ESC 2024: Non-Binary Artist Nemo Wins for Switzerland with «The Code»
Non-binary artist Nemo (24) won the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest for Switzerland.
With his stunning performance of The Code, Switzerland‘s Nemo won the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö, Sweden. The non-binary artist convinced both the jury and the public to vote for them.
With his participation, the former rapper Nemo Mettler, who lives in Berlin and started focusing on English lyrics, followed in the footsteps of Luca Hänni (4th place), Gjon's Tears (3rd place), Marius Bear (17th place) and Remo Forrer (20th place) and was fighting for the fifth Swiss ESC final qualification in a row.
The 68th Eurovision Song Contest took place in Malmö from 7 to 11 May 2024, after Loreen won in 2023 in Liverpool with the song Tattoo.
On February 26, the Swiss newspaper «Blick» reported, citing multiple sources, that Nemo (24) will compete for Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Malmö, Sweden. The Swiss public broadcaster SRF did not comment on the report, as the official announcement, including the song's premiere, will be made later that week.
As we now know, the reports were confirmed by the announcement that Nemo will participate in the contest with the song The Code. Watch the video clip here:
According to the initial report, SRF's show director, Yves Schifferle, announced on Instagram that Switzerland would not be represented by a man with a ballad, as was the case for the previous three years.
Last year, Nemo announced that they identify as non-binary—followed by the single release This Body.
On Instagram, Nemo wrote: «I haven’t opened up about it publicly, but some of you already know: I don’t identify as a man or a woman. I’m just Nemo. I love thinking of gender as a galaxy, picturing myself as a little star floating somewhere within. That’s where I feel most like myself.»
From Dialect Rapper To Sensitive Singer-Songwriter
The song own sh¡t, released in May 2022, already signified a path towards quirky pop music, away from Nemo's origin in dialect rap sound.
The artist, born in 1999, showed early talent in music—playing the violin, the piano, and drums. With a celebrated participation at the SRF Bounce Cypher in 2016, only 16 years old, Nemo jumped into public consciousness.
2017, Nemo's single Du reached platin status.
