Congratulations Conchita, Austria wins Eurovision 2014

Conchita Wurst is the winner of the 59th Eurovision Song Contest.

EU cdsingle

It's been a while, almost 50 years, but Austria clocked up their 2nd Eurovision victory with the much talked about song Rise Like A Phoenix by the even more talked about Conchita Wurst.

1 - 290 pts / 1 - 169 pts in semi 2
Conchita Wurst (Thomas Neuwirth to his mum) was chosen to represent Austria in the Copenhagen contest already in November 2013.
The song Rise Like A Phoenix was presented on March 18 in a morning radio show at Hitradio Ö3.
RLAP is written by Charly Mason, Joey Patulka, Ali (Alexander) Zuckowski and Julian Maas.
The music for Rise Like A Phoenix is recorded by the Hungarian Symphony Orchestra of Budapest.
Watch the video here. The song is released on iTunes and other digital sources.
A promo cds is issued including the Eurovision version and instrumental, an official cdsingle is in the shops* since the week after the contest.
(ORF Shop / Medienvertrieb Heinzelmann 9008798135646)
* In Germany, Austria and Switzerland.

Versions
Rise Like A Phoenix - Eurovision version
- on official Copenhagen 2CD, promo, cds
Rise Like A Phoenix - Karaoke (is actually fully instrumental)
- on official Copenhagen karaoke album (digital release), promo, cds
Rise Like A Phoenix (DJ Ivan Santana remix)
- on DJ only CD DMC Commercial Collection 377: June 2014 
Rise Like A Phoenix - With the Vienna Symphony Orchestra
- CD From Vienna With Love (2018)

Promo cds image

Remix
In June a remix of Rise Like A Phoenix surfaced on a DJ only CD released by DMC.
The 2CD DMC Commercial Collection 377: June 2014 features the DJ Ivan Santana R N B remix.
More remixes can be found, but so far this seems to be the only one getting a release of some sorts.
DMC albums are DJ only, but deep in our hearts we're all DJ's and you can find the album for sale at Juno and other webshops.
DMC website

2015: Conchita The album
On May 15 2015 Conchita Wurst finally releases her debut album. Initial tracklists (iTunes!) did not include Rise Like A Phoenix but it seems that it will be on the CD after all.
The album also includes follow up singles Heroes and You Are Unstoppable.
There will be a regular CD release and a limited edition digipack issue. And of course the album will be available through your favorite digital stores.
See full tracklist below (Sony Music Austria 0888750538123 &  0888750538423 (digipack sleeve)
The album is also released in Russia (Sony Music Russia  0888751226326) and Australia (Sony Music Australia)
The digital release features two bonus tracks.

コンチータ

Conchita, the album is released in Japan on July 1st. The CD includes 4 extra remixes of You Are Unstoppable. (Sony Music Japan SICP 4462). See tracklist below

2018
October 2018 sees the release of the album From Vienna With Love, 12 tracks recorded with the Vienna Symphony Orchestra.
The album includes a new version of Rise Like A Phoenix as well as evergreens like The Sound Of Music, All By Myself and The Way We Were.
Sony Music, out on 19 October)

Charts
Rise Like A Phoenix enters the Austrian top 75 at 51 (April 4) but falls out the following week. Conchita re-enters the charts at #35 (published on May 16)* and goes to #1 after the victory (charts published 23-5).

Austria top 75: [1-16]: 51, -, 35*, 1, 2, 3, 4, 14, 21, 24, 32, 41, 38, 52, 42, 58, 61, -
Denmark top 40: [6-2]: 6, 10, -
Belgium (Flemish charts): [8-4]: 8, 9, 45, 49, -
Belgium (Walloon charts): [19-2]: 19, 21, -
Ireland top 100: [10-2]:10, 47, -
Spain top 50: [8-3]: 17, 8, 41, -
Netherlands sales top 100: [3-2]: 3, 64, -
Sweden top 60: [27-2]: 27, 56, -
Sweden Digilistan top 60 (Digital sales charts): [2-4]:2, 2, 19, 23, -

- The official charts in Sweden have gone crap, with mainly Spotify as source. The Digilistan is now the main sales based Swedish chart. 
France top 200: [39-3]: 44, 39, 168, -
U.K. top 100: [17-2]: 17, 64, -
Germany top 100: [5-4]: 5, 38, 57, 55, -
Switzerland top 75: [2-4]: 2, 21, 44, 50, -
* includes sales up to friday before the final

That's What I Am
The singer already participated in the Austrian selection for the 2012 contest. The song That's What I Am ended up in the 2-song superfinal but lost out 49/51 to Trackshittaz Woki Mit Deim Popo.

Conchita's career took off in 2006 after a second place in talent show Starmania, finishing behind Nadine Beiler.
Debut single Unbreakable was a # 32 hit in the Austrian charts in 2011. NF song That's What I Am did even better reaching #12.

The songwriters
Charlie Mason already gave us L 'Amore È Femmina, the Italian 2012 entry by Nina Zilli.
Ali Zuckovski co-wrote and produced Hurt Lovers, the follow up single from Blue after their Eurovision hit I Can. He also wrote for MarieMarie and Betty Dittrich, both German National Final stars.
Julian Maas is a composer of musical scores for TV and film including several episodes of Tatort.

Coverversions
The yearly Kiddy Contest doesn't let us down. The Kiddy Contest vol 20 features a German language version of Phoenix titled Traume Sind Kino performed by Estelle Lath. (Sony 88843048942).

There's talent shows in Italy too, and Laura Fantauzzo performed RLAP at Giovani Talenti.
The album with young talents is released digitally through Top Records (November 17)

Another Italian singer is Antonio Cusimano who has RLAP as the second track to his digital single Tra Tegole E Cielo. (Out through Bao Bello music)

Some more: One bleepy  instrumental version ended up on a collection called Minecraft Note Block 
Songs 2 (No, I'm clueless). Another one with a heavy Spanish accent can be found on a 
compilation called Orquesta Television: Orquestas De Galicia.

Acapella septet Piccanto recorded a coverversion of I Am Yours for their album Seven. (Ariola).
The CD also includes a coverversion of Rise Like A Phoenix.
Piccanto are the winners of the Choir version of Die Grosse Chance, a talent show from Austrian TV.

Piccanto FB

There's some even trashier covers too. Even though they are released under different artists names, 
several are the same recording: Michael Green Ostin, Look up to the billboard, Mix factor, Singers Edge,
DJ Carlo showcase, Music Blits, Eurosingers, MacKo, The Bearded Ladies. Sigh....

The Hits In Austria
After a hesitant start, the victory propelled Rise Like A Phoenix to #1 of the Austrian charts.
Udo Jürgens' 1966 winner only made it to #2. Conchita's is the 5th Eurovision entry to go #1 in Austria.
Here's a list of the hits for Austria in the home charts. (Highest/Weeks on chart)
1976 - My Little World / Meine Kleine Welt - Waterloo and Robinson (1/20)
2014 - Rise Like A Phoenix - Conchita Wurst (1/16)
1989 - Nur Ein Lied - Thomas Forstner (1/14)
1982 - Sonntag - Mess (1/12)
1984 - Einfach Weg - Anita (1/10) (The only one entering the charts at #1)
2018 - Nobody But You - César Sampson (1/5)
2012 - Woki Mit Deim Popo - Trackshittaz (2/16)
2015 - I Am Yours - The Makemakes (2/15)
1966 - Merci Cherie - Udo Jürgens (2/8)

1965 - Sag Ihr Ich Lass Sie Grüssen - Udo Jürgens (4/8)

2023 - Who The Hell Is Edgar? - Teya & Salena (4/2)
1991 - Venedig Im Regen - Thomas Forstner (5/6)

2022 - Halo - Lum!x & Pia Maria (6/16)
2003 - Weil Der Mensch Zählt - Alf Poier (7/22)
1983 - Hurricane - Westend (8/6)
2011 - The Secret Is Love - Nadine Beiler (9/14)
2007 - Get A Life, Get Alive - Eric Papilaya (9/13)
1992 - Zusammen Geh'n - Tony Wegas (9/8)
1977 - Boom Boom Boomerang - Schmetterlinge (10/12)
2002 - Say A Word - Manuel Ortega (11/16)
1985 - Kinder Dieser Welt - Gary Lux (11/8)
2016 - Loin d'Ici - Zoë (13/13)
2024 - We Will Rave - Kaleen (18/3)

2017 - Running on air - Nathan Trent (18/2)
2005 - Y Asi - Global Kryner (23/16)
1990 - Keine Mauern mehr - Simone (23/5)
2013 - Shine - Natalia Kelly (26/3)
1988 - Lisa Mona Lisa - Wilfried (27/2)
1999 - Reflection - Bobbie Singer (30/3)
1996 - Weils D'r Guat Got - George Nussbaumer (36/1)
2004 - Du Bist - Tie-Break (44/10)
Austrian charts from Februari 1965, so we don't know the results of the very early entries (although many were never released). There also was no chart in 1972 so we don't know about the sales of 1972 entry Falter Im Wind. The other entries not in this list did not chart.

Charts range from a top monthly 10 in the 60's to the weekly top 75 that is published since 2001.
You can find all Austrian charts here at the charts portal.
For the list above some alternate sources have been used (Eurovison Collectors Guide editions 1989 to 2005)
Only four other Eurovision songs were #1 in the Austrian charts:
1967 - Puppet on a string - Sandie Shaw (UK)
1981 - Making your mind up - Bucks Fizz (UK)
1982 - Ein bisschen Frieden - Nicole (Germany)
2012 - Euphoria - Loreen (Sweden)

More Austria
Natália Kelly didn't make it to the final in 2013 with her song Shine and neither did the Trackshittaz in 2012 with their booty shaking Mühlviertel Rapfest Woki Mit Deim Popo.
A little more succes for Nadine Beiler. With her ballad The Secret Is Love Austria returned to Eurovision after a three year absence. She made it to the final and ended 18th. Beiler was the only one to make it to the Eurovision final from a semi for Austria, until Conchita came along of course.

Links and sources:
Conchita Wurst FB and website

Thanks to Jean-François and to René at Genie & Wahnsinn.

Tracklist Conchita

01. You Are Unstoppable

02. Up For Air

03. Put That Fire Out

04. Colours Of Your Love

05. Out Of Body Experience

06. Where Have All The Good Men Gone

07. Somebody To Love

08. Firestorm

09. Pure

10. Heroes

11. Rise Like A Phoenix

12. The Other Side Of Me
13. You Are Unstoppable (Phunkstar remix) (Japanese edition CD)
14. You Are Unstoppable (Drums of Death remix) (Japanese edition CD)
15. You Are Unstoppable (7th Heaven remix) (Japanese edition CD)
16. You Are Unstoppable (LTBC remix (Japanese edition CD)