I’ve spent a huge portion of the last 10 months studying Eurovision Song Contest winner Conchita Wurst. Watching her performances over and over again, viewing and reviewing her interviews, and reading everything I can lay my hands on about her. In some respects I know her so well, she’s now easy for me to read. In other respects, I’ve barely touched the surface.
One thing I do know I’m pretty good at by now, though, is assessing how well she interacts with people. So well, in fact, I’d say she’s one of the best I’ve seen.
That truth was proven even more for me last weekend when the Austrian broadcaster Hitradio Ö3 uploaded a short video of Conchita Wurst at a reading for her new book, “Ich, Conchita“.
‘Reading’ being the operative word here, as it seemed to consist of about three minutes of Conchita actually reading from her book, and the rest of the time chatting with fans. (Because, God, I thought I talked a lot, but that girl can’t even stop talking for the time it takes to read a few pages of a book!) Not that fans were complaining, I’m sure, as she was absolutely delightful.
But what’s fascinating about the video even more than the fact Conchita Wurst has the gift of the gab (which we all knew already, anyway), is how well it shows just how wonderful she is with her fans. And not in a ‘well-I’ll-fake-being-lovely-and-then-they’ll-like-me’ way, but in a genuinely nice, kind, warm and God, doesn’t she connect with people well way.
Just watch her from the minute she walks in and casually plonks her butt down in the chair, she’s genuine. She’s happy, she’s smiley, she’s relaxed. She’s amazingly warm, exudes this incredible air of just loving life and of being happy to be there, and has connected with everyone in that room about 10 seconds after showing up.
What’s even sweeter is, when she notices a girl in the audience is so obviously overwhelmed at being in the presence of Conchita, she immediately stops what she was saying, asks the girl why she’s crying and then leaps up to hug her. She then finishes off this lovely moment with her usual, “Everything is good. I’m not Madonna” comment to the girl, and then trots back to her chair.
Now, I’m the person who can spot a fake a mile off. The one who can tell when someone isn’t being genuine with their feelings, or in the way they behave. And I will guarantee you after watching that video, with Conchita Wurst, she’s just about as genuine a person as you’re going to get. Astoundingly so when you consider how famous she now is, and how watched she always is.
Interestingly too, however, there is also a moment here where she actually seems quite shy. And that’s right at the end where she’s sitting with her fans while they all have their photographs taken.
And if my powers of observation are as good as I think they are, I’d say some of that looking self confident and smiling widely right at that instant was actually a bit of an act, and it wasn’t quite how she was feeling inside. Which makes how beautifully she interacts with her fans just that much sweeter to see.
It really is no wonder they love her.