Swiss singer Nemo has won the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 in Sweden with their song “The Code”, a unique blend of opera and hip-hop. With a score of 591 points, Nemo topped the jury vote and became the first non-binary artist to win Eurovision. The song was a personal account of Nemo’s journey to accept their non-binary identity.
Croatia came second with the party anthem “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, while the UK’s Olly Alexander finished 18th out of 25. Despite receiving “nul points” from the public, Alexander’s song “Dizzy” earned 46 points from the jury vote.
This year’s contest was marked by protests over Israel’s participation, amid the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas.
In their victory speech, Nemo called for peace and dignity for all individuals. Other artists, including Bambie Thug and Iolanda, echoed similar sentiments, emphasizing the importance of love and peace prevailing over hate.
The contest was held in Sweden, 50 years after Abba’s first Eurovision win in 1974.
Nemo’s performance was a highlight of the show, with their athletic and operatic falsetto delivery on a spinning turntable.
The victory represents a significant moment for the LGBTQ community, which has long found a safe haven in Eurovision.
Last year’s winner Loreen, who handed the trophy to Nemo, praised the contest’s acceptance and loving space.
The UK improved on last year’s performance but still finished in the bottom half of the leaderboard.
Olly Alexander’s performance, despite being spectacular, suffered from wobbly live vocals compared to stronger performers from France, Portugal, and Greece.
Alexander laughed off their zero-point score from the public, embracing the cameras as the results were announced.
