We like to celebrate the characters of Eurovision here. There have been plenty, and they’re not all Nordic. Come to think of it, which Nordic singer would be the biggest heap of fun at a dinner party?
Aside from the north of our continent, characters come from elsewhere, including Austria. Today’s birthday girl Pænda (née Gabriela Horn) made a name for herself in Tel Aviv, not least from her blue hair. She was one of the party girls of 2019, and was always there for a laugh and a joke. Her attitude was to make the most of it, with any success is a bonus. It was just as well, as she was in a bloodbath of a semi-final so it came as no surprise when she didn’t qualify. But she was in good company. The juries in Sweden and Lithuania liked her song, but it meant the pressure was off and she could party extra hard in the Tel Aviv Euroclub. What a girl!
Pænda is 36 today.
Frohe Geburtstag, Pænda!