Today is a special day for both Austria and Conchita Wurst as June 10th marks the one month anniversary since the Austrian victory at the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest. To mark this occasion esctoday.com is bringing you a special article looking at the success, the impact and the rise of the world’s most famous bearded lady who has with out a doubt touch the hearts of millions of people.

Early beginnings – Life as Tom

Conchita Wurst is the invention of Thomas ‘Tom’ Neuwirth who was born in Austria on November 6th 1988. Tom was raised in Bad Mitterndorf, a beautiful mountainous town in central Austria. He adored the nature around him and has always felt it was a great place to grow up as a young boy. However as the young Austrian progressed into teenage life problems for Tom were unfortunately becoming frequent.

“Being a teenager, a gay teenager, in such a small village is not that much fun. I am part of the gay community and most gays have a similar story to mine,” – Conchita Wurst speaking to Reuters in April 2014.

Tom felt that the only place where he felt safe to be himself was in the privacy of the attic in his childhood home.
Aware of people’s views about his sexuality, Tom during his teenage years decided to move to Graz (Austria second largest city) to study a topic that is close to both his and Conchita’s heart…fashion. This topic plays a key role in the character of Conchita and below are a few of her dresses that she has worn.

Fashion was also behind the inspiration for Conchita’s postcard for Eurovision 2014.

In 2006, after a few years of studying in Graz, the then 18 year old Tom took part in the 3rd season of the Austrian talent show Starmania losing the final to the 2011 Austrian Eurovision representative Nadine Beiler. The following year saw Tom create the boyband Jetzt Anders! but that was short lived.

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