Swiss singer Nemo has been crowned the winner of the Eurovision Song Contest in Sweden, taking home the coveted crystal microphone trophy for their compelling hybrid of opera and hip-hop, The Code. Croatia, which led the public vote, finished second with the raucous party anthem Rim Tim Tagi Dim, while the UK’s Olly Alexander secured 18th place out of 25, receiving “nul points” from the public. However, Alexander was saved from last place by the jury vote, which awarded his song, Dizzy, 46 points.
Nemo becomes the first non-binary artist to win the Eurovision Song Contest, a significant moment for the LGBTQ community, which has long treated Eurovision as a safe haven. The Swiss artist wrote The Code to explain how they came to terms with their identity. In their victory speech, Nemo said, “I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in this world.”
This year’s contest was overshadowed by protests over Israel’s participation, owing to the ongoing war between Israel and Hamas. Israel’s entrant, the 20-year-old singer Eden Golan, received a mixture of boos and cheers as she performed on stage in Malmö, ultimately placing fifth. Other artists voiced similar sentiments of peace, with Ireland’s Bambie Thug screaming “love will triumph hate” and Portugal’s contestant, Iolanda, telling the crowd, “Peace will prevail.”
The contest was held in Sweden, exactly 50 years after Abba gave the country its first Eurovision win in 1974. Rumours flew around Malmö that Abba would appear to mark their golden anniversary, even though the band themselves denied it. In the end, they appeared only in a short video, reminiscing about their song Waterloo, which was then performed by three other Eurovision winners: Charlotte Perelli (1999), Conchita Wurst (2014), and Carola (1992).
Nemo’s victory, with a score of 591 points, represents a significant moment for the artist and the LGBTQ community, which has found solace in Eurovision’s acceptance of diversity
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