Conchita Wurst announces her departure from Eurovision

On January 13, Austrian singer Conchita Wurst (Thomas Neuwirth) announced that she would no longer participate in Eurovision Song Contest events and would be distancing herself from the contest.

The announcement was met with disappointment among fans of the contest, as Eurovision 2026 will be held in the Austrian capital Vienna and will coincide with the contest's 70th anniversary. Many expected Conchita Wurst to be one of the main figures in the anniversary program.

Earlier, Austrian public broadcaster ORF also openly expressed its hope that Conchita would be part of the events to be held in May 2026. However, the artist's latest statement has dispelled these possibilities.

Thomas Neuwirth explained his decision in an Instagram post: “This contest has shaped my life. It was my stage, my home — and I am deeply grateful for that. As an artist, change is important to me. From now on, I am leaving the Eurovision context. I want to focus on other professional projects and develop in other areas. My connection with the contest remains part of my history, but it is not a place for my next steps. This is a personal decision and I will not comment on it any further.”

Conchita Wurst became globally famous after winning the contest with the song “Rise Like a Phoenix” in 2014, and has appeared in various Eurovision-related projects and special programs many times in the following years.

The statement came against the backdrop of growing political tensions around Eurovision. In early December, the public broadcasters of Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland and Slovenia announced that they would boycott Eurovision 2026 in protest of Israel’s participation in the contest. Iceland later announced a similar decision.

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