Austria’s ‘bearded lady’ wins Eurovision Song Contest

There are Eurovision victories - and then there are historic Eurovision victories. Last night's was one of the latter, as Conchita Wurst won the contest with 290 points, a margin of 52 points over runner-up The Netherlands.

Conchita is the bearded drag persona of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth, who entered Eurovision on a platform of tolerance.

Her song Rise like a Phoenix is a classic European power ballad, complete with key change and wind machine, which Wurst delivered with considerable skill and emotional conviction.

“This night is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom,” said Wurst as she collected her Eurovision trophy.

Supporting Wurst’s act was viewed by many in the predominantly gay Eurovision fan base as advocating acceptance of gender and sexual difference.

Her act drew the loudest cheers from crowds watching on the big screen in Copenhagen’s Pride Square, and onlookers sang along with gusto during the reprise, holding their illuminated mobile phones in the air and waving rainbow flags. Gay Europe has a new anthem.

This victory will resonate differently in countries across Europe: certainly, it will provide further opportunity for discussions and advocacy of LGBTQ rights in Ireland post-Pantigate.

Voting results countered fears that voters and juries from outside Western Europe would resist Wurst's act. Russia gave five points to Austria, while Ukraine gave it eight, Georgia ten, and Montenegro two.

A dominant subtext to this year’s Eurovision contest – which sometimes bubbled to the surface - was resistance to Russia’s aggressive foreign policy against Ukraine, and the country’s anti-gay legislation in the run-up to the Sochi winter Olympics. There was booing in the arena around the performance of the Russian act, the Tolmachevy Twins, in last night’s competition, and they finished 7th out of 26 competitors.

In the winner’s press conference, Wurst underlined her victory as a moment of consolidation and celebration of a trans-national queer community, making only peripheral mention Austria in her statements: “I really dream of a world where you don’t have to talk about your sexuality, where you are from. Tonight we really showed that we are all part of the same family, not of separate communities.”

This was Austria’s second-ever Eurovision victory, and the first since 1966. A representative of the Austrian broadcaster confirmed in the press conference that next year’s contest will be held in Vienna, saying “We have waited for 48 years to host the contest again… Austria has become more open tonight, and we are very glad that this openness has been seen and accepted by Europe.”

Sweden came third in the contest with 218 points. The United Kingdom finished 17th with 40 points – a less impressive result than polls had indicated, but nonetheless an improvement on recent years.