In the summer of 2010, all of Europe danced to one song: “Satellite” by Lena thrilled people of all ages and inspired them to an extensive sing-along. What caused this?

This fascination was triggered by the “Eurovision Song Contest,” which was held in Oslo in 2010 and won by Lena with a sizeable lead. But the foundation that led to this had already been previously laid. Stefan Raab organized the preliminary round under the fitting title “Our Star for Oslo,” and assembled a cast of young musical talents. Many gifted singers impressed the jury with their abilities, but Lena Meyer-Landrut stood out from the very start.

Born 1991 in Hanover, she already started taking dancing lessons at five years of age and soon discovered her fancy for singing. She signed up for the casting in late 2009 just for the fun of it. With her refreshingly natural aura, she enchanted the audience with a style all her own, which is reflected in both her use of language as well as her unique dance technique. She came out on top in the finals and won the preliminary round; as a result, the songs which Lena presented in the television show hit the charts and soared to the top.

Parallel to the single “Satellite,” the debut album “My Cassette Player” also went all the way to number one on the charts. The German audience was ecstatic, and everyone frenetically awaited the Europe-wide musical competition. This hype spilled over and Lena took it with her to Oslo. There, the newcomer from Hanover won the hearts of the Norwegians by storm and soon reaped compassion throughout Europe as a result of her authenticity and carefree cheerfulness. Her role as the favorite solidified. And she actually did it: After 28 years, Lena – who never completed any vocal training – won the second victory for Germany since the “Eurovision Song Contest” had been established!

The very next day, “Satellite” topped the charts in numerous countries; in Germany both the song and her first album went gold and platinum. Currently, the end of this success story is unforeseeable. Lena’s victory at the “Eurovision Song Contest” is only the first highlight of a remarkable career that has only just begun.

Laudatory Speech: Hape Kerkeling

Foto © Universal Music 2010