Banaroo
| Company type | Pop ensemble |
|---|---|
| Industry | Music |
| Founded | 2005 |
| Defunct | 2008, 2013 |
| Headquarters | Cologne , Germany |
| Products | Music albums, singles, DVD |
Banaroo was a German pop ensemble that operated between 2005 and 2008, with a brief revival in 2013 featuring a revamped lineup. They secured multiple hit singles across Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
The founding lineup consisted of Robbert "Bobby" Dessauvagie, Vittorio "Vito" Magro, Stefanie "Steffy" Dreyer, and Kathrin "Cat" Geißler, who remained active until 2008. In 2013, the group reformed with members Doro Farkas, Laura Luppino, Alvin Philipps, and Daniel Langer but dissolved again by November 6 of the same year.
History
Banaroo: The Star Diary
In the wake of the popularity of German talent shows, Super RTL developed Star Diary, a series chronicling the formative stages of a newly created pop group. Michael Bolte from Super RTL's marketing department spearheaded this initiative. Unlike other formats, this show did not include interactive casting components.
The casting process was conducted in collaboration with Na Klar! Records to identify young performers with preliminary skills in singing and dancing. Dessauvagie, Dreyer, Geißler, and Magro were chosen and named Banaroo—a name inspired by an anecdote involving kangaroos and bananas recounted by Magro.
Banaroo: The Star Diary debuted on April 18, 2005, broadcasting 84 daily episodes of five minutes each until July 10. Directed and produced by Mark Feuerstake, filming took place in Cologne where the band members shared accommodation. The series documented both their professional journey and personal experiences, complemented by weekly 20-minute recaps aired on Saturdays.
This show became Super RTL’s most successful production at that time, attracting an average nightly audience of 590,000 viewers (2.9% market share) and reaching peaks of up to 800,000. Within the key demographic of children aged 3 to 13 years old, it achieved a remarkable 30.2% market share with an average viewership of 370,000.
Debut single & Banaroo's World
Five weeks following the premiere episode, on May 23, 2005, Banaroo launched their first single Dubi Dam Dam. This release featured a remix alongside the series’ theme song Make You See the Stars. The track was produced by Carsten Wegener and Timo Hohnholz—who also contributed to later albums—and benefited from ongoing television promotion. It swiftly climbed to number two on the German singles chart and attained comparable success in Austria and Switzerland.
Their debut album Banaroo's World, released on June 20, 2005, achieved significant commercial acclaim. Initially entering the charts at number five, it rose to claim the top spot in August. In Austria, it entered directly at number one and maintained that position for seven consecutive weeks.
The follow-up single "Space Cowboy," produced by Thorsten Brötzmann, matched the debut’s achievements by securing a top-five position in Germany. It received platinum certification domestically and gold status in both Austria and Switzerland.
By September 2005, Banaroo had sold over 150,000 singles and more than 200,000 albums within Germany alone, earning gold and platinum awards respectively. Additionally, singles and albums attained gold certifications in Switzerland and Austria.
Banaroo garnered nominations for best newcomer at both VIVA’s Comet Awards and the Echo Awards.
After the television series concluded, the DVD Banaroo - The Movie! was released on August 8, 2005. This compilation included music videos for "Dubi Dam Dam," "Space Cowboy," and "Make You See the Stars," along with live performances, three previously unaired episodes of Star Diary, studio visits, a band excursion to the Rhine region, plus bonus outtakes.
Christmas World
On November 25, 2005, merely five months after their initial album launch, Banaroo introduced their sophomore album, Christmas World, featuring a selection of traditional Christmas carols reinterpreted by the band. Production duties were once again managed by Carsten Wegener and Timo Hohnholz.
The album's sole original composition was "Coming Home for Christmas," which had been previously issued as a single. This track benefited from focused promotional efforts, including its designation as the official anthem for RTL's ChariTree charity initiative, enabling it to secure top ten positions throughout German-speaking regions.
Banaroo's third single, "Coming Home For Christmas," released on November 11, 2005, achieved moderate success by entering the top ten charts in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland.
Although themed around the holiday season, Christmas World also contained several non-Christmas songs. The album entered the German charts at number twelve on December 9, 2005.
Amazing
In February 2006, Banaroo launched their fourth single, "Uh Mamma," which attained top ten rankings in both Germany and Austria and reached number eleven in Switzerland.
Their third studio album was released on March 24, 2006—marking their third album within nine months—and featured a sound closely resembling their debut record. It climbed to number two in Austria (earning Gold certification), number six in Germany, and number twenty-five in Switzerland. Production credits included five tracks by Wegener and Hohnholz, along with one produced by Dieter Bohlen. Additionally, the album contained a newly recorded version of the "Kim Possible" theme song. Strong support from their dedicated fanbase propelled both the album and "Uh Mamma" up the charts across German-speaking countries, with the album achieving gold status in Austria just four weeks after release.
The second single from this album, "Sing and Move (La La La Laaaa)," released on June 27, 2006, failed to meet expectations, peaking at number fifty-one and missing the top twenty entirely.
On November 17, 2006, Banaroo reissued their Christmas album Christmas World featuring an updated tracklist and an extra bonus track titled "Song of Joy," though it did not include the original music videos.
Fly Away
After a hiatus lasting nearly nine months from public releases, Banaroo returned with the single "Ba Yonga Wamba" on March 23, 2007. Although it charted higher than "Sing and Move," it did not replicate earlier levels of success, reaching only within the top thirty in Germany and Austria.
Their seventh and final single "I'll Fly Away," released on May 4, 2007, peaked at number eighty-four in Germany.
Banaroo’s fourth studio album Fly Away, which was released on July 4, 2007, entered the German charts at number twenty-four but underperformed compared to previous albums. The release was promoted by Nickelodeon, which also featured Banaroo as judges on its show Nick Talent. The winner earned the opportunity to film a music video alongside Banaroo for "I'll Fly Away."
The Best of Banaroo
On October 19, 2007, Banaroo unveiled their greatest hits collection The Best of Banaroo, comprising eighteen tracks from earlier albums plus two new songs. The compilation failed to chart commercially, leading to the termination of their recording contract.
2008: Disbandment
Following the release of The Best of Banaroo, the group withdrew from the music industry. In 2008 it was officially confirmed that they had disbanded with no intentions of producing further material.
2013: New Formation & Return
In 2013, Na Klar! organized auditions to select four fresh members—Doro Farkas, Laura Luppino, Alvin Philipps, and Daniel Langer—to succeed original performers who had other personal engagements. Continuing under Na Klar! and Sony Music, they collaborated with Villa Productions for their revival.
Their comeback single was a modernized rendition of their popular track "Dubi Dam Dam," released on May 17, 2013, available in two versions. They revealed plans for a new album named Bubblegum World, honoring the bubblegum pop style. To promote the album, the group embarked on the Toggo Tour starting in May.
Bubblegum World was launched on June 7, 2013, followed by the release of a second single—a reimagined "Space Cowboy"—on June 21. Despite promotional efforts and touring, neither the album nor its singles achieved chart success.
Second Breakup & Activities After Disbandment
Banaroo maintained touring until their final performance on October 7, with an additional concert on October 17. After their last Facebook post on October 24, no further updates were made. On November 6, Laura Luppino announced via Facebook that Banaroo had disbanded once more due to conflicting artistic directions among members. Producer Oliver DeVille and other group members confirmed this decision. While management has not issued an official statement, reports indicate the split occurred when Doro and Alvin opted to depart and explore other entertainment avenues. A scheduled Christmas single for December was ultimately not recorded.
Following the breakup, Alvin and Doro planned to launch a duo project but have yet to release material. Laura Luppino pursued a solo path with Villa Productions and participated in Switzerland's 2014 Eurovision national selection with the song "The Energy Of Love (In Your Eyes)." Doro Farkas also initiated a solo career, casting doubt on the Alvin-Doro collaboration's future. Alvin Phillips redirected his efforts towards modeling and acting. Daniel Langer stepped back from show business to focus on his personal life but has been seen alongside Laura and Oliver DeVille since then.
Singles
| Year | Title | Chart positions | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AT | DE | CH | NL | |||
| 2005 | "Dubi Dam Dam" | 2 | 2 | 5 | 36 | |
| 2005 | "Space Cowboy" | 12 | 5 | 17 | ||
| 2005 | "Coming Home For Christmas" | 5 | 9 | 9 | ||
| 2006 | "Uh Mamma" | 3 | 9 | 11 | ||
| 2006 | "Sing and Move (La La La Laaaa)" | 51 | 58 | 82 | ||
| 2007 | "Ba Yonga Wamba" | 28 | 30 | 86 | ||
| 2007 | "I'll Fly Away" | 84 | ||||
| 2013 | "Dubi Dam Dam 2013" | |||||
| 2013 | "Space Cowboy 2013" | |||||
Albums
| Year | Album | Chart Positions | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | Austria | Switzerland | ||
| 2005 | Banaroo's World | 1 | 1 | 7 |
| 2005 | Christmas World | 12 | 5 | 26 |
| 2006 | Amazing | 6 | 2 | 25 |
| 2007 | Fly Away | 44 | 24 | 86 |
| 2007 | The Best Of Banaroo | |||
| 2013 | Bubblegum World | |||
DVD
- 2005: Banaroo – Der Film!