Nemo, representing Switzerland with the song “The Code”, won the final of the 68th edition of the Eurovision Song Contest. Photo Credit: Jessica Gow

Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest early Sunday with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing a non-gender identity.

The Swiss contestant won the title, defeating Croatian rocker Baby Lasagna by winning the most points from a combination of the national jury and worldwide audience. Nemo, 24, is the first non-binary winner of the contest that has long been accepted as a safe haven by the gay community. Nemo is also the first Swiss winner since 1988, when Canadian chanteuse Celine Dion competed under the Swiss flag.

“Thank you very much,” Nemo said after the results of Saturday’s final were announced shortly after midnight. “I hope this pageant will live up to its promise and stand for peace and dignity for every person.”

At a press conference after the win, Nemo expressed pride in accepting the trophy for “people who are daring to be themselves and people who need to be heard and need to understand. We need more compassion. , We need more empathy.”

The pan-continental pop contest had a tumultuous year following Nemo’s win in the Swedish city of Malmö, with mass street protests against Israel’s participation, disrupting the concert due to the war in Gaza. .

Hours before the final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was expelled from the competition due to a backstage brawl, which was being investigated by the police. The European Broadcasting Union, organizer of the contest, said that Klein was expelled from the contest after a female member of the production crew complained. The 26-year-old Dutch singer and rapper became a favorite of both punters and fans with his song “Europapa”.

Joost Klein of the Netherlands performs the song Europapa during the second semi-final of the Eurovision Song Contest. Photo Credit: Martin Meissner

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, one of dozens of public broadcasters that collectively finance and broadcast the contest, said that as Klein came off the stage after Thursday’s semi-final, he was filmed without his consent and was in turn shot by cameras. towards “threatening behaviour”. The broadcaster said that Klein did not touch the camera or the camera operator, and described his removal as “disproportionate”.

Nemo bested finalists from 24 other countries, performing in front of a live audience of thousands and an estimated 180 million viewers worldwide. Each contestant had three minutes to mold catchy tunes and eye-catching spectacle into a performance capable of winning the hearts of the audience. Musical styles include rock, disco, techno and rap – sometimes a mashup of more than one.

Israeli singer Eden Golan, who spent Eurovision week in Malmö under tight security, went over the wall of sound on stage to perform the power ballad “Hurricane” – eliciting cheers from the crowd. Despite the protests over her appearance, Golan gained the lead in the handicap standings during the week, and finished fifth behind Nemo, Baby Lasagna, Ukrainian duo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heel, and French singer Slimane.

Israel’s Eden Golan enters the grounds during the flag parade before the Grand Final of the Eurovision Song Contest | Photo credit: Martin Meissner

Eurovision organizers ordered changes to her song’s original title, “October Rain” – an apparent reference to the October 7 Hamas attack, which killed approximately 1,200 people in Israel and triggered sustained Israeli retaliation in Gaza. Was.

The show was typically eclectic Eurovision, ranging from the pop-zombie folk hybrid of Estonia’s 5Miinust x Pulup to the folk-influenced power pop of Greece’s Marina Satti and Armenia’s Ladaniva and the goofy 1990s nostalgia of Finland’s Windows 95man. Who had emerged from a huge platform. Egg: Wearing very little clothes.

Britain’s Olly Alexander offered the upbeat dance track “Dizzy”, while Ireland’s Gothic Bambi Thug summoned a demon on stage and brought a scream coach to Malmö, and Spain’s Nebulosa boldly slathered on women in “Zora”. Retrieved the word used as a word.

The competition favorite was Nemo with Baby Lasagna, whose song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is a funky rock number that raises the issue of young Croatians leaving the country in search of a better life.

Half a century after ABBA won Eurovision with “Waterloo”, the contest returned to Sweden, home of last year’s winner Lorraine – Eurovision’s most iconic moment. ABBA did not appear in person in Malmö, although their digital “ABBA-tars” from the “ABBA Voyage” stage show did. A trio of former Eurovision winners – Charlotte Perelli, Carola and Conchita Wurst – performed “Waterloo” in tribute.

Although Eurovision’s motto is “united by music”, this year’s event has proven divisive. Protests and disagreements overshadowed the contest that has become a campy celebration of Europe’s diverse – and sometimes shocking – musical interests and a platform for inclusivity and diversity.

Thousands of pro-Palestinian protesters marched for the second time in a week on Saturday in Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, to boycott Israel and demand a ceasefire in the seven-month-long Gaza war. According to the health ministry in the Hamas-run area, about 35,000 Palestinians were killed.

A demonstrator holds a Palestinian flag as police officers stand guard during the “Stop Israel” demonstration against Israel’s participation in the Eurovision Song Contest due to the ongoing offensive in Gaza. Photo credit: Johan Nilsson/TT

Several hundred people gathered outside the Malmö Arena before the final, some shouting “shame” at the visiting music fans, and faced police blocking their way. Climate activist Greta Thunberg was also among those rescued by police.