I love watching behind the scenes footage of an artist I like. You get to see all kinds of sweet, funny and interesting things you don’t always get when they’re up on stage, all professional and as perfect as they can possibly be. In many cases, it humanizes them and makes them even more appealing. At least to me.
So two new videos of a behind the scenes look at Conchita Wurst’s duet with Shirley Bassey on ORF’s ‘Great Moments‘ on Friday night made my evening nicer tonight. Well, videos of an ‘in front of the scenes behind the scenes look’ to be more precise (you’ll understand what I mean when you watch them).
And these two videos are lovely as one was filmed during a soundcheck, and one during the actual TV performance itself. Yet both give a completely different look at what Conchita Wurst pulled off in her spectacular Bassey virtual duet, and serve to remind just how incredible she is.
In the soundcheck video (you can watch it on iTunes), you get to see Conchita’s walk from when the panels open right up to the front of the stage, which you can’t see in the actual TV footage of the performance. And just watch how smoothly and sexily she walks. Swinging hips, perfect posture, and just…..glides across that stage. Regal. Elegant.
Pretty lovely in that long of a dress, and with the highest of high heels that she always wears.
Then there’s the video taken from behind the cameramen on the floor of the show during the performance itself. That video went up on Conchita’s YouTube channel tonight. And it’s a beautiful little video, for a couple of nice reasons.
Again, it’s more personal than the TV footage of her duet, obviously, as you see a little bit of what happens after she walks off the stage.
But one thing always strikes me when I see these things, and especially now I’ve seen her sing in person. Because she is a teeny tiny person (well, once you discount those massive heels). Incredibly slender, with a petite frame and only around 5ft 7 1/2 in height (172 centimeters).
Yet, if you hear her sing live, the strength of her voice is quite astounding. And on a video like this, taken close enough to her to see the performance, but far enough away to feel how far that voice travels, it’s noticeable. Microphone or not.
Also watch the little bit at the end, after her performance has finished and she walks off the stage and sits down, (and also the bit at the end of the soundcheck video where she does her little bob).
Because if you ever see any footage of Conchita where she may not know she’s being filmed, you always get the same feeling.
That it doesn’t really matter if there’s a camera on her or not. As she’s a genuinely kind, friendly and polite person, who loves to laugh and is just lovely to be around, and with an aura that just floods you with warmth and makes you feel happy. Nice that.
So my vote is for more of these kinds of backstage/frontstage videos. They’re lovely. Thank you.
And for more on Conchita, don’t miss her appearance in a MOMA exhibit that seems to be taking New York City by storm.