Eurovision 2015: Austria

I'm getting to the end of my national final reviews, and now I'm getting to the host country.  Austria is hosting Eurovision this year after the win of Conchita Wurst (as if you didn't already know that).

Conchita Wurst   "Rise Like A Phoenix"   2014

And now ÖRF, the Austrian broadcaster, has to do the delicate dance of selecting a song to represent them on home soil.

It's generally assumed that the host country doesn't want to host Eurovision two years in a row.  Although every country taking part in the contest gives money to the EBU for the right to participate and broadcast the contest, it costs millions of euros to put on the show.   It's currently estimated that Austria has spent 35 million euros on this year's Eurovision Song Contest.

In response to this, the host country selects a middle of the road song that is going to be respected but not going to light the light on fire.

And this year, Austria has chosen the perfect song to do just that.

The Makemakes   "I Am Yours"

The Makemakes have been somewhat successful in their home country, with a couple of Top 40 singles and a forthcoming album.  They're competent musicians, and their performance is spot on.   

Besides, it's the perfect example of a safe home crowd song--it's three minute aural blanket.   Nobody is going to say bad things about it, but it's also not going to get anywhere near the top of the scoreboard.

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That said, I kind of with that the Austrian public had gone completely left field with their choice and selected the song that came in fifth:

Johann Sebastian Bass   "Absolutio"

The well performed insanity of Johann Sebastian Bass, a "electrorococo" band, would have put on a great show and would have been a memorable part of the sixtieth Eurovision Song Contest--going down with acts like Telex and Gypsy.cz

Yeah, it means they would have likely come in last.  But in a year of utterly safe songs, a bit of color would make things fun.

Eurovision 2014: Austria

Austria was very unique in their approach to Eurovision this year.  Instead of a national final or a surprise announcement of performer, The Austrian broadcaster, ORF, announce their performer--Conchita Wurst--back in September of last year.

Yet the song, "Rise Like A Phoenix", was one of the last songs presented--announced just a few weeks ago on March 18th.

The process in announcing their choices was intriguing, but then again, Conchita Wurst is an intriguing performer.

Conchita Wurst is the drag persona of Tom Neuwirth.  Wurst  came to national prominence after her second place finish in the 2011 Austrian national finals and has parlayed that success into becoming a minor celebrity in her home country, appearing on reality television shows like "The Hardest Jobs In Austria".  

Conchita Wurst   "Rise Like A Phoenix"

Wurst is serving some Shirley Bassey realness, and in my mind it's the best kind of realness to be served.  Instead of the typical Bond-lite songs that come to Eurovision, this sounds like it could be the anthem of the next Bond movie.

And Wurst knocks it out of the park with both the vocals and the performance.  It's one of my two favorite songs in this contest.

But whether it will do well has absolutely nothing to do with the quality of either the song and performance.  It's going to depend on how people across Europe respond to Ms. Wurst herself.

Neuwirth created Conchita Wurst--a bearded lady--as a statement against the discrimination he faced in his teenage years.  Wurst is a symbol for equality for all people--no matter their gender or sexual orientation--and that sort of freedom is not allowed in the many countries that take part in the Eurovision Song Contest.  That up front statement could potentially be a turnoff to those who don't agree with Ms. Wurst's beliefs.

It's going to be one of the suspenseful parts of Eurovision this year and I can't wait.