Who is Nemo, the representative of Switzerland who won Eurovision 2024 with ‘The Code’?

Switzerland have won the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, the 68th edition of event, which took place at the Malmö Arena in the city of Malmö, Sweden. Singer and rapper Nemo, who sang ‘The Code,’ took an early lead in the voting and never looked back, although Croatia finished a close second in the final standings.

Switzerland is one of the countries with most appearances (63) in the Eurovision Song Contest. Since the first edition in 1956, the Swiss have only missed four editions (1995, 1999, 2001 and 2003). Nemo hadn’t been among the favourites to win but led the voting from start to finish.

Who is Nemo, the Swiss representative at Eurovision 2024?

Nemo Mettler was born in Biel/Bienne in 1999, releasing first EP “Clownfisch” in 2015 and winning a number of awards by the age of 18. Now 25, Nemo has released four studio albums but was largely unknown outside Switzerland until this year’s Eurovision Song Contest.

In November 2023, Nemo came out as non-binary in an interview with Swiss media outlet SonntagsZeitung and stated a preference to be refereed to as “they”/“them” in English, and using their given name instead of pronouns in German.

‘The Code’: what is Nemo’s song at Eurovision 2024 about?

‘The Code’ was written by Nemo, along with songwriters Linda Dale, Benjamin Alasu and Nylan. It contains a blend of different musical genres, although rap is the dominant one.

The lyrics refer to Nemo’s path discovering they didn’t identify either as male or female. The singer has previously spoken of a desire to support other people in a similar position and play a leading role within the LGTBIQ+ community.

Nemo’s ‘The Code’: lyrics of Eurovision 2024 winning song

Original lyrics

Welcome to the show

Let everybody know

I’m done playing the game

I’ll break out of the chains

You better buckle up

I’ll pour another cup

This is my boheme

So drink it up my friend

Uhhh Uhhh

This story is my truth

I, I went to hell and back

To find myself on track

I broke the code

Oh, Oh, Oh

Like ammonites

I just gave it some time

Now I found paradise

I broke the code

Oh, Oh, Oh

Let me tell you a tale about life

‘Bout the good and the bad, better hold on tight

Who decides what’s wrong, what’s right

Everything is balance, everything’s light

I got so much on my mind

And I been awake all night

I’m so pumped, I’m so psyched

It’s bigger than me, I’m getting so hyped

Uhhhh

Let me taste the lows and highs

Uhhhh

Let me feel that burning fright

Uhhhh

This story is my truth

I, I went to hell and back

To find myself on track

I broke the code

Oh, Oh, Oh

Like ammonites

I just gave it some time

Now I found paradise

I broke the code

Oh, Oh, Oh

Somewhere between the 0s and 1s

That’s where I found my kingdom come

My heart beats like a…

Somewhere between the 0s and 1s

That’s where I found my kingdom come

My heart beats like a drum

Uhhhh…

I, I went to hell and back

To find myself on track

I broke the code

Oh, Oh, Oh

Like ammonites

I just gave it some time

Now I found paradise

I broke the code

Oh, Oh, Oh

How many times has Switzerland won the Eurovision Song Contest?

Switzerland has now won the Eurovision Song Contest on three occasions. The first of them was in the very first edition of the contest, which it hosted in 1956. Lys Assia was the winning performer with the song ‘Refrain’.

The second Swiss victory came in 1988, when Canadian singer Céline Dion sang ‘Ne partez pas sans moi’.

Switzerland has finished in the top 10 of the grand final on 27 occasions. Their most recent near miss came three years ago in 2021, when they finished third behind Italy and France.