Conchita Wurst

Criticism continued to be made following Wurst's victory. Volkan Bozkır, then chairman of Turkey's foreign affairs committee, remarked "thank God we no longer participate in Eurovision". The leader of Poland's opposition Law and Justice (PiS) party, Jarosław Kaczyński, said that "Very disquieting things are going on in Europe, things that show decadence, downturn and we would like to reverse this trend." The spokesperson of the Law and Justice (PiS) party stated that "Conchita Wurst is (...) a symbol of Europe I don’t want. My Europe is based on Christian values." Russia's Deputy Prime Minister Dmitry Rogozin posted on social networking service Twitter that the result "showed supporters of European integration their European future: a bearded girl." Russia's opposition politician, the ultra-nationalist Vladimir Zhirinovsky, proclaimed "There's no limit to our outrage. It's the end of Europe", later adding that "Fifty years ago the Soviet army occupied Austria. We made a mistake in freeing Austria. We should have stayed." Deputy leader of Russia's opposition Communist Party, Valery Rashkin, announced that "The last Eurovision results exhausted our patience... We cannot tolerate this endless madness", calling for the foundation of an alternative, The Voice of Eurasia, in which Russia and its neighbouring allies could compete. The Russian Orthodox Church condemned Wurst's victory, with Vladimir Legoyda, chairman of the church's information department, describing it as "yet one more step in the rejection of the Christian identity of European culture", reflecting an attempt to "reinforce new cultural norms". A social media campaign involved Russian men shaving off their beards in protest at Wurst's victory; those taking part included broadcaster Andrey Malakhov and rapper Aleksander "ST" Stepanov.

In 2019, Neuwirth revealed that he would be splitting the characters, Conchita would continue with the more feminine style of performance and a new mononymous persona called WURST would allow for a more masculine expression, Neuwirth also announced that he would be releasing new music as WURST. The single "Trash All the Glam" was released 8 March 2019 through Sony Music Austria. The second single shortly followed, entitled "Hit Me", which was said to be a hit back to a former boyfriend of Neuwirth's who he was receiving threats from about how he would publicly reveal his HIV-positive status. A third single, "See Me Now" was released on 5 April 2019. The album was announced under the name Truth Over Magnitude, and was produced by Albin Janoska.

In 2019, Conchita became a permanent judge on the drag competition reality series Queen of Drags alongside Heidi Klum and Bill Kaulitz.

Conchita performed for BBC Radio 2's Friday Night Is Music Night on 25 February 2018 at the London Palladium. In April 2018, Conchita praised Israel's Netta Barzilai and her song "Toy" as her favourite song for Eurovision 2018, saying "If she wins I will love it." In August 2018, Turkey’s public broadcaster, the Turkish Radio and Television Corporation (TRT), stated it will not take part in the Eurovision while "someone like the bearded Austrian who wore a skirt" could win the competition.

In 2018, Neuwirth disclosed that he is HIV-positive and has been receiving treatment for several years. He wrote through an Instagram post that he felt compelled to come out as HIV-positive due to persistent threats from a former boyfriend that he would publicly reveal Neuwirth's status.

On 3 March 2016, Wurst performed at the Sydney Opera House accompanied by the Sydney Symphony Orchestra and together with Australian stars like Courtney Act and ESC 2015 participant Guy Sebastian as a part of Sydney Mardi Gras festival.

On 9 July, she made her modelling debut on the catwalk at fashion designer Jean Paul Gaultier's Couture show in Paris, where she took the final spot, which is usually reserved for Gaultier's favourite model. In August she modeled Givenchy clothing for Karl Lagerfeld's fashion editorial, "The New Normal", published in Carine Roitfeld's CR Fashion Book. She was invited to attend the 2015 Golden Globe Awards in Los Angeles as part of the Austrian delegation supporting nominee Christoph Waltz.

On 7 May 2015, Wurst published her autobiography with John Blake Publishing. Wurst's debut album Conchita was released on 15 May 2015. It was preceded by her second single after winning the Eurovision Song Contest, "You Are Unstoppable", which was released on 5 March 2015. "Firestorm" and "Colours of Your Love", two tracks from the debut album, were released as a double A-side single on 7 August 2015.

Conchita was selected to represent Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, where her performance received the most points and resulted in her winning the contest. It brought her international attention and established her as a gay icon, resulting in invitations to perform at various pride parades, the European Parliament and the United Nations Office in Vienna.

At the second semi-final on 8 May, Neuwirth, as Wurst, qualified for the final on 10 May. At the finals held in Copenhagen on 10 May 2014, she won the competition with 290 points. This was Austria's first Eurovision win since Eurovision 1966.

Patriarch Irinej of Serbia asserted that the May 2014 flooding (mainly in Serbia and Bosnia-Herzegovina) was "divine punishment" from God for Wurst's victory. Metropolitan Amfilohije of Montenegro also blamed Wurst's victory for the floods. Irish television presenter for the BBC and former Eurovision BBC commentator Terry Wogan described that year's performance as a "freak show". Reacting to these critics, Wurst stated "It's so ridiculous! For me a perfect world would be when we don't have to talk about sexuality, where you're from, what you believe. Is this the worst thing in the mind of the politicians?" She stated her desire to perform in Russia for the country's LGBT community, "To tell them that they are not alone. The whole community around the world is standing behind them. They have to trust that if they open their mouth, then we can change something." To a reporter from The Observer, she commented: "It's funny that these people think I'm so powerful. I've figured out over the years, you can only hurt me if I love you; if I don't know you, I really don't care. There are people who want to kill me and I'm always like, 'Well, get in line, darling.'"

On 28 June 2014, Wurst performed onstage at Trafalgar Square in central London as the headline act during the city's annual LGBT Pride Parade. She was introduced onstage by actor and LGBT rights campaigner Ian McKellen, and performed to a crowd of over 300,000 alongside acts Samantha Fox and Sinitta.> She informed reporters from The Observer that "I don't want to say the other Prides are less good, but I fell in love with London immediately, so today is a very special day for me. All the drag queens looked stunning."

Wurst proceeded to begin work on an album influenced by "mature ladies" like Cher, Shirley Bassey, and Tina Turner. Her first post-Eurovision single, "Heroes", was released on 8 November 2014. Wurst performed the song for the first time on Wetten, dass..?.

On 19 December 2014, it was revealed that Wurst would host the green room at the Eurovision Song Contest 2015 in Vienna.

On 10 September 2013, Austrian national broadcaster ORF announced that it had selected Wurst to represent Austria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, to be held in Copenhagen, Denmark, in May 2014. In March 2014, Wurst's song was revealed as "Rise Like a Phoenix", with bookmakers placing her entry as one of the ten favourites to win. Despite Eurovision's reputation for campness, Wurst's performance was designed to be serious and in good taste, and she was one of just a few performers to appear onstage alone. Although individuals who identified as LGBT had appeared on Eurovision before – most notably Israel's Dana International, who won in 1998 – Wurst's appearance was described by the New Statesman as the "most genderqueer yet".

Upon being awarded the trophy, Wurst held it aloft and proclaimed "We are unity and we are unstoppable". She later confirmed to reporters that this was a message meant for politicians who opposed LGBT rights, including President of Russia Vladimir Putin, whose administration had implemented a law restricting LGBT rights in June 2013.

Wurst's first appearance was on ORF's show Die große Chance in 2011, where she achieved 6th place. In 2012, she competed in the Austrian National Final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012 and came second. Wurst then appeared in the ORF show The Hardest Jobs of Austria, working in a fish processing plant, and in Wild Girls, in which a group of candidates had to survive in the deserts of Namibia together with native tribes.

Born in Gmunden, Austria, Neuwirth moved to Graz to do his matura exam with a focus on fashion, before embarking on a singing career through the 2007 casting show Starmania. He subsequently became a founding member of the short-lived boy band Jetzt Anders!. In 2011, Neuwirth began appearing as Conchita – a female character noted for her beard – and came second in the Austrian pre-selection for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.

In 2006, Neuwirth took part in the third edition of the Austrian TV show Starmania, finishing in second place (Nadine Beiler placed first). One year later, Neuwirth founded the boyband Jetzt Anders!, but the group disbanded during the same year.

On 8 October, Wurst performed to a crowd of 2000 delegates and their staff at an anti-discrimination event held at the European Parliament in Brussels; her speech emphasised the values of tolerance, stating that "As I always say, you don't have to love me, but you have to respect that I'm here." Her appearance had been organised by the Austrian Member of the European Parliament (MEP) Ulrike Lunacek, a member of the Green Party, and while it had the backing of most of the European Parliament groups, it was not supported by the right-wing Europe of Freedom and Direct Democracy and European Conservatives and Reformists groups.

Thomas Neuwirth (born 6 November 1988) is an Austrian singer, recording artist, and drag queen who is known for his stage persona Conchita Wurst (also known mononymously as Conchita). Conchita came to international attention after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 as Austria's entrant with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix". Neuwirth uses masculine pronouns when referring to himself but feminine pronouns to describe Conchita.

Tom Neuwirth was born on 6 November 1988 in Gmunden, Austria, but raised in the small town of Bad Mitterndorf, in the Styrian countryside in Austria. He has stated that the mountainous area was a wonderful place to grow up, but that he faced prejudice for being homosexual: "Being a teenager, a gay teenager, in such a small village is not that much fun. I am part of the gay community and most gays have a similar story to mine."

Neuwirth asserted that the inclusion of the beard as part of the Wurst character was "a statement to say that you can achieve anything, no matter who you are or how you look." The inclusion of a beard as part of the drag look was not unique, having been pioneered in the 1970s by The Cockettes in San Francisco and the Bloolips in London.

In Russia, "Rise Like a Phoenix" topped the internet download chart two days after the competition. Fans of Wurst and LGBT rights activists applied to hold a Conchita Wurst March of Bearded Women and Men through Moscow, Russia, on 27 May, a date commemorating the 21st anniversary since the legalisation of same-sex sexual activity in the country. Officials from the city's security department rejected the request, citing a wish to "respect morality in the education of the younger generation" and to prevent violent clashes between marchers and anti-gay demonstrators. Russian singer Filipp Kirkorov, who helped write the Eurovision song "Shine," called on Russians to respect Wurst's victory, saying: "it was the song that won, and in my opinion it was a beautiful song."