Conchita Wurst rose to fame five years ago when he won The 2014 Eurovision Song Contest for his home country of Austria (“Rise Like A Phoenix”).
He’s been an unstoppable force since then by releasing hit album after hit album and becoming an international sensation in the process.
Now the 30-year-old has much more in stores for his fans that includes a massive performance taking place during WorldPride, which officially kicks off today, June 26.
Conchita chatted with me about his excitement over WorldPride, why he’s so happy to be in New York City, his new album and what he remembers most from his memorable Eurovision win.
How does it feel to be attending WorldPride in my hometown of NYC?
I am very excited to be part of World Pride this year! I was at WorldPride in Madrid in 2017, and it was one of the most impressive events that I have been to, so I am very excited and happy to be back and see so many people from different places come together and stand up for equality and taking it to the streets in a colorful and loud way!
Is this your first time here? If not, what’s your favorite part of the city?
It’s the first time I am coming to NYC and of course I’ve heard so much about this city – I cannot wait to see and feel the vibes myself and to experience the city that never sleeps, and where so many fantastic artists live and work. I hope I can pick up some of the endless energy that people describe when they visit The Big Apple.
Will you be singing and promoting your new album while here?
I will be singing at the Tea Dance at Pier 17 (Saturday, June 29), which seems to be a stunning location and a massive event. They invited me to sing two songs from my upcoming electro-pop album Truth Over Magnitude, which runs under the project title WURST and features electronic music instead of the glam-pop that sometimes people still associate me with after winning the Eurovision Song contest.
Your first two efforts hit number one in your home country of Austria. Think it will happen again?
Self-evidently it would be fantastic to rank high in the album sales charts, and I would love see my third album climb to the top of the charts, of course! But at the same time I also know that it is of higher importance that I myself am happy with my music, regardless of chart rankings. And with the songs of this third album, I could not be happier because they tell my very own and personal stories, and they sound just like the music that I would normally listen to nowadays.
Take us back to when you won the Eurovision contest. Can you believe it’s been five years? What do you remember most from that night?
Everything I remember comes from the videos and TV images I have seen of that night. I don’t have my own memories through my eyes, I think that was a protection reflex of my body because otherwise I would have passed out. And oh, gosh, it’s been more than 5 years already! I am so thankful that, since winning the Eurovision, I am still allowed to do what I love and that I get to travel and participate in interesting projects. I totally know that this is not a given, and I am very aware that a career in the music industry can be over in the blink of an eye.
What are you looking forward to the most for WorldPride?
The colors, the diversity, the party, the beauty that lies in everyone, the happy faces, and the strong signal that World Pride gives to the city and country where it’s taking place. Above all, I hope that it especially gives hope to members of the LGBTIQ community in those countries, where their rights aren’t developed yet, so they can see a better future is possible.
Learn more about Conchita’s new effort here.