Eurovision sensation ready to give voice to his inner diva Life no drag for Conchita
CONCHITA Wurst may be the most recognisable Eurovision Song Contest winner since ABBA.
The bearded Austrian drag artist who won the 2014 competition with Rise Like A Phoenix – likened to a classic Bond theme – has become a regular and popular visitor to Australia since the historic Eurovision win.
“So many people from Australia are massive Eurovision fans, I feel like Beyonce here,” Wurst joked.
Ahead of the Mardi Gras celebrations in Sydney this weekend, Wurst has teamed with acclaimed musical theatre and drag star Trevor Ashley and Eurovision goddess Kate Miller-heidke for three unique concerts this week.
The Austrian and the Australian drag artists met in Vienna about seven years ago when Ashley was touring his LIZA show in Europe.
“When I won (Eurovision) and I got the opportunity to play the Sydney Opera House, I immediately thought of Trevor and Courtney Act and asked them to perform with me,” Wurst said.
“That is when this friendship became deeper and now Trevor has asked me to do it again.”
Wurst didn’t manage to cross paths with Miller-heidke during her Eurovision campaign in Tel Aviv last year but said he had been “blown away” by the quality of her singing and performance and was keen to collaborate with her.
“I constantly heard how everyone was blown away by the quality of Kate’s singing; I have such huge respect for classically trained singers, what they can do without a microphone, night after night,” Wurst said.
The trio will perform with a symphony orchestra, reprising covers of their favourite divas and a batch of Bond themes.