At number 27 on the Eurovision Top 100 countdown, it’s the unshakeable Conchita Wurst with her 2014 winner, “Rise Like a Phoenix.”
You just knew that the first drag queen winner of Eurovision had to be something grand and over-the-top. For reasons we will later get into, it is also one that not many people saw coming, for whatever reason. This song is a lesson in waiting to see the actual live performance before jumping to broad conclusions.
When Conchita won, it was just Austria’s second win at Eurovision, and their first since 1966.
Vital Information: “Rise Like a Phoenix”
| Song | Rise Like a Phoenix |
| Performed By | Conchita Wurst |
| Written By | Julian Maas, Charly Mason, Ali Zuckowski, & Joey Patulka |
| Country | Austria |
| Year | 2014 |
| Language(s) Performed In | English |
| How It Fared | Won (290 Points) |
| Was It Fair? | Very much so |
What I Liked
We’re using that word again: “Grandeur.” This was a blow-you-away live performance with perfect staging, flames, and just the right visual effects.
The composition and vocals also had elements of “grandeur” as well. The song itself was written for someone with a big voice to slam it home on the live stage, and that is exactly what Conchita did. She sang the hell out of it and commanded that stage all by herself. Conchita did not need dancers and backing vocalists to make her point – she was a one-queen show.
Another word that would work for this performance would be “captivating.” Finally, to put this in drag terms, she slayed the house down.
Other Facts
- The 2014 contest was one of the biggest upsets in modern Eurovision history. Prior to the start of Eurovision, Austria was outside the top 15 and not considered a contender. (Cobb, 2022)
- Prior to the contest, Conchita and Armenia’s representative, Aram Mp3, had some unpleasant exchanges regarding alleged homophobia on the part of the latter. Aram would eventually clarify his remarks, apologize, and reconcile with Conchita. (Adams, 2014)
- Conchita Wurst would go on to host the green room at the 2015 contest in Vienna.
- Austria swept both the jury and televote: first place in each in the final.
- Conchita performed 11th in the grand final running order in 2014.
- Austria’s only other winner was Udo Jürgens. He passed away months after Conchita’s victory, and when Austria hosted the contest in 2015, they paid homage to him.
“Rise Like a Phoenix” to YouTube
That’s where you will find the upload of Conchita’s 2014 performance.
References
Adams, W. L. (2014, April 5). Aram Mp3 and Conchita Wurst reconcile at Eurovision Concert. Wiwibloggs. https://wiwibloggs.com/2014/04/05/aram-mp3-conchita-wurst-concert/45823/
Cobb, R. (2022, April 27). EXPANDED EDITION: We rediscover pre-contest Eurovision odds from 1998 to 2021! ESC Xtra. https://escxtra.com/2022/04/27/eurovision-odds-history-expanded-edition/5/
