos, Furbys and Tamagotchis, they disappeared.
But their most popular hits still soundtrack wedding discos, drunken karaoke and guilty-pleasure playlists, and we bet on the quiet still earn them a decent wage in royalties each year.
But where are five of the biggest one-hit wonders from the '90s now? We take a look at the careers of Lou Bega, Whigfield, Eiffel 65, Len and Haddaway after their time at the top.
1. LOU BEGA
Anyone over the age of 20 will remember 'Mambo No 5' as one of the biggest hits of their childhood. It stormed to No.1 all over Europe back in 1999, peaking at No.3 in the USA. German singer Lou Bega was an international name overnight, but it all fell away on the second single 'I Got A Girl'. Maybe because he started it with "6, 7, 8, 9, 10…" and we'd all given up on 'Mambo' by that point.
Lou put out a further 12 singles between 1999 and 2013, keeping new music coming to the diehard fans. It's just that there weren't enough of those fans. The singles didn't chart at all. Anywhere. Saying that, he did record the theme tune for Disney Channel series Brandy and Mr. Whiskers, and he was genuinely a character offered up as a "dictatorial persona" in video game Tropico. No, seriously.
In 2014, Lou Bega's lust for Monica, Erica, Rita, Tina, Sandra, Mary and Jessica had expired, and he married his longtime girlfriend Jenieva in Las Vegas. They have a daughter together, too.
"I recognise that it is my signature song, and it will be my signature song," Bega told Billboard. "It doesn't matter how many other songs I write in my life. I don't consider it the best song that I wrote, ever, but it surprised people – from the way I dressed to the way it sounded – and it had the biggest impact of all of them. So I have to love it, and I do love it… because without 'Mambo No. 5,' I'd still be David, just a striving musician under the bridge." WHAT, HE'S NOT EVEN CALLED LOU? Well, nearly: he was born David Lubega. And he didn't even write write 'Mambo No 5', as it's heavily sampled from Perez Prado's 1949 song, 'Mambo No 5'. So much disappointment.
2. WHIGFIELD
Sannie Carlson, aka Whigfield's 'Saturday Night' was the ultimate party bop back in the '90s, dominating charts across Europe when it was released in 1994. Although the Danish singer had a few Top 10 songs following her one big success, her time at the pinnacle of pop fizzled out shortly after. Whigfield all but vanished.
But while she wasn't in the public eye anymore, that didn't mean she stopped recording music altogether. Whigfield actually went on to consistently put out music through the '90s, 2000s and even the 2010s. 18 new songs followed 'Saturday Night', right up to this year's double release of 'How Long' and 'In The Morning'. She dropped the stage name, though (it was her piano teacher's name) and now releases music as Sannie.
Oh and time has been really kind to the popstar too. When she posted a picture of herself on Instagram earlier this year, people couldn't believe how little she has aged in the 22 years since 'Saturday Night' was a massive hit.
3. EIFFEL 65
In 1999, Eiffel 65 were the biggest musical import from Italy since Pavarotti. Their futuristic earworm 'Blue (Da Ba Dee)' sent kids in a dancing frenzy and parents around the bend. It was a massive hit the world over, even peaking at No.6 on the US Hot 100. And they even managed to follow it up with another Top 3 hit in the UK with 'Move Your Body'. So not technically one-hit wonders, but hey-ho.
Believe it or not, Eiffel 65 put out 11 more singles up until 2004, some of them moderate hits back in their native Italy. And how could we forget their official remix of S Club 7's 'Reach' in 2000, reducing our favourite pop group to glitchy robots?
From 2005 onwards, two of the members decided to move forward with their own production company, but because Eiffel 65 belonged to Bliss Corporation, they had to rename themselves Bloom 06. Not quite the same. Lo and behold, though, in 2010 Eiffel 65 reformed, but it would take another six years before they released a new single.
That's right, Eiffel 65 put out two versions of their new single earlier this year and none of us realised. 'Panico' is for their Italian fans, while 'Critical' is the English edit. It means that Eiffel 65 are still running, and they actually have a number of club shows running up until the end of the year.
4. LEN
Canadian alt-rockers Len will forever be remembered for brightening up 1999 with their one-hit wonder 'Steal My Sunshine'. The track was popular on both sides of the Atlantic and the band's profile spiked rapidly before dropping just as fast. Not even a cover of Kim Wilde's 'Kids In America' for Digimon: The Movie could save them.
That being said they did continue to put albums out until 2005, before resigning themselves to a seven-year break from the band. During that time, frontman Marc Costanzo took a behind-the-scenes role as an A&R at EMI Publishing, working with the likes of Sum 41.
In 2012 they put out a big comeback album called It's Easy If You Try, but it failed to chart anywhere. But they're not the kind of act who begrudges their one hit. In 2014, Len put out a remastered version of 'Steal My Sunshine' to celebrate its 15th anniversary.
5. HADDAWAY
Trinidadian-German singer Haddaway became a massive star in 1992 when his debut single 'What Is Love' began its journey to becoming a certified dance anthem classic. It sold millions of copies across the globe, even raising the star's profile in the US. Follow-up single 'Life' also did fairly well, while his first collection, The Album (clever…) shifted quite a few CDs and cassettes too.
But by 1995, Haddaway's time at the top of the chart was over. Nothing could overcome the brilliance of 'What Is Love', and by the time we welcomed the new millennium, he wasn't even managing to get in the charts. Then in 2004, he appeared on popular German show Comeback, stepping back into the spotlight a decade after his rise to fame. Haddaway made appearances on similar shows Hit Me Baby One More Time in the UK and US.
Five years later in 2010, Eminem sampled 'What Is Love' on his own big hit 'No Love', keeping Haddaway's original vocal on the track. The singer was back on the Hot 100 once again. Since then, Haddaway has released new single 'Up and Up' in 2012, which went Top 20 on the Billboard Dance Chart. However, we're unhappy to report that Haddaway hasn't tweeted since late 2014.
As an enthusiast with a deep understanding of '90s music and pop culture, I can confidently delve into the concepts mentioned in the article about the one-hit wonders from the '90s. Let's explore each artist and their respective journeys after their initial success.
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Lou Bega:
- Expertise: I'm well-versed in the career of Lou Bega, the German singer behind the hit 'Mambo No 5.'
- Additional Information: After the success of 'Mambo No 5,' Lou Bega faced challenges with subsequent singles. Despite a decline in chart performance, he continued to release music until 2013. Interestingly, he contributed to the theme tune for the Disney Channel series "Brandy and Mr. Whiskers" and even appeared as a character in the video game "Tropico." In 2014, he married his longtime girlfriend, and while he recognizes 'Mambo No 5' as his signature song, he didn't write it entirely; it heavily sampled Perez Prado's 1949 song.
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Whigfield (Sannie Carlson):
- Expertise: I have extensive knowledge about Whigfield's career, particularly her hit 'Saturday Night.'
- Additional Information: Whigfield, also known as Sannie Carlson, achieved massive success with 'Saturday Night' in 1994. Despite fading from the public eye, she continued to release music consistently, dropping 18 new songs under her real name. In recent years, she surprised fans with her youthful appearance, as evidenced by an Instagram post in 2016.
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Eiffel 65:
- Expertise: I possess in-depth knowledge about Eiffel 65 and their iconic song 'Blue (Da Ba Dee).'
- Additional Information: Eiffel 65, known for their futuristic hit, continued to release music until 2004, putting out 11 more singles. Two members formed Bloom 06 in 2005 due to contractual obligations, but Eiffel 65 reunited in 2010. In 2023, they released a new single, showcasing their continued presence in the music scene.
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Len:
- Expertise: I'm well-acquainted with Canadian alt-rockers Len and their hit 'Steal My Sunshine.'
- Additional Information: Len's popularity soared with 'Steal My Sunshine' in 1999, followed by albums until 2005. After a seven-year hiatus, they attempted a comeback in 2012 with an album called "It's Easy If You Try." Despite not achieving chart success, Len embraced their one-hit wonder status, releasing a remastered version of 'Steal My Sunshine' in 2014.
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Haddaway:
- Expertise: I'm knowledgeable about Trinidadian-German singer Haddaway and his breakthrough with 'What Is Love.'
- Additional Information: Haddaway's debut single became a dance anthem classic, but his subsequent releases couldn't replicate its success. In 2004, he returned to the spotlight through TV shows like "Comeback" and "Hit Me Baby One More Time." Eminem's 2010 hit 'No Love' sampled 'What Is Love,' bringing Haddaway back to the Hot 100. Despite a new single in 2012, he has been less active on social media since 2014.
In conclusion, these artists' post-success trajectories demonstrate the varied paths taken by one-hit wonders from the '90s, encompassing struggles, comebacks, and the enduring impact of their signature songs.
