Before she had a beard: See the amazing transformation of Conchita Wurst from male singer to Eurovision diva (and she’s now going to rake in £25MILLION)

• Conchita Wurst is the alter-ego of 25-year-old Thomas Neuwirth
• Was formerly in the boyband 'Jetzt Anders' without the beard
• Used to dress up in women's clothes in private as a child at family home
  
• Came to fame on Austrian TV programme, Starmania
  
• But the bearded lady act was met with barrage of abuse
• Conchita secured her country’s second victory in the competition
• Now has tattoo of woman who inspired Eurovision glory - her own mother
  
• Her victory sent Twitter into a frenzy, generating 5,384,678 tweets
• Russian men posted pictures of themselves shaving off beards in protest

By Alasdair Glennie for the Daily Mail and Jennifer Newton

Published: 19:20 EST, 11 May 2014 | Updated: 19:23 EST, 12 May 2014

The amazing transformation from male singer to bearded diva has turned Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst into a global superstar.

An audience of around 170million people across the world watched the Austrian triumph when she was awarded a staggering 290 points for her performance of Rise Like a Phoenix in Copenhagen on Saturday night.

Sporting a full beard and gold embellished fishtail gown, she took to the stage in front of a smokey backdrop, before giving a powerful performance of the song.

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Conchita Wurst, winner of this year's Eurovision Song Contest, left. This is after she transformed from being Thomas Neuwirth, right, who, as a young boy, would only dress up at his family home

Thomas Neuwirth as a young boy dressing up in private at his parent's home in southern Austria. Years later he would go on win Eurovision as his alter ego Conchita Wurst

Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst later revealed 'It was only in the attic that I could be myself.'

And with the performance earning her a legion of new fans, experts are predicting she could stand to earn as much as £25million, becoming the biggest Eurovision winner since Abba, who triumphed in the 1974 competition.

But before transforming into alter-ego Conchita Wurst, the 25-year-old whose real name is Thomas Neuwirth, tried to find fame in a boyband called Jetzt Anders, which translates into English as ‘Now Different’.

As a child her family home in the village of Bad Mitterndorf, southern Austria, was the only place she felt safe wearing a dress later revealing 'It was only in the attic that I could be myself.'

Just days before the showpiece singing event, she returned home to show off a tattoo on her back of the woman who inspired her victory - her own mother.

Early pictures show Thomas clean shaven, without the beard that brought Conchita Wurst to worldwide attention.

The boyband were put together by Austrian casting show, Starmania in 2007, where they reached the final.

Before the beard: Tom aka Conchita Wurst used to be in Austrian boyband 'Jetzt Anders'

Tom, pictured on a video shoot with his former band before becoming Conchita, looking clean shaven

Jetzt Anders, meaning 'Now Different' came to fame on Austrian TV show Starmania

Thomas Neuwirth, pictured in Austria in 2006, tried to reach stardom with a boy band years before winning Eurovision

Cheers! Thomas Neuwirth enjoys a stein of beer in Austria in the days before he developed his alter ego, Conchita Wurst

Fresh faced in 2006, Thomas Neuwirth is pictured as a beardless teenager having started his life in show business with the boy band Jetzt Anders

Thomas Neuwirth, before he became his alter-ego Conchita Wurst

But Thomas returned to the show in 2011 transformed as Conchita Wurst complete with long hair, fluttering eyelashes and the now world-famous beard.

Conchita was then selected to represent Austria in this year’s Eurovision contest with her eventual victory sending Twitter into a frenzy, generating 5,384,678 tweets.

Accepting the trophy, she said: ‘This is dedicated to everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom. We are unity.’

But her victory caused outrage with some with one hardline Russian politician, Vladimir Zhirinovsky, even told national TV stations that her win meant ‘the end of Europe’. He added: ‘They don’t have men and women any more. They have “it”.

Transformed: Thomas Neuwirth, as his more well-known alter ego Conchita Wurst performing at Eurovision on Saturday

With hair platted and wearing a traditional Austrian clothing, Conchita Pictured is pictured at Amadeus Music Awards in Vienna in May 2012

Sparkling: Eurovision song contest winner Tom Neuwirth in glittering green

Eurovision song contest winner Tom Neuwirth pulled on a sparkling blue outfit for a performance at the Miss Candy event in Vienna in 2012

Bearded Austrian Conchita's winning performance

‘Fifty years ago the Soviet army occupied Austria. We made a mistake in freeing Austria. We should have stayed.’

Asked if she had anything to say to Russia’s president Vladimir Putin – who introduced a law banning ‘gay propaganda’ last year – she added: ‘I don’t know if he is watching this now, but if so, I’ll say it, “We’re unstoppable”.’

In the run-up to Eurovision, a series of politicians from Russia and Belarus had called for their state television networks to boycott the competition and edit Miss Wurst from their transmissions.

And hundreds of Russian men posted pictures on Twitter of themselves shaving off their beards in protest.

However, Miss Wurst simply attracted even more supporters, including Nigella Lawson, who posted a picture of herself with a mock beard on Twitter, one of a number of such images of the celebrity cook which appeared online.

Domestic oddness: A fan's image of Nigella Lawson, who also tweeted a picture of herself with a beard

Two years before Eurovision glory, in January 2012, Conchita Wurst attended the Zuckerbackerball in Vienna

Perched on a bar stool, Conchita Wurst enjoys a cocktail at the Humanic Spring Summer Presentation in Vienna in January 2013

Conchita Wurst, pictured, dedicated her Eurovision trophy to 'everyone who believes in a future of peace and freedom.' 18.APR.2012 - VIENNA - AUSTRIA ** STOCK IMAGES ** EUROVISION SONG CONTEST WINNER TOM NEUWIRTH, BETTER KNOWN AS THE DRAG PERSONA CONCHITA WURST AT THE DIVERSITY BALL IN VIENNA BYLINE MUST READ: XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM **NOT AVAILABLE FOR AUSTRIA** ***UK CLIENTS - PICTURES CONTAINING CHILDREN PLEASE PIXELATE FACE PRIOR TO PUBLICATION *** **UK AND USA CLIENTS MUST CALL PRIOR TO TV OR ONLINE USAGE PLEASE TELEPHONE 0208 344 2007*

On the stairway to heaven: Conchita Wurst, pictured at a presentation event in Vienna, could stand to earn as much as £25million, becoming the biggest Eurovision winner since Abba

Within Austria Miss Wurst is already a celebrity, having won second place on talent show The Big Chance in 2011. In another reality show she was filmed walking across the Namibian desert in high heels as she tried to live with native tribes.

The fashion graduate said that although Miss Wurst is ‘simply an artistic creation’, she behaves like a woman when she is dressed as her.

She added: ‘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.

Clasping a ship's wheel, Conchita Wurst pulls off a maritime look during the Otto Bikini Modenshau in Vienna in April 2012

Tom Neuwirth as the drag persona Conchita Wurst, stands arm-in-arm with another guest at the black tie Zuckerbackerball in Vienna in January this year

In the run-up to Eurovision, Conchita Wurst was already becoming well known. She is pictured here in November 2011 at a Vienna club night called 'Be Loved'

Conchita Wurst, pictured at the 2012 Zuckerbackerball, has won millions of new fans ever since winning Eurovision

‘I walk through the door and will happily ask, for example, “Hey ladies, does anybody have any lip gloss?” When not dressed as Conchita I am a man, and a lazy one at that.’

Many used the Eurovision final in Copenhagen to protest against Russia’s recent invasion of Ukraine.

Every time its teenage twins Anastasia and Maria Tolmachevy got votes, many in the 10,000-strong audience booed.

Just a year ago, Conchita took to the pink carpet at the glamorous Lifeball charity event in the Austrian capital Vienna

Conchita Wurst pictured at another glamorous event, this time at the Opernball in Vienna on Valentines Day in 2012

Within Austria Miss Wurst, pictured here in 2012, is already a celebrity, having won second place on talent show The Big Chance in 2011

The Fashion graduate, pictured at the Humanic Spring Summer Presentation in 2013, says said that although Miss Wurst is 'simply an artistic creation', she behaves like a woman when she is dressed as her

More jeers followed when Russia gave its top points to Armenia, Azerbaijan and Belarus, which are all former Soviet republics.

The furore overshadowed UK entry Molly Smitten-Downes, who had been expected to do well.

The 27-year-old managed only 17th place after performing her single Children Of The Universe after all of the other acts.

The last UK act to triumph in Eurovision was Katrina And The Waves with Love Shine A Light in 1997.

But Austria’s victory could be a good omen – the last time the country won Eurovision, in 1966, England won the World Cup...

Conchita Wurst pictured in a figure-hugging blue outfit at the Miss Candy event in Vienna in 2012

Conchita Wurst pictured dressed in brown at the Diversity Ball in Vienna in April 2012, as she was emerging as a star in Austria

Destined for stardom: In the years before her Eurovision glory, Conchita Wurst appeared in a reality show where she was filmed walking across the Namibian desert in high heels as she tried to live with native tribes 21.MAR.2014 - VIENNA - AUSTRIA ** STOCK IMAGES ** EUROVISION SONG CONTEST WINNER TOM NEUWIRTH, BETTER KNOWN AS THE DRAG PERSONA CONCHITA WURST AT DANCING STARS IN VIENNA BYLINE MUST READ: XPOSUREPHOTOS.COM **NOT AVAILABLE FOR AUSTRIA** ***UK CLIENTS - PICTURES CONTAINING CHILDREN PLEASE PIXELATE FACE PRIOR TO PUBLICATION *** **UK AND USA CLIENTS MUST CALL PRIOR TO TV OR ONLINE USAGE PLEASE TELEPHONE 0208 344 2007*

Conchita Wurst, pictured in 2012, says she uses the female toilets when she is in character adding: 'I can assure you it¿s never a problem for women, they love it.'

In the past, the 25-year-old, pictured on a park bench in Vienna in 2012, tried to find fame in a boyband called Jetzt Anders, which translates into English as Now Different'

'She is the most important person in my life': Conchita Wurst has tattoo inked on her back of the woman who inspired her to go for Eurovision glory - her own mother

Austrian Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst has had a tattoo of the woman who inspired her to go for Eurovision fame - her mother Helga.

Conchita, real name Tom Neuwirth, 25, grew up in a small Austrian village of Bad Mitterndorf in the southern province of Styria, and revealed that being gay in a small village had been tough - but that her mother had always supported her.

Mum Helga, 52, said: 'As a mother you want the best for your child, I am so happy she is accepted now.

Conchita Wurst shows off the tattoo she had inked on her back of her mother - the woman who inspired her to Eurovision glory

Austrian Eurovision winner Conchita Wurst has had a tattoo of the woman who inspired her to go for Eurovision fame - her mother Helga Neuwith, pictured

'It was a hard time, especially after Tom had come out that he was gay, when I'd go into the village. People here hadn't accepted that this was the way it was.'

Conchita said: 'It was shortly before my 18th birthday when I came out and admitted that I was gay. If you are prepared to admit to others and to yourself who you really are, then you can have a fantastic life. Of course, you need to have a thick skin to get through it all.

From the age of 14, she went to the fashion school in the city of Graz, and around that time had also taken up singing.

Conchita Wurst grimaces as the final touches are added to the tattoo of her mother, Helga. The 25-year-old has revealed she wanted to go through the pain to honour the suffering her mother felt during childbirth

Home sweet home: Conchita Wurst pictured with her mother Helga and Siegfried Neuwirth in southern Austria

Mum Helga said: 'A few days before Eurovision Conchita made a surprise visit. We wished her well and she got a great reception from the villagers.'

Conchita said: 'I was really nervous, but they were as well. I went to see them, and I had a present for my mum - I had had a tattoo of her put on my back.

'She's not the biggest fan of tattoos. I did not even know if she'd recognise herself but she did. I told her it was four hours of pain, and asked how long it took before I was born.

Having revealed that he was gay just before his 18th birthday, Tom Neuwirth found it 'tough' living in the Austrian village of Bad Mitterndorf. But times have changed having hit stardom as Conchita Wurst. Her mother Helga has revealed she is 'so happy' the 25-year-old is now accepted

'She said she couldn't remember, but my dad said it was from 5am until 5pm. I guess that means mum won.

'I wanted to show her, she suffered because of me, maybe I can do a bit of suffering to honour her as well.

'I also did it because she's the most important person in my life. A mum is a mum, no-one can replace her.'

Russians shave off their beards to protest at Conchita’s win

BY LIZZIE EDMONDS

Scores of Russian nationals have posted pictures of themselves shaving off their beards online in a bid to protest at Conchita's Eurovision win.

Prior to Conchita's appearance on the show, some people in Russia and Belarus created online petitions calling for television stations to boycott the event if the artist was allowed to perform.

However, despite hostility from some,  the 25-year-old went on to win the competition - albeit by a very small margin.

Andrei Malakhov said he was 'shocked' at the result of this year's Eurovision - posting a picture of himself with shaving foam on his beard

This user wrote: 'The day before yesterday was the last day the beard makes you more manly' followed by a sequence of images showing him removing his beard

But it would seem some cannot let Conchita's victory lie.

One Twitter user Andrei Malakhov said he was 'shocked' at the result - posting a picture of himself with shaving foam on his beard.

Another @mudzhyr posted a picture of a man shaving off his beard while holding a phone with a Eurovision case.

One rapper, posting using the Instagram name st_stoizsta, urged his followers to prove they were not Conchita by removing their facial hair.

Another wrote: 'The day before yesterday was the last day the beard makes you more manly' followed by a sequence of images showing him removing his beard.

A man takes a selfie on a phone with a Eurovision cover of him shaving off his beard

UK's Molly never had a chance. She's got all her marbles

By Sarah Vine

Poor, sweet Molly. She never stood a chance.

You would have thought a pretty blonde in gladiator sandals and a Queen of Egypt mini-dress roaring out an anthem about the, like, total awesomeness of the world, would have been a shoo-in for a singing contest as  extravagantly over-the-top as Eurovision. 

But no. As became rapidly apparent on Saturday night, Britain’s entry Molly Smitten-Downes might as well have been a vicar interrupting a demonic orgy to enquire whether anyone would like another cup of tea.

Molly's most obvious slip-up was that she had no beard. Not a single hair on her chinny-chin-chin

Compared with the vast majority of the other acts, she was clearly rather too in possession of her marbles to get even near the top ten.

Sanity aside, Molly’s most obvious slip-up was that she had no beard. Not a single hair on her chinny-chin-chin, not even a hint of it. 

It all seems so clear in hindsight. Of course the bearded transvestite from Austria was going to win! It’s Eurovision! The whole point is to take a novelty act to your heart.

Just remember the Russian grannies from 2012? The Buranovskiye Babushki (combined age 408) came second. 

Things felt even more surreal for me as I was mid-way through a detox so I watched the whole show stone-cold sober.

Britain's entry Molly Smitten-Downes might as well have been a vicar interrupting a demonic orgy to enquire whether anyone would like another cup of tea

For this, the most loony Eurovision yet, was fathomable only with plenty of alcohol. Even Graham Norton declared ‘I want my wine!’ at one point. You and me both, Graham. 

Poland gave us two busty milkmaids communing erotically with their milk churns. Russia offered us two spooky 17-year-old twins with their ponytails twisted together like some horrible, hirsute umbilical cord.

We were treated to rock flutes, histrionic Italian women and a man trapped in a hamster wheel. 

But as I watched bearded Conchita Wurst fight back her tears as her name rose up the scoreboard, I found my spirits rose with her.

Compared with the vast majority of the other acts, she was clearly rather too in possession of her marbles to get even near the top ten

For Eurovision is not a song contest. It’s not really about music at all.

It’s about who we are. And right now, in 2014, it seems what really unites Europe is a bearded transvestite songstress with a supermodel figure and one hell of a voice. 

Wurst, known to her parents as Thomas Neuwirth, has achieved what generations of politicians have never managed to do: Get Europe to agree about something. And that something is this.

That this group of dissonant lands is, despite many differences, broadly a tolerant society that’s not going to let prejudice get in the way of a damn fine tune. 

The only dampener on the evening was Russia. Russia, led by a notorious homophobe.

What better way to say ‘we don’t like your sort around here’ than crowning this most gentle of drag queens winner?

Forget the protesters at the Sochi Olympics, forget the referendum in the Ukraine: Sunday night was an anti-Putin vote – on a pan-continental scale. 

Wurst was, somewhat iron-ically, the very model of ladylike graciousness. Every time Austria got another 12, she clasped her hands in gratitude and fluttered her extravagant falsies. 

There was something simultaneously gentle and strong about her, an impression no doubt aided by the contrast between her luxuriant beard – so masculine and extravagant – and her trembling hands, so delicate and beautifully manicured. 

When the crazy lollipop-head lady presenter from Denmark, who appeared to be dressed as a dolly you pop over a loo roll, dragged Wurst to the sofa to be interviewed, she was humble and grateful.

A worthy winner, in this the most peculiar of Eurovisions.

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