Conchita Wurst takes a step back from Eurovision — and doesn’t make a spectacle of it

This didn’t come with fanfare.
No teaser. No dramatic phrasing. Just a post, quietly dropped, and that was that.

Conchita Wurst has told fans that she is stepping away from the Eurovision context. Not storming out. Not cutting ties. Simply… stepping aside.

“As an artist, change is my greatest constant,” she wrote, explaining that she wants to shift her focus towards other professional projects and allow something new to develop.

It reads less like a goodbye and more like someone clearing space on their calendar.

Eurovision stays in the past tense — by choice

What’s striking is how calmly Conchita frames it. Eurovision isn’t rejected or dismissed. It’s acknowledged, even honoured.

“The Eurovision Song Contest has shaped my life. It was my stage, my home, my springboard, and a chapter for which I am deeply grateful.

As an artist, change is my greatest constant. From now on, I am withdrawing from the Eurovision context. I am moving on to focus more on other professional projects and to let new things evolve.

My connection to the ESC remains – as part of my history, not as the place for my next steps.

My decision is personal and I will not comment on it further.

Thank you, with love, Tom”

That line does a lot of work. Eurovision matters. It shaped her life. But it’s no longer where things are moving forward. For someone whose name is practically shorthand for Austria at Eurovision, that feels like a conscious line being drawn.

Tom Neuwirth, the person behind Conchita, also made it clear that this is a personal decision and won’t be elaborated on further. No thread. No follow-up. No explanations tour.

The timing feels deliberate

Earlier this year, Conchita had suggested she would be involved in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest, which will take place in Vienna from 12 to 16 May at the Wiener Stadthalle.

She was vague back then. Almost evasive. Now it makes sense.

From the broadcaster’s side, the response was measured. Michael Krön, Executive Producer for the contest at ORF, said the decision is respected and reminded everyone that Conchita’s contribution remains a key part of Austria’s Eurovision story.

Which is true. And doesn’t really need repeating.

A legacy that doesn’t need maintenance

Conchita Wurst won Eurovision in 2014 with Rise Like A Phoenix. That moment still stands on its own. It doesn’t need anniversary appearances or symbolic check-ins to stay relevant.

Austria hosting again, after JJ brought the contest back home last year, already tells you how secure that legacy is.

So this move doesn’t feel like distance.
It feels like confidence.

Eurovision has a habit of holding onto its icons. Not all of them want to stay in orbit forever.

Conchita choosing to step back — calmly, clearly, without turning it into a moment — might be the most Conchita thing she’s done in years.

Source: Kronen Zeitung