She’s the bearded lady whose days are numbered — at least according to her alter ego Tom Neuwirth.
But aside from talking up her imminent demise, Conchita Wurst has also recently developed an affinity for releasing covers of well known tracks.
Which is why it wasn’t much of a surprise for anyone last week, when she dropped a cover of Rag’n’Bone Man’s hit “Human”.
Scroll down for video.
In collaboration with Vienna-based producer edo, “Human” follows a similar template to her other recent covers.
The music video features acoustic instruments and many close ups of the queen herself.
She gazes directly at the camera as she sings that she is “only human, after all” — all while bathed in monochromatic shades of black and white.
Conchita wears a sheer, black tee-shirt highlighting the muscle definition in her toned arms. When she sings the lyrics “I’m just a man, I do what I can,” it feels like she is putting the andro back in androgyny and we are loving it.
However, what truly sets apart Conchita’s version of “Human” are her bold vocals. This is a deeper tone of voice we’re not yet used to from the queen, it’s almost reminiscent-of-Cher low.
Clearly, Conchita knows how to use it to deliver raw emotions and to add weight to the lyrics.
This is not the Eurovision 2014 winner’s first project with edo, who also appears in the music video. The Austrian singer and producer released a soul-stirring cover of Jessie Ware’s “Champagne Kisses” only a few months ago.
Conchita Wurst Human Rag’n’Bone Man cover feat. edo
Rag’n’Bone Man Human (Original)
Conchy has certainly been keeping busy, working with a number of different artists and maintaining the flawless standards we know her for.
In August she gave us her demo “Blue Bloom”, a collaboration with Maria Berger. And in January she covered international chart topper “Love Yourself” by Justin Bieber.Â
Forever showing off her diversity of talents, Conchita’s keeping us pleased and staying engaged with fans through her regular vlogs. “Human” does indeed qualify as another pleaser.
What do you think of the cover, are you feeling the depth? Or is this string of covers merely a tease in the lead up to new original music? Let us know in the comments below.
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@Charles: I’m sorry if you felt I was rude to you, but that doesn’t give you permission to be rude to me. (My comment about Conchita’s theatrical voice bringing in music to her audience in Europe was generic.) I find the comments in this thread about “Rise like a phoenix” to be disappointing. The song itself was a tribute to the music of John Barry, with worked with Shirley Bassey and others on many Bond themes. It contains numerous harmonic references to Barry, and uses his awesome brass-led orchestration to deliver a dramatic song. The song itself is about transformation,… Read more »
Conchita wurst winning is the worst thing which happened esc. It made people think it was a gay tv show for freak show – not a serious music program
It just doesn’t work, sorry
@Charles Even if you put it a bit “bombastically”. I am fraid you are right….unfortunately, I think it’s fair too add! Because it was a tragic moment for ESC. Music lost for a freak show! I am myself one of MANY straight male fans. Even if I do support gay liberation (of course, that is not a contradiction with being straight male fan), I think it was totally wrong. Like you say it is a song contest! If people really thought RLAP was a brilliant song, that is of course OK. Not my kind of music at all, such OTT… Read more »
@Purple Mask: Remind me to prescribe you a “i don’t give a f***** pill to prevent you from getting pregnant and delivering a gorilla that in 20 years time will be joining Russia on stage for another Eurovision “nobody cares about listening to music anymore” entry. 🙂 What a proud mum that you would be … but no! By the way … Conchita is bringing music to Europe? Was Conchita in some other planet bringing music from Jupiter or something? You do know that Human is a British made soul song right? Or do you need an hippo to help… Read more »
@Music is the key: Besides it was clear from the very beginning that it was turned into an anti-Russia freak show … which enhanced the false grounds you pinpointed quite clearly … it was a slap in the face of homophobic Russia … placing music into the runner up position …. though the Calm After The Storm placed inside the UK top 10 unlike Conchita’s James Bond song. Ironic don’t you think? If Europe wants to tell Russia that they are wrong (and they are really wrong), Eurovision – which suffers from lack of credibility and is constantly mocked for… Read more »
Never liked her, not the song. Was selected for ESC on false grounds, that never had to do with music. And won for the same false grounds. It was just the freakshow which won, not the song. The song to me was not good at all. Sch acts just confirms silly prejudices people have about the contest, as a “gay freak show”
I have never been a fan of the figure CW. All so “made up”.And just underlined stereotypes around ESC and the fan base. Rise Like a Phoneix was not my kind of music either.
In my opinion, she should have done this already in 2014. If she was in ESC, take part as a *he*. The real self of Tom Neuwirth. Would be much better. More musically and articially credible. More serious
I can´t really describe it, but she always got me with her voice, her gestures. Her pure & intense way of singing touches me.
She lives the lyrics of the songs she´s singing whether they´re her own songs or a coversong which she also made to her own.
Wow that is just great!
Does anyone have an antidote to “gorilla-phobia?” (Charles apparently needs one.)
Agreed that Conchita (soon to be Tom again) has a more theatrical quality to the voice, and I think that works well when bringing other styles of music into Europe.
@Flavia: The song in itself was already a MASTERPIECE …. Conchita just added on extra colour to it …. What I like about this: that Conchita brings in some remarkable music from the real world into the Eurovision fandom bubble to give us all a lesson on what great music really is … without gorillas … and since Conchita is one damn gifted singer. only he could deliver this …. although … I think his great voice is more theater-driven than soul/gospel-oriented. Riffs and retro-acrobatic vocal dynamics needed to be there … even though he has range and quite a… Read more »
As always she is magic… everything she sings becomes a masterpiece
From the heart, wonderful. 🙂
Thank you. Conchita will be missed.