Conchita Wurst Golden Globes 2015: Singer Talks Freedom of Expression On Red Carpet

Austrian drag queen and singer Conchita Wurst -- whose real name is Thomas Neuwirth -- got everyone’s attention at the 72^nd Golden Globe Awards Sunday night by accessorizing her gorgeous green gown and flawless makeup with a beard. But the 2014 Eurovision Song Contest winner, who sang the James Bond song “Rise Like a Phoenix,” wanted to talk about more than just her facial hair. Wurst has tweeted about the Charlie Hebdo killings and on the red carpet said artists must stand up for freedom of expression.

When an interviewer asked her about being at an awards show like the Golden Globes after the attack in Paris, Wurst, 26, replied, “I think that’s it important to celebrate and have fun. But on the other hand, those events like the Golden Globes or other big awards shows, they’re so important to show that freedom of expression is so, so important.”

“We are all artists. We perform and entertain people in very different ways and we should be allowed to do that without being scared,” the Austrian fashionista said. “So this is why this event, obviously, is beyond glamorous and great. But on the other hand, it’s so important to stand up and show everybody we are not afraid and we will keep doing what we love without being scared."

On the same day, Wurst tweeted a similar message. “Always try to see behind the curtain,” she captioned the image. It was retweeted more than 330 times and liked nearly 550 times by her 127,000 Twitter followers.

Click here to watch Wurst’s full interview from the Golden Globes red carpet, or watch it below:

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