(#24 ) — Conchita sings ‘Rise Like A Phoenix’ with DR Big Band
The next addition to my Conchita WURST’s Top 40 Best Live Performances list is one the Austrian singer gave in late 2014 in Copenhagen, Denmark.
A live performance of Conchita‘s winning Eurovision song ‘Rise Like a Phoenix‘ while accompanied by the Danish Radio Big Band (DR Big Band).
A performance I still think is the best one she has given of ‘Rise‘, either before or since — and yes, that includes her Eurovision version.
So many ‘Rises’
Now, to be honest, I can’t say I am much of a fan of ‘Rise Like a Phoenix‘ anymore.
Sure, it is a beautiful song. She won the world’s biggest singing competition with it and, without it, I wouldn’t even know she exists. But I have heard it so many times, I just feel a sigh coming on lately every time I hear the opening notes.
Especially because it’s the ‘expected song’ at every concert, and anything that is ‘expected’ just becomes uninteresting to me.
Then again, most artists get stuck having to perform that expected song over and over again for decades of their lives, and Conchita is probably no exception.
That being said, this version of ‘Rise Like a Phoenix‘ from her trip to Denmark is one I have loved since I first heard it and, almost five years on, I still feel exactly the same way.
Because it was right at the time where her voice had begun to mature enough that, instead of the ‘shouty’ version of the song she gave during her Eurovision performances, this one was richer, more elegant, and more than just a little bit sexy.
The band too added such a gorgeous maturity to the emotion of the song. And, of course, she was at her most beautiful back then.
So yes, Conchita’s ‘Rise Like a Phoenix‘ with DR Big Band will always be on any Conchita WURST’s Top 40 Best Live Performances list I make. Watch it below.
But why German?
And just as an addition, I would love it if anyone could explain to me why the short interview at the end of her performance was in German?
Because it was at that time where I was desperate to hear what she had to say about anything, so every time a German interview popped up, it was incredibly disappointing to not be able to understand her.
So…as she was in Denmark and not a native Danish speaker, you’d expect English, right?
Especially as, while 86% of Denmark speaks English, less than half (47%) speak German.
That’s why…color me still bemused four years later. Anyone? Anyone?
Note: You will find #40 to #25 on my Conchita WURST’s Top 40 Best Live Performances list here