Conchita Wurst Gives Fabulous Interview at Eurovision Song Contest: 60th Anniversary Conference (Video)

conchita at esc conference

Conchita Wurst was interviewed at the Eurovision Song Contest: 60th Anniversary Conference in London yesterday and, as usual, she was delightful. This time, however, she was even more relaxed than normal, even funnier (if that’s possible) and gave more of a glimpse into what her real personality is probably like (far goofier than you might think) than the more controlled Conchita normally does.

Her introduction began with Austrian commenter Andi Knoll up on stage presenting Conchita with a Romy Award 2015 for TV Moment of the Year for her win at Eurovision 2014, as when the ceremony occurs today (Saturday) in Vienna, Conchita will still be in London, so unable to attend.

conchita wurst at esc conference

The ESC conference interview itself was carried out by BBC presenter Paddy O’Connell, someone I’ve always liked but who, here, was even lovelier and funnier than normal. (And I think that’s something to do with Conchita, as I’ve noticed before interviewers — male and female — tend to go all giggly and fangirly when she’s around, as she’s so adorable they can’t help themselves).

O’Connell’s first question was if Conchita had any sense she might win Eurovision before the event itself. She replied she had no sense but, “After the semi-final, people wouldn’t stop saying “You’re gonna win. You’re gonna win”, and I was like please don’t say that.”

She then goes on to say, even after she was announced as the winner at Eurovision, it wasn’t until the glitter started to fall she realized she’d won.

To the question if she felt like she’d changed perceptions of Austria for many people, Conchita gave her usual reply that she wouldn’t “dare to say that I changed anything……I got so many messages from people out there saying they got inspired by what I did and said, and it’s hard for me to believe, because it’s just me. Just me saying what I think is right, that’s not the ultimative (ultimate) truth.”

And we all know how celebrities have an ‘image’ they want to portray. An image of, say, someone who is humble and shocked at the attention they get, when in reality they’re far more arrogant than that.

With Conchita Wurst, however, I’ve always felt she genuinely is shocked people say she’s changed their lives and, even a year after Eurovision, she still finds it difficult to believe. (And let me just say, Conchita, when you eventually meet me, you’ll realize I’m not the kind of person that moves half way around the globe because I like some celebrity. But I am moving to Austria because of you. And if you can impact my life so much, me the one with the strongest personality and who always knows what I want, then I can only imagine the impact you’ve had on other people’s lives).

conchita flirting with paddy o'connell
Conchita flirting with Paddy O’Connell – I think he even blushed

In a funny segment where she was asked about her idol Celine Dion, and O’Connell said about Celine, “She’s a bit of a diva”, Conchita with a snarl on her face jumped to her defense and said, “No she’s not!”, immediately followed by “Do you think she’s a diva?” And I laughed, because her defense of Celine reminded me of my defense of Conchita. I can criticize her, but if anyone else tries to, watch out. (And sorry, honey, Celine is a diva).

O’Connell eventually asked her permission to ask questions about Tom, and one answer here struck me as interesting. The question was “Has the rise of Conchita put Tom down? Is Tom smaller because Conchita is bigger?”

And she said, “No. Definitely not. With being Conchita, and Tom in my private life, everything is so well balanced that I can really live a hundred percent in every way of my life.”

And I’ve always had a sense that, before Conchita came into being, Tom, even though he is happy to be a gay man, still had a very difficult time as he obviously has two clearly defined people within the one body. Two people with similar personalities but different ways of expressing them, and one person who wanted to be able to wear the glamorous clothes, the heels and the make-up that society, being so judgmental, would frown upon.

So it makes me so incredibly happy for him he has managed to find a path for himself that has allowed one of those people to get everything she wants, while the other has the privacy he needs.

Watch the entire Conchita Wurst interview with Paddy O’Connell at the Eurovision Song Contest: 60th Anniversary Conference in the video below. Don’t miss her gigantic flirt with O’Connell along with that fabulous one raised eyebrow, it’s funnyand then notice how happy she seems.

And doesn’t that make you incredibly happy for her? It does me.
 

About Michelle Topham

I'm a Brit-American journalist, former radio DJ at 97X WOXY, and Founder/CEO of Leo Sigh. I'm also obsessed with music, anime, manga, and K-dramas. Help!