Conchita WURST’s ‘Forward‘ has just hit YouTube. The fifth song from his upcoming album Truth Over Magnitude. The fifth song he has released in the last couple of months that is a massive ear worm.
I mean, come on, electro pop is one of the last genres of music I would choose to listen to (I’ll dance to it, but listen to it? Nope). It’s just not to my taste.
But Conchita WURST, with his addictive beats, catchy melodies and meaningful lyrics has grabbed my attention with every new song release in the last couple of months.
So much so, I have had every new single he has released on repeat for days afterwards.
So what is so special about WURST’s ‘Forward’? And the other tracks this talented Austrian singer songwriter is currently releasing?
Conchita WURST is pushing a message we all need to hear
While the songs themselves are so ridiculously addictive, you can’t help but dance around your kitchen the minute you hear a new one, it is not just the addictive beat and catchy melody that are so good.
It is also the lyrics of every track, and the important message Conchita WURST is pushing with each of them.
A message of love yourself, do what makes you happy, ignore your detractors and screw everyone that stands in your way. In a good way.
A message that, no matter how much bigotry and homophobia this Austrian artist has had to put up with in his 30 years on the planet, he’s not letting a single one of you mofos bring him down.
Or prevent him from getting where he wants to go.
Take Conchita WURST’s ‘Forward’.
With lyrics like:
“you’re not the first who’s trying to break meÂ
i’ve got tales that can’t be told
hear me now when i say it loud and
clear i vow to fight
cause all of me determined to believe
i came to be the one that breaks regime”Â
WURST, aka Tom Neuwirth, is making it patently clear he’s done with the putdowns, the abuse, the homophobia, the users.
The boyfriend who attempted to out his HIV status.
The ‘friends’ that used him to get attention for themselves. Those who tried to be friends for no other reason than to make themselves seem cool.
Done with every person that has done him wrong.
And a decision you can do nothing about, as he will fight you every step of the way.
Conchita versus WURST
Now, I called bullshit on Conchita Wurst five years ago, when she started out her narrative with “you can’t hurt me if I don’t love you”, and then pretended the constant abuse she/he had received for decades from bigots and homophobes didn’t hurt.
Because, of course, it did.
In fact, I think it hurt like a motherfucker.
But, instead of admitting that in public, and drawing pity (because who the hell wants that emotion?) Conchita took the high road. She ignored her abusers, and got on with her life.
In my opinion, the right plan of attack at the time, as a huge percentage of them have since slunk back into the swamp they emerged from when they didn’t get the reaction they wanted from her.
In 2019 with WURST, however, Conchita — alright Tom Neuwirth — is done with that.
And I have to say, I absolutely love this new attitude. A lot!
An attitude of “I’ll do what I want to do, and you can’t stop me”.
An attitude of “You don’t like what I’m wearing? Cool. I’ll look even more like that the next time you see me”.
An attitude of “Fuck you and the horse you rode in on”.
An attitude that is coming out in WURST’s songs. And an attitude I think we can expect to see grow in power and in rage as the years go on.
Because this Austrian singer put up with vile amounts of shit for years, swallowed it down and just got on with it.
But, when you swallow that much bullshit and hate, at some point it will come back up. And when it does, let’s just say, it’s not usually pretty.
Tom Neuwirth’s message about himself and to you
In this case, though, what I utterly love about Tom Neuwirth (Conchita WURST) is, instead of turning that hate back onto the abusers themselves and, thus, becoming as bad as them, he is using it to power himself and his own career.
And to empower other people as well.
With the message that — it doesn’t really matter what people do to you or say about you, it’s how you respond to it that is important.
Tom Neuwirth himself has responded to it in the best way possible. He has used it for fuel to power his dreams.
And, with songs like Conchita WURST’s ‘Forward‘, he is now telling you — YOU should do the same.
Listen to Conchita WURST’s ‘Forward‘ in the video below, and, even though the sound is quite light-hearted, those powerful lyrics say something else.
And then, let’s all hope WURST will have another of his amazing new videos to illustrate this song soon. (And, of course, watch his last one ‘To The Beat‘ here — because it is brilliant and my favorite video of 2019 so far).
As for a performance of this new, very cool song, WURST will be debuting his first live performance of the track during the last ever Life Ball tomorrow night (June 8th, 2019). He will also perform ‘Hit Me‘.
In Austria, you can watch on ORF via live broadcast. If not, I’m sure it will pop up on YouTube soon after.
** Read the complete lyrics for Conchita WURST’s ‘Forward‘ on her/his website.