Conchita Wurst’s Eurovision hit is No.1 on Russian iTunes
By Nick Levine
Conchita Wurst’s Eurovision winner is currently the most downloaded track on Russian iTunes.
Rise Like a Phoenix, which romped to victory at the annual Song Contest on Saturday (May 10) by 52 points, is now number one on the ‘Top Singles’ countdown on Russia’s iTunes store.
Armenia’s entry Not Alone sits at number three on Russian iTunes, while the Swedish, German and Russian Eurovision songs also occupy spots in the top ten.
Bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst, real name Tom Neuwirth, became a symbol for this year’s Eurovision Song Contest even before she clinched victory for Austria on Saturday night – especially after a Russian politician had branded the contest a “Europe-wide gay parade” and a “Sodom show”.
Speaking at a press conference after her victory in Copenhagen on Saturday (May 10), Wurst told reporters: “This Eurovision family is a family I always wanted to join, because it’s a project that is based on tolerance. So it felt like coming home. But I also hope that people outside the Eurovision world will support me.”
Wurst’s winning song is also performing well on the UK iTunes chart, sitting inside the top 20 – although not as well as Netherlands’ entry, Calm After the Storm by boy-girl duo The Common Linnets, which currently sits at number four.
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