It’s been over a decade since a person in a gold mermaid dress and a perfectly groomed beard stood on a stage in Copenhagen and basically broke the internet before that was even a tired cliché. If you were watching the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, you remember the moment. The lights went up, the orchestra swelled with that dramatic, almost Bond-like brass section, and Conchita Wurst delivered a vocal performance that wasn’t just good—it was flawless.
People still talk about it. But honestly? Most of the conversation is stuck in 2014. We talk about the beard. We talk about the "controversy." We talk about the "message." What we often skip over is the actual music and the weird, uphill battle it took to even get that Conchita Wurst Eurovision song onto the airwaves in the first place.
The song that nobody wanted to produce
Here’s a fun fact that usually gets buried: "Rise Like a Phoenix" was a total outcast.
Long before it was a global anthem, the track was floating around the desks of major record labels in Austria. They hated it. Or, well, they didn't know what to do with it. Every single major label rejected the song. They thought it was too old-fashioned, too "theatrical," or just didn't fit the radio mold of the early 2010s. It was only when the Austrian broadcaster ORF decided to go with an internal selection for 2014 that the stars aligned.
The composer, Ali Zuckowski, had this gut feeling that the song was special. He was right, obviously. But it’s wild to think that the song that eventually secured Austria’s first win since 1966 was originally sitting in a digital "trash" bin because it wasn't "commercial" enough.
Why "Rise Like a Phoenix" actually worked
You’ve got to understand the vibe of Eurovision at the time. It was leaning heavily into dance-pop and quirky folk-lite stuff. Then comes this operatic pop ballad.
It felt like a throwback to the 1960s—think Shirley Bassey or Edith Piaf—but with modern production. The lyrics were peak melodrama. "Waking in the rubble / Walking over glass." It’s the kind of stuff that usually feels cheesy, but Tom Neuwirth (the man behind the Conchita persona) sold it with 100% sincerity.
There were no backup dancers. No pyrotechnics. No LED floors with spinning graphics. Just a human being in a dress, under a spotlight, singing their lungs out.
- The Stats: It scored 290 points.
- The Impact: It was the first win for a solo performer with no backing singers or dancers since 1970.
- The Reception: It hit the top 10 in over 15 countries.
People like to say it won because of the "politics" or the "look." But if the song had been garbage, the beard wouldn't have saved it. You can't fake that kind of vocal control.
The "Unstoppable" moment and the backlash
When Conchita accepted the glass microphone trophy and said, "We are unity and we are unstoppable," she wasn't just talking to the fans in the room. She was pointedly looking at politicians in places like Russia and Belarus who had tried to get her performance censored.
It’s easy to forget now, but there were actual petitions to have the Austrian entry removed from the broadcast. Some Russian politicians called it the "end of Europe." It sounds like a fever dream now, but the Conchita Wurst Eurovision song became a literal flashpoint for a culture war.
Even back home in Austria, it wasn't all rainbow flags and cheers at first. When ORF announced they had picked Conchita internally, a Facebook group protesting the choice got tens of thousands of likes in days. People were... let's say, skeptical. Then she won. And suddenly, she was being greeted by 1,000 fans at the airport and getting a personal shout-out from the President. Success is a great way to quiet the critics, I guess.
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Life after the Phoenix
A lot of people think Tom Neuwirth just stayed in that gold dress forever. Not even close.
In the years following the win, he did the whole "global icon" thing. He spoke at the United Nations with Ban Ki-moon. He performed at the European Parliament. He even walked the runway for Jean Paul Gaultier. But musically, he started to feel trapped by the "Conchita" image.
By 2019, he basically "killed off" the old version of the character. He moved away from the diva ballads and into this dark, gritty, electronic sound under the moniker WURST. The gowns were replaced by latex and combat boots. It was a massive pivot that confused a lot of casual fans who just wanted another Bond theme.
What’s happening right now?
It’s January 2026, and things have come full circle. Just a few days ago, Tom announced he’s officially "stepping down" from the Eurovision context.
For a decade, he’s been the unofficial face of the contest—hosting, performing in interval acts (like the ABBA tribute in 2024), and being the go-to ambassador. But he’s done. He posted on Instagram that while Eurovision was his "springboard," it’s no longer the place for his next steps.
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It’s a bold move, especially with the 2026 contest being such a huge deal for the 70th anniversary. But honestly, it makes sense. How many times can you sing the same song before you lose your mind?
How to use the "Conchita Strategy" for your own stuff
Whether you’re a creator, a musician, or just someone trying to make a point, there’s a lot to learn from the 2014 win. It wasn't just luck.
- Double down on the "weird." The very thing people told Tom to change—the beard—is what made the performance iconic. If you have a trait that makes people uncomfortable, that’s usually your biggest asset.
- Quality is the best defense. The "Rise Like a Phoenix" vocals were bulletproof. When your work is that good, critics have to resort to attacking your identity because they can't find a flaw in the product.
- Timing is everything. In 2014, Europe was ready for a conversation about identity. In 2026, we’re in a different place, and Tom is moving on to reflect that.
If you want to dive deeper into the discography, check out the 2018 album From Vienna with Love. It’s recorded with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra and shows off the operatic side of the Conchita Wurst Eurovision song era better than anything else.
If you're looking for the newer, weirder stuff, look for the Truth Over Magnitude project. It’s a total 180-degree turn, but it proves there’s way more to the artist than just one night in Copenhagen.
Next Steps for You: Go listen to the "Rise Like a Phoenix" orchestral version from the 2015 Eurovision opening. It’s arguably better than the original winning performance. Then, look up the 2025 single "Waters Run Deep" to see exactly where the artist is headed now that the Eurovision chapter is officially closed.