Daniela Katzenberger – Blonde bombshell with great humour

Café owner, reality TV star, singer, fashion designer, actress, model, former beautician with her own perfume brand – a normal girl from Ludwigshafen from simple origins took Germany by storm and became the country’s number one blonde bombshell.

Some call her Germany’s answer to Kim Kardashian, Daniela Katzenberger was once known as the girl with shaved off eyebrows, large bust and bottle-blonde hair. She was turned down for a job at Hooters and had no luck in becoming a bunny model in Hugh Hefner’s Playboy empire in the USA – all of this live on our TV screens. Even though her initial efforts did not pay off, the transmission of the episode on the reality show “Auf und davon” [Up and away] in 2009 was a huge success and a certain hype around the smiley, positive and entertaining girl started. Her courage, directness, her exceptional down-to-earth attitude, witty puns and a big portion of self-mockery directly catapulted her into the centre of amesmerising career and into the hearts of millions of Germans.

“Blonde, authentic and always good for a surprise”

The secret of Daniela’s success is easily explained. She once said: “You are smart when you put on the barmy stick.”Ask her for the reasons for the success of the Katzenberger phenomenon, she replies: “I’m blonde, authentic and always good for a surprise.”Joyfully jumping around L.A. with a carefree attitude started a career, which has been unstppoable ever since. In 2010, she opened her own café, the Café Katzenberger on the island of Mallorca and was once again accompanied by cameras. “The opening of Café Katzenberger was my favourite TV moment. I would never have imagined that I would have my own café with my name on it, ”Daniela remembers. The café being a huge success, Daniela also
got her own TV format.“Daniela Katzenberger – naturally blonde” tells the personal story of the turbulent everyday life of the media phenomenon and her steep journey to become Germany’s most entertaining blonde. Millions of people tuned in to experience her charm and cheeky snout – while she performed her debut single. Nothing’s gonna stop me now live in front of 10,000 people, when she tried to find her mister right, when she designed her own shoe collection or when she published her best-selling book. The series also reveals Daniela’s natural and authentic side away from the spotlights, which affirms the picture
of a girl who never lost touch with her roots. “It still feels odd being recognised
everywhere. Sometimes I ask myself why people are so excited when they see me – after all, it’s only me. I don’t think I’ll ever get used to it. I can hardly believe it when there are thousands of fans waiting to get an autograph from me at autograph sessions,” she laughs.

A continuous success

From then on, her success just kept spiraling upwards. Other TV formats, such as Daniela’s wedding secret or Naturally beautiful followed. With her funny and quick-witted ways, Daniela travels to different continents in search of Asia’s, Europe’s or Africa’s best beauty secrets. Exploring breast enhancement through hypnosis in England, a weight loss plant in Namibia or the secret of camel urine in Jordan, Daniela enchanted Germany once again. Asking her about her personal beauty secret, she says: “You won’t believe it but it is extremely important to take one’smake-up off. The make-up on top is only as beautiful as the skin underneath. I don’t smoke and I don’t drink, I think that already constitutes a great deal. One personal tip, which I brought with me from my travels, is face yoga – it brings an entire muscle ache to your face, but it is better than any anti aging cream.”

Daniela certainly became THE star of Germany’s television landscape: advertising contracts, merchandise or her own perfume Magic Kiss – Daniela has reached absolute cult status. Having revealed almost her entire life on television, I want to know at what moments she would have preferred the cameras to be off: “I must say that I don’t regret a thing. Everything that I did in
front of the camera, it doesn’t matter if good or not so good, helped to bring me to where I am today – so I also did something right. I have shown all my quirks on TV and this is a good thing,” Daniela smiles. When taking time off, Daniela relies on the simple things in life. “As weird as it sounds, I also enjoy wearing no make-up from time to time and replacing my high heels with sneakers. I like to have a bath and I do a really nice girl-beauty-wellness programme. Of course it’s also a time-out for me to have my family and my boyfriend around,” she says.

Lucky in love

Despite her overly successful career, a partner at her side had always been missing – until she met Lucas Cordalis, son of famous Greek singer Costa Cordalis, in 2013. A successful musician, producer and entertainer himself, Lucas met Daniela in Dubai. The pair was introduced by mother, who initially met the beau in front of a camera. Sparks flew immediately and the love story has fascinated Germany since. Having achieved almost everything a reality star can dream of, Daniela has no plans to slow down in 2015. A new project is literally on its way. Just before this issue went to print, the couple confirmed to be expecting a baby and announced: ”We are over the moon and can’t wait to welcome our little treasure.” Well, congratulations from us!

TEXT: Nane Steinhoff | PHOTOS: 99PRO Media GMBH/ Schoko-Auge