This 2020 saw the cancellation of both, Eurovision and London Pride (damn you COVID). And this December, I felt a little nostalgic, and wanted to spend some time reminiscing on both.
I wrote about Eurovision before, back in 2019 an Icelandic band, Hatari, made headlines with their song ‘Hate will prevail’. Full blog post here.
If you don’t know what Eurovision is, I strongly recommend this highly educative movie. Ok, fine, it’s not educative. But it’s funny. And it has lots of cameos from the actual Eurovision, like Jamala, Alex Ryback, Jessy Matador, Elina Nechayeva, Conchita Wurst, Netta Barzilai, and more.
Favourite quote? From Mita: ‘Oh, God. win, lose, really doesn’t matter.’ Makes so much sense. Anyway jaja ding dong.
What are you waiting for? Add it to your watchlist now!
Now that we know what Eurovision is (it’s an international song competition show), let’s brush up on some history, let’s talk about the Pride.
Pride is an annual LGBT festival and parade held each summer in London, United Kingdom. It celebrates the diversity of the LGBT (lesbian, gays, bisexual, trans+) community by bringing together thousands of people of all genders, ethnicities, sexualities, and races in one place.
Pride took numerous shapes and sizes. The first official UK Gay Pride Rally which was held in London in 1972, and since then, various marches have been held in London and the UK, at one point it event turned into a carnival.
Pride and Transgender official flag.
Following yet another evolution, in 2004, ‘Pride London’ was formed and managed the event until late 2012, when London LGBT+ Community Pride took over and run it up until last year. This makes 2020 the first year without a Pride, for a very LONG TIME 🙁
Now, I am not done reminiscing. So I thought I would remind you of Eurovision 2014 (yes I know, I am random sometimes), when Conchita Wurst was the most successful drag act in Eurovision history (albeit she was not the first, and if you are interested in reading about drags taking part to the show read here).
That’s the one, you remember her? The Austrian singer, recording artist, and drag queen also known as Thomas Neuwirth joined the world’s longest-running televised song competition with his/her (depending if in drags or not) latest song: ‘Rise like phoenix‘.
At the second semi-final, Conchita qualified for the final and, on 10 May 2014, she won the competition making it Austria’s first Eurovision win since 1966. Isn’t she gorgeous? and smart, and funny, and talented 🙂
Did you know the singer came second in Austria’s Starmania in 2006 at the age of 17? 17!!! I mean, personally, at 17 I just figured out how to braid my own hair… yes, actually, not that well either…
Wurst built an international following as a gay icon, speaking at the UN, and modelling for Jean Paul Gaultier. And occasionally trolling Vladimir Putin (“He’s attractive, but I like less plastic surgery” she told The Times).
Conchita Wurst at Eurovision 2014
Image from Conchita Wurst official website.
Image from Conchita Wurst official website.
