Background and career
Thomas Neuwirth (born 6 November 1988) is an Austrian singer, actor, media personality and drag queen who is known for his stage persona Conchita Wurst, nicknamed "the queen of Austria". He came to international attention after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 for Austria with the song "Rise Like a Phoenix".
Born in Gmunden, 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 Jetzt Anders!, a short-lived boy band. In 2011, Neuwirth began appearing as Conchita—a female character noted for her beard—and came second in the Austrian national final for the Eurovision Song Contest 2012.
At the Eurovision Song Contest 2014, Neuwirth represented Austria as Conchita. His win brought him international attention and established him as a gay icon, resulting in invitations to perform at pride parades, the European Parliament, and the United Nations Office in Vienna.
