After conquering Eurovision, Nemo reveals the dramatic impact of the win on their personal life, the behind-the-scenes incident with the Israeli delegation that deeply affected them, the move to London, and plans for the future.
On May 12, 2024, Swiss artist Nemo became an international star by winning Eurovision in Malmö, Sweden, with their song “The Code”. This victory instantly changed their life, placing them among prestigious Swiss winners like Lys Assia and Celine Dion. “Everything is still happening so fast,” they say.
A New World of Possibilities
Last Thursday, Nemo performed at an event in Zurich organized by financial companies Postfinance and Yuh. They appeared in a long tulle dress, floating 10 meters above the ground while performing “The Code”. On combining art and music in their performances, Nemo says: “It’s quite crazy. Even today, during the performance, there were moments when I thought this wasn’t taken for granted at all. A few months ago, I performed in London in a huge inflatable dress, and today I’m flying 10 meters above the ground. So many things are possible now, and I think it’s great when music and art unite.”
The Eurovision win has completely transformed Nemo’s world. They describe how the intensity of emotions in their life has become more extreme since the victory. “My life is very different now. The peaks and valleys have become much sharper. In the past, I was in balance with my emotions. Now there are moments when I’m in complete euphoria, and then there are moments when it’s very difficult. Many new things, and I need to learn to deal with them.”
London: “A Gateway to the World”
One of the major changes in Nemo’s life was moving to London immediately after winning. “In the week after my Eurovision win, I was in London for interviews and performances, where I realized there’s no other city in Europe where I can express myself more artistically,” they say. “London has such a rich history in art, music, and fashion. So many artists who grew up in this city inspired me, like Amy Winehouse, Freddie Mercury, and David Bowie. London is like a gateway to the world.”
Nemo explains that the anonymity they manage to maintain in London is a welcome addition, but not the main reason for the move. “Of course, I’m less recognized there, but I had that in Berlin too. In Switzerland, I’m recognized much more, and it’s challenging when I go out, but in London, I see a place with enormous potential to grow as a person and as an artist.”
Eurovision 2024 and the Victory
Nemo describes the Eurovision period as a powerful experience that continues to shape their life. “To this day, it’s hard for me to find the right words to describe it. This experience gave me so many new perspectives on myself, but also on dealing with other people, through the competition. And then came the victory. It completely changed my life, but I look back with many beautiful emotions. I managed to learn a lot, make many friends, tell my story, touch people, and give them a different perspective they didn’t have before. These are the things that stay with me.”
Rumors About the Israeli Delegation
After the victory, rumors circulated that Nemo considered not participating in the final due to incidents behind the scenes with the Israeli delegation. Nemo is apparently referring to the incident between the Israeli delegation and the Irish delegation at the last Eurovision, where Ireland’s representative, Bambie Thug, led to a boycott of the flag parade rehearsal during the last rehearsal.
Nemo addresses the issue directly: “I never wanted to not participate in the final, but there were things that happened behind the scenes and I’m still waiting for a proper response from the European Broadcasting Union about what happened. The fact that the Eurovision organizers still haven’t addressed these incidents makes it difficult for me as an artist to express a deeper position on the subject. I think the competition organizers have a responsibility to clarify things. You can’t pass this on to the artists.”
Nemo did not speak out directly against Israel but was among the artists who wore the red pin of the Artists4Ceasefire organization at one of the Eurovision pre-parties. A pin that calls for an immediate ceasefire. Nemo is also among the creators of the statement perceived as neutral which refers to the Palestinian territories as occupied, in which they stand in solidarity with the oppressed and demand a permanent ceasefire, along with the return of the hostages.
Pressure and Responsibility After the Win
Nemo describes how the pressure has changed since winning Eurovision: “The pressure I put on myself is greater because I don’t have a fixed plan for the future. At Eurovision, everything was planned with dates, so I could follow a plan. Now, as my own manager, I need to make sure my team is working, that I have an overall view, and that I carefully choose who to work with.”
What’s Next? “Eurostar” and Tour
After completing the tour, Nemo is preparing to release their new song “Eurostar” on October 4th. “The song is about my move to London, it’s my first love letter to this city”. Afterward, they are expected to go on another club tour in Switzerland and then across Europe. Despite all the work, Nemo admits they’re looking for time to rest. “There must be a week this year when I do nothing,” they say with a smile. “I have an inner voice that expects a lot from me. I owe this voice a lot, but sometimes this voice also needs to take a step back. To be honest, it’s hard for me right now to find a balance between work and rest.”
Nemo continues to evolve as one of the prominent voices in the European music world, combining creative work with overwhelming success, while memories from Eurovision 2024 still echo in their consciousness and continue to shape their musical career path.
Switzerland in Eurovision 2024
Nemo is a non-binary singer who represented Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song “The Code.” They were selected through an internal selection process. Nemo won the Eurovision contest, finishing in first place with a total of 591 points. This victory marks Switzerland’s third win in the history of the competition, having previously won in 1956 and 1988.
Eurovision 2025: This will be Switzerland’s 65th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Switzerland joined the competition in 1956, being one of the seven founding countries, and has won three times over the years. Its most recent victory was at the last Eurovision in 2025, with Nemo’s song “The Code.” This win follows Switzerland’s previous victory in 1988 with the song “Ne partez pas sans moi,” performed by international singer Céline Dion.
