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Women are pivotal to nearly everything in Lou Bega's life. As this single 24-year-old charmer muses, "Females have always been there at the center of my life; my mother, who raised me with so much love and then my first girlfriend..... There were women who made me laugh and those who made me sad; real friends with whom I could talk about everything and women who made me fall head over heels in love." The Monicas, Ericas and Ritas of this world, to whom Lou Bega sings in his first Number One hit, Mambo No. 5, all played a role in his amazing success story..
Lou Bega is a rising star whose debut album underlines his fascination for the fairer sex. "With this album I can express fully my philosophy of life, summed up simply as : Never lose your "joie de vivre"; there is more beauty around us than we can possibly imagine; you just have to look a bit deeper to see how wonderful this world is. And most important of all, there is nothing more beautiful in all of God's creation than women!" These ideas are best expressed on "I Got a Girl", a brand new song from the album A Little Bit of Mambo, where it all starts out with a woman. "Some time ago, I had a girlfriend from Miami who was Cuban. Whenever she danced, it was like a brilliant firework display. I couldn't take my eyes off her. It was as if she became one with the music", Lou Bega's dreamy expression tells all! It was actually this dancing beauty that brought him to Mambo. Nothing is better than the combination of fun and music -- certainly not for Lou Bega. The singer and dancer has found his own particular way of combining the two and the musical result is very convincing. A Little Bit of Mambo is full of energy, temperament and passion from the start to the finish; it is music for grooving and swinging -- and pure fun! Just as in Lou Bega's day-to-day life: "The sun shines again after the rain", says Lou, a true master of the art of living and a die-hard optimist. "This is my motto in life, and I have always tried to live my life accordingly which has helped me overcome quite a few sticky situations." The song Baby, Keep Smiling encompasses this belief : "Even when it rains, it is enough to look up and see a little bit of sun shining through the clouds".
Lou Bega is the perfect incarnation of the Latin-American love of life, so his choice of music comes as no surprise. He discovered black and south-American rhythms very early on, listening to Soul and Reggae until, aged 18, he went to Miami and heard the Mambo classics. Since then, the Afro-Cuban sound of Mambo has held sway. "I got to know the songs of the Mambo Kings without ever imagining I would become one myself.
Mambo No. 5 is a huge success, having sold in excess of one million units in Germany alone. For weeks now this double platinum single has been No. 1 on the German Media Control charts, and there is a real "Mambo tidal wave" rolling down from the North Sea to the Alps. Mambo No. 5 is "the" summer hit!
Lou Bega's personality is stamped not only on his music but also on his image. White pin-stripe suit, little polkadot handkerchief, elegant spats and Borsalino hat complete the look, in perfect homage to the '30s and '40s. He has started a fashion trend with fans all over the world copying the "Lou Bega style" and is bringing back the concept of the "true gentleman" in the best sense of the word !
It seems that Mambo and this born entertainer were made for each other -- "As a kid I was always singing and dancing to the music being played at home". In fact, Mambo's dynamic rhythms are synonymous with Lou Bega's background. He carries a piece of Africa in him from his Ugandan father and inherited his Sicilian-born mother's fiery temperament. Afro-Cuban rhythms, Swing, Soul and Rap are mixed by Lou Bega to create his very own musical style. With his passion for singing, melody and rhythm, the young King of Mambo has taken his audiences by storm. If his big idol, Perez Prado, the Cuban Mambo King, could hear A Little Bit of Mambo today -- he would definitely be proud of Lou Bega.
Lou Bega has touched a nerve in everyone, young and old, who loves to dance. "There is nothing better than to go out and dance the Mambo", he enthuses, "with the right partner at your side, the fire is alite!" And as for the music -- don't worry -- Lou Bega is in charge! A Little Bit of Mambo is a super-concentrated shot of lust for life - guaranteeing sunny songs and a good mood!
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Albums
| Year | Label | Title | |
| 1999 | RCA Records | A Little Bit Of Mambo | |
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