Yes folks, Austria will have a 'drag queen' representing their country at Copenhagen 2014. Meet Tom Neuwirth, an Austrian singer, who also performs under the name 'Conchita Wurst.'
It will not be the real Neuwirth, but instead his drag queen creation that will be on stage Thursday, the 8th of May in semifinal 2 with "Rise Like a Phoenix." "Rise Like a Phoenix" is a soft ballad, that starts off softly, and then it kicks it up a notch. However I find this very mediocre, and since semifinal 2 will be just as tough as semifinal 1 on Tuesday, the 6th of May, I really don't think this song will see grand final action on the 10th of May. That's my viewpoint.
I don't recall a lot of drag acts in the ESC, other than Sestre in 2002 with "Samo Ljubezen" (the group dressed as flight attendants in that performance), so this is nothing new. Even though there have been protests for this act from Russia and Belarus, there were also protests for Sestre prior to Tallinn 2002. I'm not joking, even though "Samo Ljubezen" is better than "Rise Like a Phoenix."
As far as the status of the song goes, I really don't think it sizes up to some of Austria's other superior entries of the past, such as Westend "Hurricane" (1983), the Rounder Girls "All to You" (2000) and Mess "Sonntag" (1982). Even Natalia Kelly "Shine" from Malmo 2013 was better. This was an internal selection by the Austrian ESC broadcaster, and it could hurt this country in the long run as far as future ESC participation. I thought Austria still did national finals?
Up next: Dilara Kazimova "Start a Fire."
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