Eurovision’s non-binary favourite Nemo says representing community at contest ‘amazing’
“The Code”, the song from Switzerland’s Eurovision entrant Nemo, is about realising you’re non-binary. (Getty)
Switzerland’s Eurovision Song Contest entrant Nemo has spoken about how “beautiful” it is to be a non-binary artist on the world’s biggest music stage.
The singer, who uses they/them pronouns, is representing the Swiss with electric rap song “The Code”, which details their journey towards understanding and accepting their non-binary identity.
The song includes the lyrics: “This story is my truth, I went to hell and back to find myself on track, I broke the code.”
Eurovision betting odds currently suggest the 24-year-old Swiss musician is one of the favourites to win the grand final – even before their semi-final appearance.
Nemo will be performing as part of the second semi this evening (9 May), alongside other LGBTQ+ entrants including Belgium’s Mustii and Denmark’s Saba.
During an interview with AP, Nemo opened up about what it’s like to identify as non-binary in Switzerland, and about non-binary representation at this year’s Eurovision.
“People start understanding [being non-binary] more and that understanding means the world to me. Just being able to represent this community at Eurovision is amazing,” they said. “I’m so glad that I am not even the only one this year. That’s even better because it shows that it’s needed.”
Ireland’s Bambie Thug, also tipped to do well on Saturday after breezing through the first semi-final, wearing a costume celebrating trans Pride, is another hopeful who identifies as non-binary and uses they/them pronouns.
Nemo went on to say: “Knowing they like a song where I am unconditionally myself, and I talk about the journey of finding myself and being non-binary, and knowing that it touches them… [is] really beautiful”.
They added that it would “mean the world” to them if they were to win.
Nemo is an award-winning non-binary rapper and musician
While Eurovision fans are just getting to know Nemo, the artist is already fairly established at home.
They released their first EP, Clownfisch, in 2015 and debut single “Himalaya” the following year, but their biggest chart hit came in two years after that, when “Du” hit number four in the Swiss charts.
Nemo has won five Swiss Music Awards, including for best hit and best talent. They came out as non-binary in November, just three months before being announced as Switzerland’s Eurovision entry.
But it won’t be the first time they’ve appeared on a big TV show: in 2021, they appeared on The Masked Singer Switzerland, coming fifth.
Will Nemo win Eurovision?
Most Eurovision betting odds indicate that Nemo will qualify for the final on Saturday and be likely to finish in the top three. Some even suggest they will top the leader board at the end, becoming the first non-binary artist to do so (in 1998, Israel’s Dana International became the first trans act to win).
The second Eurovision Song Contest semi-final will air on BBC One from 8pm tonight (9 May) with the final due to start at the same time on BBC One on Saturday (11 May).
