Lulu on Eurovision and Absolutely Fabulous: ‘It’s camp as hell’
Exclusive: The national treasure has spoken about how 'Champagne for Lulu' has become part of her life, and revealed some Eurovision insider info in a behind-the-scenes shoot for Attitude
By Dale Fox & Jamie Tabberer
Pop icon Lulu has shared highlights from her extraordinary six-decade career, in an exclusive behind-the-scenes video coinciding with her Attitude cover shoot.
The national treasure was named Honorary Gay, supported by Jaguar, at the Virgin Atlantic Attitude Awards, powered by Jaguar, last month (9 October).
In the video, Lulu looks back on the moments that defined her as a performer, from Eurovision victory to unforgettable collaborations and her lifelong connection with the LGBTQ+ community.
Reflecting on her iconic 1969 Eurovision win with Boom Bang-a-Bang, Lulu admits the journey wasn’t as glamorous as it seemed. “I was stressed out,” she says. “I felt like I was carrying the country on my shoulders.” Surprisingly, the winning song wouldn’t have been the one she would have chosen to perform. “If I would have chosen, we would have lost,” she laughs. “So thank God the British public chose ‘Boom Bang-a-Bang’ because we won!”
Lulu also revisits her unexpected collaboration with Take That on the 1993 smash hit ‘Relight My Fire’. At first, she couldn’t imagine teaming up with a boy band. “I remember thinking, ‘Those little boys? They want to do a record with me?’”
Talking about the on-set experience, Lulu describes the boys as “respectful,” even saying they swapped their bigger Winnebago for Lulu’s small on. From then on, I loved them, darling!” she joked.
Her guest appearance in Absolutely Fabulous cemented her status as a queer icon, with the line “Champagne for Lulu, darling” becoming part of the vernacular of gays worldwide. “It breaks barriers. It makes me feel connected,” she says on how she hears the line everywhere in the world from people of all walks of life.
On the show itself, Lulu shares: “The thing was camp. It was hysterical. Very British… It’s camp as hell.”
To read Lulu’s cover interview, order your copy of the new issue of Attitude magazine now or check out the Attitude app. Lulu heads out on the road for the Champagne for Lulu tour in Torquay on Sunday 3 November 2024.
