Conchita Wurst and Dana International to make Eurovision comeback
Dana International and Conchita Wurst will return to the Eurovision Song Contest (Sean Gallup/Getty)
LGBT+ Eurovision icons Conchita Wurst and Dana International are set for a comeback at the Eurovision Song Contest.
An announcement on Monday (April 15) revealed that a handful of former Eurovision stars are set to return to the stage as guest performers for the upcoming 64th Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv, Israel.
Those set to return to the contest in May include Austrian drag star Conchita Wurst, who won the contest in 2014 with track “Rise Like a Phoenix,” and Ukrainian drag act Verka Serduchka, who came second in 2007 with “Dancing Lasha Tumbai.”
Conchita Wurst, Dana International, Måns Zelmerlöw and Eleni Foureira set to return to Eurovision Song Contest
The returning stars will all perform a different iconic Eurovision track, with Conchita Wurst set to perform the Måns Zelmerlöw track “Heroes,” which won the 2015 contest for Sweden.
Verka Serduchka will perform Netta’s “Toy,” which won the 2018 contest, while Måns Zelmerlöw will return to perform Cypriot Eleni Foureira’s 2018 runner-up track “Fuego.”
In turn, Eleni Foureira will perform Verka Serduchka’s 2007 runner-up “Dancing Lasha Tumbai.”
Israel’s Dana International, who became the first transgender woman to win Eurovision in 1998, will also return to perform a song that is yet to be revealed.
2018 winner Netta will also make a comeback to perform a new single, alongside a new version of her winning song “Toy.”
According to the announcement, Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot will also appear at the contest in an unknown capacity.
The announcement does not include any mention of Madonna, who is reportedly set to perform two tracks at the contest — but with so many extra performers on top of the 26 Eurovision finalists, some fans are wondering how producers will find time for it all.
Conchita Wurst ‘very excited’ for Eurovision comeback
Conchita Wurst wrote: “Very excited to be part of this year’s Eurovision Song Contest in Tel Aviv! ⭐️”
It is unclear whether Conchita plans to revive her classic look for the reunion.
The star, whose real name is Tom Neuwirth, revealed a drastic new hyper-masculine appearance in March for music video “Hit Me.”
Austrian drag singer Conchita Wurst poses on the red carpet as he arrives at the Golden Camera awards ceremony in Berlin on March 30, 2019. (JOHN MACDOUGALL/AFP/Getty)
Neuwirth had spoken previously about a desire to move away from the Conchita Wurst character.
In a 2017 interview with Germany’s Die Welt, he revealed the bearded drag persona had outlived her intended lifespan.
He explained: “I feel like I want to create a new persona… with the bearded lady, I have achieved everything I wanted since the Song Contest victory.”
