Conchita Wurst has unveiled her Eurovision 2014 song “Rise Like a Phoenix”. The power ballad oozes Old World class–think Adele’s “Skyfall” or any other James Bond anthem–but there is a lot more to this song than movie soundtrack magic. On one level it’s about how a broken romance makes you stronger. At the same time, it’s a self-affirming rebuke to all those people at home and abroad who have looked down on Miss Wurst for being different.

In recent months Conchita has had to stare hate in the eye. Following her internal selection by ORF, detractors launched an anti-Wurst campaign on Facebook. Petitions emerged in Eastern Europe that called for Belarus and Russia to delete her performance from their broadcast. But Conchita has pressed on, stating that she won’t be dragged into any mud-slinging. “My stance is that I fight for something positive rather than against something negative,” she told Radio Free Europe. “I would like youngsters and children to grow up knowing that the way you are is fine.”

Rise Like a Phoenix lyrics

Waking in the rubble
Walking over glass
Neighbors say we’re trouble
Well that time has passed

Peering from the mirror
No, that isn’t me
Stranger getting nearer
Who can this person be

You wouldn’t know me at all today
From the fading light I fly

Rise like a phoenix
Out of the ashes
Seeking rather than vengeance
Retribution
You were warned
Once I’m transformed
Once I’m reborn
You know I will rise like a phoenix
But you’re my flame

Go about your business
Act as if you’re free
No one could have witnessed
What you did to me

Cause you wouldn’t know me today
And you have got to see
To believe
From the fading light I fly

Rise like a phoenix
Out of the ashes
Seeking rather than vengeance
Retribution
You were warned
Once I’m transformed
Once I’m reborn

I rise up to the sky
You threw me down but
I’m gonna fly

And rise like a phoenix
Out of the ashes
Seeking rather than vengeance
Retribution
You were warned
Once I’m transformed
Once I’m reborn
You know I will rise like a phoenix
But you’re my flame

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Photo: Thomas Ramstorfer (ORF)

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atena
atena
9 years ago

Simply beautiful, very deep and meaningful. His beautiful voice and sound also increases the beauty of this song.
How strong such people are. The ones who break the imposed standards and normalities defined by today’s cruel and biased world. The ones who remove all the hurdles on their way and appear in public the way THEY want and don’t give a shit to what the world thinks of their actions and how they are judged.
I simply respect such people.

honey
honey
9 years ago

As I first saw Conchita it was a shock, and I think of myself as an open-minded person. But as I saw her/his performance, so bold and graceful at the same time, it seemed so otherworldly, downright godlike. If nothing else, you have to admit, this woman has balls :). I’m your fan Conchita, just go on doing what you do!

fekkoff
fekkoff
9 years ago

poorly constructed, poor use of grammar, poor use of the metaphor and just awful generic singing, yep sympathyvotes go a long way, but luckily this attentionwhore is just a one day fly

JESUS
JESUS
9 years ago

I LOVE YOU CONCHITA WURST!!!! COME TO CROATIAAAA!!!! WE LOVE YOU!!!

ISIS RA EL
ISIS RA EL
9 years ago

Satan! SATAN!!
SATAN!!!!!!!

Snake
Snake
9 years ago

Good song – Beautifull lyrics !

Anna
Anna
9 years ago

fantastic song!awesome lyricks!!! but the best of all is it’s music!

Arianna
Arianna
9 years ago

A powerful song. I felt this song was about combatting prejudice rising up against oppression. However vengeance and retribution have very similar meanings to me so I don’t understand that part of the lyrics.

agnes andersen
agnes andersen
9 years ago

J’ai trouvé cette chanson magnifique, bien chantée, bien orchestrée. J’ai adoré la mise en scène : pluie d’or, ailes de phoenix, cet oiseau de feu miraculeux, symbole de la renaissance et de la purification (dans le sens d’être soi-même, authentique). Emouvant ! Conchita m’a parue en totale harmonie avec son texte. Et son histoire. Donc, pour moi, c’est une réussite et une victoire bien méritée pour une personne qui a le courage de s’affirmer avec autant d’amour, de sincérité et de talent ! Bravo Conchita. De tout coeur avec toi et la cause que tu défends.

ANNA
ANNA
9 years ago

Hello I’m Anna and I live in Rhodes, Greece. The first time I heard Conchita Shockingly, I did not know what to believe. When I heard her voice, singing, stage presence told myself . I liked just so much!! I read everything written about her life, about marriage, about puberty and realized how much he wanted to change what was. A man in the wrong body maybe …. Good for you! We in Greece to support and show it!
Anna-Rhodes

Erlantz
Erlantz
9 years ago

Great and powerful song perfectly performed. It’ll become a classic… Congratulations Conchita and all your team! Besos from Bilbao. Peace and freedom for everybody!

Ginger
Ginger
9 years ago

I love this song. To me, it speaks about, and to anyone who has been bullied, looked down upon, or cornered for being considered different (aka “bad”). So… many congratulations to Conchita and here’s to the rumored duet with Ruth Lorenzo! (You two would make such a powerful diva team!)

Panostr
Panostr
9 years ago

Hello guys, When i firts listen this song and i looked Conchita’s face, i said “what the fuck is this?”, but i think.. everyone is free to choice free for himself and whatever he/she want! Now i think the God, the Creator of us, has not a sex! Like our souls when we are dying, our soul is going up, and rise up like a phoenix next to our creator! So, maybe is impossible to change the rules of the life, but we dont know if this is good for our future… this is the key for what we doing..

Carlos
Carlos
9 years ago

Hi. Here from Sydney Australia. I just wanted to say that I’m so obsessed with this song. Is my life written and sang by a beautiful person. All the best Conchita and please advise when your are going to delight us with your record. I really need more of you! Hugs from Sydney

Nicky uk
Nicky uk
9 years ago

Absolutely fantastic song, with a fantastic meaning, and wow what a wonderful voice. BRILLIANT XX

engel
engel
9 years ago

conchita you are the greatest of them all, whatever people say,,,,,,,, YOU have the best song ever!!!! from the moment I first heard this song I knew this is the best song ever!!
keep up the good work “girl”!!!!

xx from the Netherlands

Anita
Anita
9 years ago

Rise like a phoenix
Out of the ashes
Seeking rather than vengeance
Retribution
You were warned
Once I’m transformed
Once I’m reborn

I rise up to the sky
You threw me down but
I’m gonna fly

Who is here to speak ?

Manu
Manu
9 years ago

I liked Belgium’s entry, but conchita is ok

Karel
Karel
9 years ago

What people might say, my PERSONAL opninion is that Gods YHWH Word has the highest authority in heaven and earth. God has ceated us, people, as His image and likeness and we cannot change our sex according to our will, but let HIS will be done!

Max
Max
9 years ago

Thank you sooooo much Conchita
The best ever music and voice that I had ever listened in my life. Up to know listened to it more than 100 times and all the time crying and best into tears. Full of meanings and imaginations.
I slept with it and ready to listen many times more. Never tired of that and will never get tired. Music, song, singer, decoration, make up, dressing all were great…
Thank you so much. Changed me so much from yesterday.

Rosi
Rosi
9 years ago

Conchita:
YA ESTÁS VOLANDO COMO EL AVE FENIX…..ENHORABUENA!
Desde que te vi cantar creí que ibas a ganar y GANASTE!!!. Tu voz es extraordinaria y el texto de tu canción nos llega a todos los seres de la tierra para terminar con la discrimanción de sexos, el racismo y la xenofobia. Al escucharlo no pude detener las lágrminas. Suerte futura!.
GRACIAS POR TU CANCIÓN.

Mehdi Ghasemi
9 years ago

I think the song depicts the life and oppression of freaks who were on shows in Europe, the ones who during the age of “Scientific Racism” due to their physical oddities were placed on the bottom ladders of the Great Chain of Beings! And one group of them were “the Bearded Gals.” That age and its roots are not dead yet. Racism, classism, nationalism and sexism have just changed its forms but the contents are the same!

Rise_like_a_phoenix
Rise_like_a_phoenix
9 years ago

I can imagine the song in 2 different meanings: 1.The more you fight me, the stronger you make me (can be applied to all lgbt community) 2.I am poisoned by prejudice/fascism/racism and suddenly I become a different person. The 2nd version is more intriguing and I like it more, because I can connect it with images. It’s the growing ethnicism that takes place all around us, while we are busy living our lives and ignoring this threat. Rise like a phoenix can easily be translated as a common message of ethnicists, when they are stuck to the past, dreaming the… Read more »

Rise_like_a_phoenix
Rise_like_a_phoenix
9 years ago

Congratulations Austria! You got 12 points from Greece. I agree with your versions of the song, I think it can also be translated as a protest against racism and fascism that is growing over Europe. So, the guy appearing in the mirror, the ghost from the past can be fascism. What do you think about it? Also it says ”Neighbors say we’re trouble, well that time has passed” maybe talking about old hatred between nations that comes up to the surface.

Shaun
Shaun
9 years ago

I am absolutely overjoyed! Thankyou Conchita for a beautiful song and congratulations on winning the Eurovision! You are a star and if you come to Belfast I will have have all my friends support you. You are fabulous !!!!

Thomas
Thomas
9 years ago

Im I the only who have considered the following?
1. The lyrics theme may be inspired by Gloria Gaynor’s I will survive.
2. The picture is taken from American Beauty.
3. The makeup artists have made such a great job that Conchita Wurst maintains the illusion of being a beautiful woman much better than TV hostess Lise Roenne does.
4. Conchita Wurst in spanish and german translates as cunt sausage.
5. Thinking of non-communists as homofobic, sexist, male chauvinist, racist, anti-semitist, islamofobic, facist etc. is NOT tolerance.

Mario Stanyer
Mario Stanyer
9 years ago

The best , what an amazing voice Nr 1 Rise Like A Phoenix.. Well done Conchita

U go gurl ...
U go gurl ...
9 years ago

Without a doubt one of the better entries this year. (I always like me some 007 ‘Bassey/Barry’ flavour, so … .) – Well done Conchy, u gorgeous gurl, really hope you make the WIN !! … (+ congrats Austria too for the excellent pick !!)

FinnGal
FinnGal
9 years ago

OMG I love this artist – the Finnish ESC boyband is cute allright but it is Conchita who gives me the chills, lovelovelove this song!!! You were awesome in yesterda’s semi, can’t wait till tomorow’s finals! <3

Chris
Chris
9 years ago

FANTASTIC! Keep up the good work. I just love it… Good luck from The Netherlands. x

Nicole
Nicole
9 years ago

I just love it.. Everything about it.. Go Conchita!! Is the best song of the whole contest .. And I think is going to win… And I will be double happy.. One , because it deserves to win and second to give it on the face to all those countries like Russia and Belarus .. Really.. In which era do they live? Are they still Australopithecus or what?.. Go CONCHITA you gonna win.. Show it to them.

Branco
9 years ago

I hate such acts in ESC! I respect her style, BUT it just underlines the silly stereotypes of ESC…ESC is a “gay thing” etc. Of course it’s not! This is just a freakshow….

If only the song was good. It is NOT. Dull, OTT ballad…dated and cliched.

And the lyrics…awful…REALLY!

One of the most embarassing 3 minutes in ESC ever…!

It worries me to see how many people who actually LIKE this crap!

Saqo
Saqo
9 years ago

GO KONCHITA VURST FROM ALL GAYS ARMENIA !!!

Mickey
Mickey
10 years ago

the dude sings ok…the song is dead on James bond’s theme songs.
hardly any winning number for an ESC

Ryan
Ryan
10 years ago

Guys, c’mon I am from Belarus, but i love the video and the song.. the allegory with the rubles is hilarious.. And PLEASE don’t think that one idiot who is speaking out on behalf of the whole country reflects the real public opinion…

Alex Rednig
Alex Rednig
10 years ago

“Waking in the rubble
Walking over glass
Neighbours say we’re trouble
Well their time has passed”

Phonetically, with a bit of fantasy, it could also be taken as “waking in the rouble” – I see a message there for you, Russia 😉

Well done, Conchita!

Panos
Panos
10 years ago

I like it… 8/10
Nice song, nice voice, nice lyrics (y)
Greek mythology… 😉 Phoenix out of the ashes..!!! I like it!!
It’s in my top 10 (7-10) 😀

Adam
Adam
10 years ago

I really enjoy this song. It’s in my top 5 definitely. I hope the prejudices (especially from the Eastern countries) will not prevent it doing well in the voting.

sopon
sopon
10 years ago

@Charles

Only two times has a drag queen or transgender person really done well at Eurovision: Dana and Verka. But Dana can blend in as a girl completely, from voice to look. And Verka is a character played by a straight comedian.

This is the real deal. I don’t know how Europe will react, but the song is great in itself.

Erin
Erin
10 years ago

The lyrics of this song are outstanding and so is the ‘channeling’ of Shirley Bassey which is a conscious one in my opinion. I would really like Conchita to win despite not getting any votes from some countries because this is the ultimate ace in this year’s deck of songs. CONCHITA is an alter-ego bigger than life itself thanks to a very sophisticated and commercially brilliant move by a male singer who reinvented himself when he realized he couldn’t be taken notice of as an effeminate man…and to be able to make the ultimate transformation with 100% commitment is a… Read more »

Charles
Charles
10 years ago

I heard it … I understood the comparisons with all the James Bond music themes specially Skyfall … but … even if the song tries to have impact in my ears … I’m sorry … I have way more fun watching a true drag queen show where it shines the best … in Eurovision you cannot convince anyone that you are guy using a beard and dressing as a girl (even talentless Dana International was more convincing in that) … there is no authenticity in the performer and from a vocal point of view Conchita is not remarkable. I seriously… Read more »

Nargiz
Nargiz
10 years ago

I like it! This is really beautiful ballad, but I am sure that prejudices won’t let this entry to be in the final. 🙁

sopon
sopon
10 years ago

@Rashad

Very true. The song itself is top 10 material, but her/his image brings it all down.

Rashad
Rashad
10 years ago

I like it, it’s inspirational. I don’t really think she will be in top 10 though. Homosexuality and the way that she looks are still big taboos in the Eastern European countries. I wish her good luck anyway.

sopon
sopon
10 years ago

I listened to the song without watching the video, as I don’t want to have any bias (positive or negative) against Wurst. The song itself is great and I hope it gets top 10 for song quality alone.

R
R
10 years ago

A+ Austria! It’s about time we see you in the final!

Dene
Dene
10 years ago

Go girl! If she sings like that on the night, she deserves to be up there in amongst the winners.

Pastora Soler haha
Pastora Soler haha
10 years ago

I don’t like her song, is very “old diva”. Maybe later I’ll like more…

But she is in the 2dn final, with 6-7 bad songs, so I’m sure and hope that she’ll qualify. It’s fun for countries like Russia, etc haha!

The best that can happen to you in Eurovision… people speaking about your performance months… well or bad. You have haters but also lovers who will vote for you.

D
D
10 years ago

It’s pretty good, definitely sounds like a Bond theme. But this isn’t a winner and (if it qualifies) I’m not sure if it’d place in the top ten or not.

Alex
Alex
10 years ago

Well, I didn’t expect this. Go figure that the person with the best ballad this year would be… Conchita. (Well, it’s either her or Sergej from Montenegro – can’t really decide.) Hope she sings it well live! In the meantime, it’s in my top 10.