Eurovision 2014: Bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst wins with whopping score of 290 while UK trails behind in seventeenth place

Eurovision 2014: Bearded Austrian drag queen Conchita Wurst wins with whopping score of 290 while UK trails behind in seventeenth place



Conchita Wurst won the Eurovision Song Contest 2014 with a score of 290 after a grandiose James Bond-theme-like ballad, Rise Like a Phoenix, before a TV audience of around 180 million people in 45 countries.
UK hopeful Molly Smitten-Downes came in seventeenth place with a score of just 40 with her song Children Of The Universe.
'This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom,' a tearful Conchita said as she accepted the trophy from Denmark's Emmelie de Forrest, who won the contest last year. 'We are unity and we are unstoppable.'



Glittering prize: Conchita Wurst representing Austria performs the song Rise Like A Phoenix after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014

'For me, my dream came true,' she added at a news conference after the win. 'But for our society, it just showed me that there are people out there who want to go into the future and go on, you know, not stepping back or thinking in the past.'
Austrian Drag queen Conchita, the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth, gave one of the most glamorous and sultry performances of the contest, held in Copenhagen, Denmark.
The singer, who sported a full beard, smouldered like a Bond Girl in a gold embellished fishtail gown.
Walking onto the stage in front of a smokey backdrop, she gave a powerful performance of her song Rise Like a Phoenix.
Her look was set off by diamond earrings, while she also wore a red lipstick, wore her long hair in waves and defined her eyes in heavy black eyeliner



Ecstatic: The singer celebrates as she is awarded the winner's trophy for Eurovision 2014




Overwhelmed: Conchita looked emotional as she performed her winning song Rise Like A Phoenix




Triumphant: The drag queen declared 'we are unstoppable' as she celebrated winning the prize for Austria





Going for Eurovision gold: Conchita Wurst wows in a gold fishtail gown as she performs Rise Like A Phoenix

Glory: Conchita Wurst representing Austria poses with the trophy after a press conference after winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2014


Proud: The winner clutches her Eurovision 2014 prize close to her chest



Prize: The singer was presented with a trophy in the shape in a microphone to celebrate her win


In demand: Conchita holds a bunch of long-stemmed white flowers as she holds her trophy


Tearful: The Austrian star is overcome by her emotions and bursts into tears on learning she has won


Celebration: Conchita's win was announced with a round of fireworks








Winner: Conchita Wurst won the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest with Rise Like A Phoenix



Pushing the boundaries of gender identity is nothing new at Europe's annual song contest, which is known for its eclectic, sometimes unlistenable lineup of techno beats, love songs and pop tunes.
Prior to her performance. the transvestite has faced a barrage of homophobic and transphobic attacks from within her own country and from other countries including Russia, Armenia and Belarus, who branded the contest a 'hotbed of sodomy', the BBC has reported.
Amid growing tensions over the Ukraine crisis, some in Eastern Europe have blasted Wurst as an example of the West's decadence. Activists in Belarus had even urged the country's state television network to edit the Austrian entry out of its Eurovision broadcast.
'I can only say thank you for your attention. If this is only about me and my person, I can live with it', Wurst said about her critics in emails with The Associated Press.

'You know, I have a very thick skin. It's just strange that a little facial hair causes that much excitement.'
Speaking ahead of the semifinal in Copenhagen on Thursday, she added: 'I have to add that 80 percent of the autograph requests that I get are from Russia and eastern Europe — and that's what is important to me'.
Neuwirth, who was born in Gmunden, central Austria, entered show business eight years ago, taking part in an Austrian TV talent show.



Powerful: A background of fire alluded to the phoenix in the song's title

Bearded lady: Conchita certainly made sure she stood out as she performed at the European music contest



Passionate: The singer put plenty of oomph into her diva-like performance



Atmospheric: Conchita went for a moody backdrop with shadows and plenty of smoke effects



British hopes: Molly Smitten-Downes performed Children of the Universe on Eurovision, but finished in seventeenth place



'Best thing to come out of Leicester since the A47': Molly Smitten-Downes won support on Twitter after her sterling effort, which earned her seventeenth place

After joining a boy band that quickly broke up, Neuwirth first appeared as Wurst in another talent show in 2011. She has also taken part in two reality shows, including one where candidates had to survive in the Namibian desert with native tribes.
As she prepared for her performance in Copenhagen, Wurst said she wasn't paying much attention to the controversy about her.
'Hey, I'm just a singer in a fabulous dress, with great hair and a beard,' she also told AP.
The annual competition is supposed to be completely removed from politics. Still, every time Russia got votes from mainly neighboring countries, many in the audience of 10,000 booed.
And when Moscow gave its respective 8, 10 and 12 points to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus - all former Soviet republics - more boos were heard.
The winner was picked by juries and television viewers across Europe.





Hosts: The 2014 Eurovision Song Contest was presented by Pilou Asbaek, Lise Ronne and Nikolaj Koppel





First-up: Mariya Yaremchuk opened up the final of this year's Eurovision with her song Tick Tock


Stunt: The singer span a backing singer around in a prop resembling a hamster wheel



Quirky: Belarus entry Teo sang a song entitled Cheesecake for his performance



The song included the lyrics: 'I looked over the maps trying to escape, cus I'm tired of being your sweet cheesecake'



A first: Icelandic group Pollapönk featured MP Óttar Proppé - dressed in purple - the first time a member of parliament has appeared in the contest



Circus act: Azerbaijan's entry Dilara Kazimova performed Start a Fire alongside a trapeze artist



National dress: Poland's act Donatan and Cleo's song We are Slavic featured the lyric 'Slavic girls we know how to use our charming beauty'



Raunchy: Poland was one of the raunchiest entries of the competition



Vibrant: Lorent Idir and his band Twin Twin represent France with the song Moustache



Suave: Sergej Cetkovic sings Moj Svijet for Montenegro



Joy: Flags are waved ahead of the final of the Eurovision Song Contest in the B&W Halls in Copenhagen, Denmark



The leaderboard: Austria won the contest with 290 points, while the UK came a disappointing seventeenth


Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/tvshowbiz/article-2625242/Bearded-drag-queen-Conchita-Wurst-puts-dazzling-performance-Eurovision-2014.html#ixzz31OHq5Xvx 
Follow us: @MailOnline on Twitter | DailyMail on Facebook[/color]