Who is Nemo? First non-binary winner of Eurovision Song Contest
Swiss rapper and multi-instrumentalist Nemo has scripted history by becoming the first non-binary winner of the Eurovision Song Contest. The 24-year-old artist, who has been active in the music industry for eight years, scored 591 points at the contest held in Malmö, Sweden on Saturday night. Their winning song, The Code, earned them 365 points from juries and an additional 226 from public votes. Here's everything to know about Nemo.
Nemo's musical journey and non-binary identity
Born as Nemo Mettler in Biel/Bienne, a bilingual city in Switzerland's canton of Bern, the artist has been charting music since 2015. Their 2017 single Du reached number four in the Swiss charts. In November 2023, Mettler publicly announced their non-binary identity through an article for SonntagsZeitung. They expressed their preference to be referred to by neutral pronouns they/them or simply by their name, Nemo.
'The Code': A reflection of Nemo's non-binary identity
Nemo's Eurovision entry, The Code, is a reflection of their non-binary identity. In a statement, the artist stated: "The Code is about the journey I started with the realization that I am neither a man nor a woman." "Finding myself has been a long and often difficult process for me. But nothing feels better than the freedom I have gained by realizing that I am non-binary," he stated.
Know more about the contest-winning song
The Code has garnered widespread acclaim for its unique fusion of rap, opera, pop, and drum and bass, which has proven to be a winning formula. Co-written by Nemo, the song has drawn comparisons to a James Bond anthem. In a pre-show interview, Nemo reflected, "People have been saying The Code reminds them of James Bond, or if Freddie Mercury came back and decided to do K-Pop, which I love." They elaborated further, "It's definitely a performance piece."
Nemo's unexpected journey to Eurovision victory
Before their historic Eurovision win, Nemo had appeared on Switzerland's TheMasked Singer game show in 2021, finishing fifth after being unmasked as a panda. Their participation in Eurovision wasn't part of any grand plan but occurred after they attended a songwriting camp in 2023. Initially invited as a songwriter, Nemo ended up being paired with Teya from Austria's Teya & Selena from 2023, leading to their unexpected entry into the contest.
Meanwhile, know what is Eurovision contest
The Eurovision Song Contest, organized yearly by the European Broadcasting Union (EBU), features each participating country presenting an original song performed live and broadcasted through the Eurovision and Euroradio networks. Following the performances, participating countries vote for each other's songs to determine the winner. Inspired by Italy's Sanremo Music Festival, the competition has been held annually since 1956, with 52 countries having participated at least once as of 2023.
