Label: Sony Music Entertainment
Review by Alessandra Cognetta
As Eurovision 2016 draws close, Femme Metal Webzine chose to review the first full-length album from one of the most recent winners of the contest: Austrian singer Conchita Wurst. Her victory at Eurovision 2014 has been a major breakthrough and this self-titled album is a great showcase of both her vocal skills and her passion for the medium. The album, released in 2015, features the hit “Rise Like a Phoenix”, which won the song contest two years ago. The song has an epic feeling and is reminiscent of a James Bond theme, while the lyrics are meant to inspire and spread a positive message, which is shared throughout most of Conchita’s work. This clearly reflects in another major single drawn from the album, “You Are Unstoppable”. Conchita’s sound is mainly pop, with some distinctive elements like strings or electronic vibes adding a different perspective on a consolidated song structure. From uptempo songs to ballads, “Heroes” is another highlight of the album, along with “Put That Fire Out”, which shares the uplifting lyrics of the first two singles but presents a more anthem-like structure. This is a good example of the diversity of the album, that showcases Conchita’s positive message of love and acceptance through diversity, without being too heterogeneous as to become confusing. “Other Side of Me” is the closing track of the album, a tender love ballad that exemplifies “Conchita”’s main features. Hope and positivity are the main feelings conveyed by the Austrian singer through heartfelt interpretation and remarkable vocal range, even in the most moving songs, like “Pure”. “Conchita” is overall a very well-produced album, and a great way for Conchita to kickstart what is hopefully going to be a stellar career. Conchita’s skills and passion shine through each song and prove that her victory at Eurovision was merely the beginning of something that will take her music much farther.
Rating – 80/100
Tracklist
- You Are Unstoppable
- Up for Air
- Put That Fire Out
- Colours of Your Love
- Out of Body Experience
- Where Have All the Good Men Gone
- Somebody to Love
- Firestorm
- Pure
- Heroes
- Rise Like a Phoenix
- Other Side of Me
