Conchita Wurst

Conchita Wurst
Conchita in 2017
Conchita in 2017
Background information
Birth nameThomas Neuwirth
Also known as
  • Conchita
  • Tom Neuwirth
  • WURST
Born (1988-11-06) 6 November 1988 (age 36)
Gmunden, Austria
Genres
Occupations
  • Singer
  • songwriter
  • drag queen
  • model
  • television presenter
  • cinematographer
Years active2006–present
LabelsSony Music Austria
Websiteconchitawurst.com

Thomas Neuwirth (born 6 November 1988) is an Austrian singer and drag queen who is known for his stage persona Conchita Wurst (or simply Conchita). He came to international attention after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 as Austria's entrant with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix". Neuwirth has stated that he is not a trans woman.[1][2] He is gay, and has also described himself as a drag queen.[3][4][5]

Born in Gmunden, Neuwirth moved to Graz to do his matura exam with a focus on fashion, before embarking on a singing career through the 2007 casting show Starmania. He subsequently became a founding member of Jetzt Anders!, a short-lived boy band. In 2011, Neuwirth began appearing as Conchita—a female character noted for her beard—and came second in the Austrian pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

Two years later, Neuwirth was selected to represent Austria as Conchita at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014. Conchita's performance received the most points and resulted in her winning the contest. It brought international attention to Conchita and established Neuwirth as a gay icon, resulting in invitations to perform at various pride parades, the European Parliament, and the United Nations Office in Vienna.

  1. ^ Cite error: The named reference ObserverLondon was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  2. ^ Cite error: The named reference Calvocoressi was invoked but never defined (see the help page).
  3. ^ Conchita Wurst I'm only a Drag Queen With a Beard. YouTube. 24 May 2014. Archived from the original on 28 December 2015. Retrieved 22 March 2015.
  4. ^ Morgan, Joe. "Belarus calls to cancel Eurovision over inclusion of drag singer". Gay Star News. Gay Star News Ltd. Archived from the original on 9 October 2019. Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  5. ^ Cite error: The named reference biography was invoked but never defined (see the help page).