Austrian bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won the 59th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with a James Bond-inspired entry that unleashed a wave of protests in Eastern Europe. A power ballad, "Rise Like a Phoenix," helped Wurst - the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth - secure Austria's second victory in the competition with 290 points. The country also won in 1966. "This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom," a tearful Wurst said as she accepted the trophy from Denmark's Emmelie de Forrest, who won the contest last year. "We are unity.
- 5/12/2014
- by Associated Press
- PEOPLE.com
Austrian bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst won the 59th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday with a James Bond-inspired entry that unleashed a wave of protests in Eastern Europe.
A power ballad, "Rise Like a Phoenix," helped Wurst – the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth – secure Austria's second victory in the competition with 290 points. The country also won in 1966.
"This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom," a tearful Wurst said as she accepted the trophy from Denmark's Emmelie de Forrest, who won the contest last year. "We are unity."
Pushing the...
A power ballad, "Rise Like a Phoenix," helped Wurst – the alter ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth – secure Austria's second victory in the competition with 290 points. The country also won in 1966.
"This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom," a tearful Wurst said as she accepted the trophy from Denmark's Emmelie de Forrest, who won the contest last year. "We are unity."
Pushing the...
- 5/12/2014
- by Associated Press
- People.com - TV Watch
Eurovision Song Contest voters from the UK ranked Poland's performance as the best.
The Polish entry saw Donatan & Cleo belt out sexually suggestive lyrics, including "shaking what your mama gave you", while backing dancers washed clothes and churned butter in low-cut dresses.
In contrast, 'My Słowianie' ended up bottom with the UK jury, according to Eurovision's results page. With Eurovision voting split evenly between the jury and the public, Poland had a combined rank of 11 - just outside of the points-scoring positions.
The Netherlands' The Common Linnets came second with the UK public, but a jury ranking of 7 meant that it ended up third, behind Austria (third with the public and jury) and Malta (fifth and first with the public and jury respectively).
Iceland was fourth in the public vote, with Denmark, Greece and Sweden following.
Meanwhile, the jury ranked Finland in second place behind Malta, with Spain and Sweden in fourth and fifth respectively.
The Polish entry saw Donatan & Cleo belt out sexually suggestive lyrics, including "shaking what your mama gave you", while backing dancers washed clothes and churned butter in low-cut dresses.
In contrast, 'My Słowianie' ended up bottom with the UK jury, according to Eurovision's results page. With Eurovision voting split evenly between the jury and the public, Poland had a combined rank of 11 - just outside of the points-scoring positions.
The Netherlands' The Common Linnets came second with the UK public, but a jury ranking of 7 meant that it ended up third, behind Austria (third with the public and jury) and Malta (fifth and first with the public and jury respectively).
Iceland was fourth in the public vote, with Denmark, Greece and Sweden following.
Meanwhile, the jury ranked Finland in second place behind Malta, with Spain and Sweden in fourth and fifth respectively.
- 5/11/2014
- Digital Spy
Sweden's Sanna Nielsen is the favourite to win Eurovision 2014.
The singer-songwriter will perform the ballad 'Undo' on Saturday evening in Copenhagen, Denmark and currently has odds of 11/4 to take home the prize, according to bookmaker William Hill.
Loreen, Abba top chart of most downloaded Eurovision songs ever in UK
Eurovision 2014: UK hopeful Molly talks about her chances
Austria's Conchita Wurst is close behind in second at 3/1, while the Netherlands' country music duo The Common Linnets share the same odds.
The UK's entry Molly, looking to be the nation's winner for the first time in 17 years, isn't too far behind, at 5th with 9/1.
At the other end of the scale, San Marino and Belarus are the biggest outsiders at 250/1. Germany, Slovenia and Montenegro are also above the 200/1 mark.
William Hill's Eurovision 2014 odds in full:
Sweden 11/4
Austria 3/1
Netherlands 3/1
Armenia 11/2
United Kingdom 9/1
Hungary 14/1
Ukraine 14/1
Greece 20/1
Denmark 25/1
Norway 33/1
Spain 40/1
Azerbaijan 40/1
Finland 50/1
Malta...
The singer-songwriter will perform the ballad 'Undo' on Saturday evening in Copenhagen, Denmark and currently has odds of 11/4 to take home the prize, according to bookmaker William Hill.
Loreen, Abba top chart of most downloaded Eurovision songs ever in UK
Eurovision 2014: UK hopeful Molly talks about her chances
Austria's Conchita Wurst is close behind in second at 3/1, while the Netherlands' country music duo The Common Linnets share the same odds.
The UK's entry Molly, looking to be the nation's winner for the first time in 17 years, isn't too far behind, at 5th with 9/1.
At the other end of the scale, San Marino and Belarus are the biggest outsiders at 250/1. Germany, Slovenia and Montenegro are also above the 200/1 mark.
William Hill's Eurovision 2014 odds in full:
Sweden 11/4
Austria 3/1
Netherlands 3/1
Armenia 11/2
United Kingdom 9/1
Hungary 14/1
Ukraine 14/1
Greece 20/1
Denmark 25/1
Norway 33/1
Spain 40/1
Azerbaijan 40/1
Finland 50/1
Malta...
- 5/9/2014
- Digital Spy
The results from the first Eurovision 2014 semi-final have been revealed.
10 acts made it through tonight (May 6), including Russia's Tolmachevy Sisters and Ukraine singer Mariya Yaremchuk.
Eurovision 2014: All you need to know about tonight's first semi-final
Montenegro and San Marino qualified for the final - taking place on Saturday (May 10) - for the first time ever.
The 17-year-old Russian Tolmachevy twins were, however, booed heavily after it was announced they had got through. The reaction is believed to be down to President Putin's outspoken homophobia and the nation's aggression towards Ukraine.
The UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and host country Denmark are already in the final.
The full list of the winning acts from semi-final 1 is below:
Armenia - Aram MP3 with Not Alone
Hungary - András Kállay-Saunders with Running
Russia - Tomlachevy Sisters with Shine
Montenegro - Sergej Cetkovic with Moj Svijet
Azerbaijan - Dilara Kazimova with Start a...
10 acts made it through tonight (May 6), including Russia's Tolmachevy Sisters and Ukraine singer Mariya Yaremchuk.
Eurovision 2014: All you need to know about tonight's first semi-final
Montenegro and San Marino qualified for the final - taking place on Saturday (May 10) - for the first time ever.
The 17-year-old Russian Tolmachevy twins were, however, booed heavily after it was announced they had got through. The reaction is believed to be down to President Putin's outspoken homophobia and the nation's aggression towards Ukraine.
The UK, France, Italy, Spain, Germany and host country Denmark are already in the final.
The full list of the winning acts from semi-final 1 is below:
Armenia - Aram MP3 with Not Alone
Hungary - András Kállay-Saunders with Running
Russia - Tomlachevy Sisters with Shine
Montenegro - Sergej Cetkovic with Moj Svijet
Azerbaijan - Dilara Kazimova with Start a...
- 5/6/2014
- Digital Spy
Somebody fetch the sherry, Eurovision is nearly here!
Before we get to the monster party on Saturday night in Copenhagen, there is the small matter of two semi-finals. 16 countries will battle it out in each semi-final and only 10 can go through to the bonkers parade with the UK's Molly this weekend.
The first semi-final airs tonight on BBC Three, and here's a quick guide to all you need to know about this evening's show:
1. Keep an eye out for Armenia
The bookies' favourite in 2014 comes in the shape of Armenia's Aram MP3. Not only does he have the trendiest nickname (*Cough* if it was still the year 2000 *Cough*), he's also a bit of a local celeb - he hosted Armenia's version of The X Factor. So he's essentially Armenia's answer to Dermot O'Leary.
His track, 'Not Alone', is standard Eurovision brooding fare for 1 minute 53. Then there's a key change. Eurovision loves a bloody key change.
Before we get to the monster party on Saturday night in Copenhagen, there is the small matter of two semi-finals. 16 countries will battle it out in each semi-final and only 10 can go through to the bonkers parade with the UK's Molly this weekend.
The first semi-final airs tonight on BBC Three, and here's a quick guide to all you need to know about this evening's show:
1. Keep an eye out for Armenia
The bookies' favourite in 2014 comes in the shape of Armenia's Aram MP3. Not only does he have the trendiest nickname (*Cough* if it was still the year 2000 *Cough*), he's also a bit of a local celeb - he hosted Armenia's version of The X Factor. So he's essentially Armenia's answer to Dermot O'Leary.
His track, 'Not Alone', is standard Eurovision brooding fare for 1 minute 53. Then there's a key change. Eurovision loves a bloody key change.
- 5/6/2014
- Digital Spy
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