It's hard to put your finger on what exactly defines a typical Eurovision performer. Musical ability, obviously, must have some bearing, although Jemini's performance last year demonstrates that this is not always a necessity. Then there's charisma, a go-getting attitude and an imperviousness to public humiliation/personal shame. You need to relish the word cool without ever being cool yourself, believe that a smile and a song really can change the world and hope for nothing more than world peace and a six-figure record deal. With her Crazy Colour hair, Euro-wide smile and insatiable chirpiness, no one performer embraces these attitudes more than Germany's Lou Hoffner.
 Lou first reached for the Euro stars in 2001 when she and her Partygang band finished a creditable third in the German qualifiers with the hard-hitting 'Happy Birthday Party'. Two years later she struck German gold, earning the right to compete for her country with one of the most Eurovision song titles ever penned...
 http://www.lou-und-band.de/ lets Lou tell it like it is. "It's a song to bring you in good mood, which makes everybody forget their worries. "After the last year with all its problems (economic difficulties, floods, and other calamities) the message for 2003 can only be 'Let's Get Happy' " - this is, what Lou believes is her song's main message. So then, if the entire ground floor of your council hovel is currently under six feet of water and subject to 'other calamities' to boot, just get happy, okay? It's certainly worked for the gal herself. Lou, the experienced artist, can tell lots of stories from a long life on stage and is well known for her ability to get to the soul of a song with only little effort. Open-heartedly and full of passion she performs the great classics of pop and rock history. With her unique and powerful voice, and with her unspent charisma Lou will impress many listeners deeply. At the same time she will exhilarate many with her forthright humour and quick tongue. Let's Get Happy is a powerful and sweeping pop song. The catchy tune makes you sing along with Lou almost immediately, as everybody can understand what she wants to express. And this finally is the most important thing and will put her in good position in Riga. After hearing the song for the first time, Lou was totally enthusiastic: 'This is just my song and besides, it's my life's motto!' But what of Lou's life? Her website does not disappoint. CHILDHOOD It was customary in the sixties to have the radio switched on during the whole weekend and voices were to be heard singing along throughout the house. Often enough, neighbours would stop on the street just to listen. So, music and song were gifts given to Lou from babyhood on! As a little girl, she used to dress up in Mom's pink nightgown, wearing black high-heeled shoes (about 10 sizes too large!) with huge sunglasses on her little nose and holding a wooden spoon in her hand as a microphone while she performed for her audience. When asked what she wanted to be one day, the answer was always 'I'm going to be a singer-girl and then you won't need a radio anymore.'
 ADOLESCENCE She herself was much more interested in night-life and in what might be called 'la dolce vita', even though this was only taking place in her village neighbourhood. She often went for a walk at night, singing, and was sometimes accompanied by her sisters, who joined in doing the harmony parts. One evening - it must have been after midnight - a loud voice in a house was heard saying: 'Helmuth, open the windows, the girls are out singing again!'. This, clearly, meant that Lou's music was not, in the least, disturbing anyone. On the contrary - people seemed to be enjoying it! But soon Lou began to feel a little restricted by her little world, and so she left home for another part of the country. She opened a little boutique selling exclusive fashion in her very own style - eyecatching, crazy and very colourful! THE TURNING POINT When she met the members of a group called 'Party-Gang' in a small village pub, Lou, at last, had the opportunity to turn her talents (and her hobby) into a real profession. And ever since that day (more than 15 years ago) she has been on the road, appearing in clubs and dance halls, turning the nights to days. And so to the big night itself. Lou gave her all that evening in glorious, glamorous Latvia and there is no doubt that many people across Europe got happy with her, so happy that they catapulted her into 12th place. So what of Lou since that historic mid-table finish? Well, the song did very well in Germany and...that's about the end of it. Her website just seems to stop after Eurovision. But surely someone, somewhere is being made happy by Lou even as you read these very words. And we should all be happy at that. | 
