The Eurovision Song Contest, 2014 which took place in Copenhagen, Denmark was won by a singer from Austria, Conchita Wurst. The contest was keenly watched by many as it also featured singers from Russia and Ukraine who are at loggerheads right now over the annexation of Crimean region by Russia. However, in the grand finale, it was the 25 year old Austrian who stole all the limelight with her ecstatic performance of the ballad ‘Rise like a Phoenix’.
Called the bearded lady on stage, Conchita assumed this alter ego as a teenager, mainly to cope with the discrimination faced during that period. . Born as Thomas “Tom” Neuwirth, the global super star enjoyed a short stint with the Austrian boy-band Jetzt Anders
Conchita came on stage wearing a skin-tight dress with a full grown beard and long flowing hair. Her final score of 290 points was more than anyone else and as a result, she became the first Austrian to win the crown since 1966. The presence of Wurst in the competition was not taken too kindly by some countries like Russia, where alternate sexual identities are not accepted. For many though, her victory meant a victory of tolerance, which was one of the themes stressed by the organizers of the competition.
The Eurovision singing contest has been held every year since 1956 and it was started to boost good relations between neighboring European nations. The contestants who participate in this event are mainly those who are on the fringes of the mainstream music industry. According to the organizers, this competition is completely non-political, but people always manage to drag politics into the event. Especially this year, the Russian contestants were given a cold reception and many even booed them after their performance.