Drag queen Conchita Wurst will take to the European stage as Austria's contender for Eurovision, the song contest that pits nation versus nation and launched the global careers of ABBA and Celine Dion — Wurst's idol.
Sporting high heels, butterfly eyelashes and a full beard, Wurst — real name Tom Neuwirth — is an unlikely contestant for conservative Austria, which has triumphed just once before, in 1966, with Udo Juergens' gentle chanson "Merci, Cherie."
The annual Eurovision Song Contest, which has a huge gay following, could be the perfect platform for the singer to launch an international career. Israeli transgender singer Dana International won the contest in 1998 with "Diva."