It was in 2014. In Copenhagen, Denmark, Conchita Wurst, the representative of Austria, won Eurovision. 10 years later, Conchita Wurst remains unforgettable. That year, this Austrian singer and drag queen, known in civil registration as Thomas Neuwirth, made an impression with “Rise Like a Phoenix”. This powerful ballad allowed him to win Eurovision 2014, accumulating 290 points.
Its success did not stop there, since the song dominated the charts Europeans in the months that followed. The song was number one in Austria, his native country, and ranked in the top 5 in Finland, the Netherlands, Germany, and Luxembourg.
photo credit: Shutterstock Conchita Wurst in 2014 during her Eurovision victory
In 2014, Conchita Wurst was a sensation at Eurovision
This victory turned out to be a real springboard for Conchita Wurst. The singer had paraded for Jean-Paul Gaultier and performed on the stage of Crazy Horse. The artist also sang in front of the European Parliament. Her autobiography, I, Conchita, Nothing Will Stop Us, was released in May 2015 by Éditions Archipel. The same year, a premier album also saw the light of day.
The singer returned to the small screen in 2015 in order to present Eurovision, alongside Alice Tumler, Arabella Kiesbauer and Mirjam Weichselbraun. The year 2018 is, for its part, marked by a difficult event. Conchita Wurst was forced to reveal her seropositivity, threatened by his ex. “ I have been HIV positive for years. “, announced Thomas Neuwirthfrom his real name.
“I hope to give courage to people infected with HIV”
This period was not easy for the artist. “ CThis information is of no importance to the public, but a former boyfriend threatened to make it public. No one has the right to scare me andinfluence my life in this way.“, he shared about his HIV status. Having become undetectable thanks to his treatment, the young man had reassured his fans : « I am doing well and I am stronger, more motivated and more liberated than ever. I hope give some courage to those who are infected with HIV and, at the same time, fight against stigmatization of which they are victims. »
In 2014, Conchita Wurst performed on her diva image bearded to make people talk about him and above all make himself known among several atypical candidates. Thomas, the man behind the costume, has since changed a lot. If the drag queen has accustomed her fans to elaborate makeup, sequinned outfits and wigs, she also appears Natural. On Instagram, the artist shared a photo in which he ignores artifice.
What does Conchita Wurst look like in 2024?
Short hair, glasses, pearl necklace and blue blazer… The star appears metamorphosed ! However, his message remains the same: to fight for more tolerance. A photo shared on the occasion of the world day against homophobia, transphobia and biphobia. “ Be yourself, without apologizing. », he wrote in the caption. The artist also added various posters dedicated to this day, which notably called for celebrate diversity genres.
In 2015, Conchita Wurst spoke to France Inter about her sexual identity. « You don’t understand, I’m not not transsexualI’m a drag queen. And we drag queens create a kind of illusion. […] We’re here to entertain, there’s quite a show. Being born in the body of the wrong sex is another story. », he declared. His beard is also the fruit of chance : « One day I was putting on makeup, I wasn’t shaved, I looked in the mirror and I liked it. » If his hair is shorter today, his beard is, for its part, always present.
photo credit: Shutterstock Conchita Wurst today
Conchita Wurst back?
During the Eurovision “pre-show”, Conchita Wurst sang her song “Rise like a phoenix” which won her the competition in 2014. On this occasion, she mentioned the possibility of representing Austria again . Conchita Wurst admitted that the idea did not excite her at first, before starting to dream again when seeing the double success of the Swedish Loreen with “Euphoria” in 2012 and “Tattoo” in 2023.
« Before Loreen came back, I didn’t think I could do it again because I was at the (peak of my fame) and I didn’t want that to change. But after Loreen’s new victory, I told myself that if I have the right song, I could come back! “, declared the artist.
