The beard is a statement to say that you can achieve anything, no matter who you are or how you look.
Conchita Wurst
I think that anyone who is in any way creative or is creating something, whether an architect or fashion designer, I think if you have the opportunity to create something that is fully you, it frees your mind and your spirit and gives you the opportunity to really find yourself.
I do love to have pictures taken and to pose and wear fabulous gowns, so red carpets are a comfort zone.
I dream of a world where we don't have to talk about unnecessary things like sexuality, who you love.
As I always say, you don't have to love me, but you have to respect that I'm here.
Conchita is a symbol of the fact that you just can live a wonderful life when you do what makes you happy.
Kids go crazy for the Krampus tradition and dress up as little monsters - they have beautiful masks, handmade from wood. Our village in Austria puts on a special play in which the creature tells an old beggar to repent his sins; when he refuses, he's beaten up by lots of Krampuses at once.
I mean, I would love to see the German chancellor, Angela Merkel, dressing up in a more cosy way, if she feels like doing it.
When I'm standing in front of all those lawmakers in the European Parliament, then I'm a speaker, when I'm singing, I'm a singer. If I'm on the catwalk, then I'm being a model. That can all happen in one week or even on the same day.
Seriously I just don't get why straight people are so afraid of the fact that gay people can get married.
We Europeans really have the picture of this very open-minded Australia.
I took to the Eurovision stage as an opportunity to talk to Europe about tolerance and acceptance.
But I would not refuse a meeting with Putin. I would like to spend a week with Putin, so that I could better understand him.
It is wonderful but kind of surreal when people turn to me and say they see some kind of an inspiration.
As Conchita, I've got everything that I need to be glamourous and in the spotlight, giving interviews, doing photo shoots. And on the other side, there's Tom, this shy, boring boy. And I love to be shy and boring when I'm in private.
It's obvious for example that when I am Conchita, I use the female toilet, and when I am Tom, the male toilet. I can assure you it's never a problem for women, they love it.
Once I decided to be a different person on stage, I got the chance to be larger than life and over the top, which I love.
One year, my parents hired someone in the village to dress up as Krampus for a surprise visit to our home - and they regretted it for ever. I went to the door and this huge creature was standing there. I think I passed out.
If you want to be a bearded lady then you are allowed to do that because you're not hurting anybody.
I have a very busy life, and I love meeting people, but I also like to be alone.
You have to be respectful. Don't ask for respect if you are not respectful. It's not depending on your sexuality, your gender or the colour of your skin. It should be in the focus to live a respectful life.
The whole process of telling my story to my ghostwriter was so intense, after all, because he would ask me questions that no journalist would ask me. Things like, 'How did it smell at your grandmother's house?'
I don't see myself as someone you should look up to.
I'm not perfect, I just do what I think is right. So if I can't fulfil people's expectations, I'm sorry, but it's not my fault.
If you've got the chance to really speak your mind and do what you feel and express yourself how you want, then this is freedom. Drag is freedom.
I'm not the biggest fan of my first album.
I always say that tolerance doesn't depend on a country, because there is hate everywhere.
It's easy to say, 'This is just a joke.' You know, the bearded lady? And I feel the need to smash it with every performance just because I want to be clear this is not a joke.
It was shortly before my 18th birthday when I came out and admitted that I was gay.
I like to party at Christmas. We always have a duck, which my brother prepares.
I don't focus on negativity, I focus on the good things.
I am not a team player. I will not share the stage with anyone.
The private person Tom Neuwirth and the art figure Conchita Wurst respect each other from the bottom of their hearts. They are two individual characters with their own individual stories, but with one essential message for tolerance and against discrimination.
The most important thing will be when we actually stop talking about sexual orientation. The moment we reach that point when that is not important any more, we've reached a big goal which is a long way in front of us.
I don't understand why people spend so much time thinking about me if they don't like what I do. I couldn't care less about things I don't like.
I see myself as quite boring and simple.
You can't reduce a country to its tolerance or intolerance.
I'm a drag artist, and we put so much effort into creating characters, so the easiest way to show us respect is to call us by the name we gave ourselves and refer to the gender we have chosen to be on stage.
Be the best version of yourself rather than a bad copy of someone else!
I was actually a very confident little kid. I would go to kindergarten in a skirt.
The first song I remember listening to in a language other than German was 'Goldfinger,' by Shirley Bassey. I was seven years old at the time and I had no idea which language it was or who the lady was singing it, but it touched me and I realised that it was the sort of music I liked.
I'm jealous, I'm moody, I'm really not good to be around as a boyfriend.
I love huge dramatic songs with ridiculously big orchestral parts.
I'm not that powerful to take out the masculinity of a beard.
It was a huge honour to play at the Palladium with the BBC Concert Orchestra.
I started out as being a diva in a golden dress and now to a more bearded drag artist guy in boots.
It's just unbelievable that nearly every gay human being knows who I am now - that's overwhelming.
I've figured out over the years, you can only hurt me if I love you; if I don't know you, I really don't care.
The main topic I'm always talking about is equality, and I get that it's politics, but it shouldn't be. It should be the most normal thing ever. There's bullying and discrimination about the colour of your skin, your religion. And it must end.
People only look at my beard for a moment. Then it melts away and it's just another part of me. It's like the most natural thing, that this is what a bearded lady looks like. It's beautiful to see.
