Beard, glitter and make:

Conchita Wurst's traveler identity in 2014 Eurovision

Abstract

Conchita Wurst, winner of the 2014 edition of the Eurovision Song Contest, drew attention not only for her vocal quality, but also by the physical image that blends the feminine and masculine universes, such as dresses, makeup and beard, creating an unsettling figure. Based on the Queer Theory studies of Guacira Lopes and Judith Butler, the goal of this work is to analyse the singer's performance at the festival, also using semiotic and cultural studies bases. The article aims to analyse not only the music (Rise Like a Fenix) played by Conchita Wurst, but also the pictorial and visible elements of the presentation, assuming that the representation(physical and mental) go beyond simple orality, and the gender identities aren’t simple and solid as the social norms imposes.