Switzerland

Malmö messages: a bunch of dancers and a singer dressed in fur

Today, the favorite Switzerland takes the stage. Will Nemo live up to their role? We will see. For Malta, Sarah Bonnici will perform. She will sing “Loop” while incorporating dance moves she showcased during the national final. Sarah wears a silver swimsuit, and four dancers lift, place, and dance around her. The graphics display various colors. The dance break has been changed somewhat (so there is one!) and the act naturally ends with fireworks. photo: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett Albania is represented by Besa, who sings “Titan” in English. She is accompanied by two backing vocalists and three dancers. More dancers are visible on the LED screens. Besa wears a blue bodysuit with white sleeves. The lighting alternates between red and blue. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming Marina Satti will sing “Zari” for Greece. She wears a purple skirt and black boots, accompanied by four dancers in the act. During the act, she will showcase some street dance. The dancers, three men and one woman, somewhat resemble Marina’s personal gang. There are many close-ups according to eurovision.tv. They also report that the act is based on the same idea as the music video. photo: EBU/Sarah-Louise Bennett The favorite in the betting odds is Nemo, who sings “The Code” for Switzerland. According to eurovision.tv, Nemo doesn’t disappoint in their act. However, we decide for ourselves whether we are disappointed or not. So far, we have no reason to be. Nemo wears fur, though we’re unsure if it’s real or fake. It’s pink and white, and even their boots match. Nemo stands on a platform with a diameter of about two to three meters, which moves. This allows them to climb on it, jump off, and dance on it. photo: EBU/Corinne Cumming in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

🇨🇭 Road to Malmö: Switzerland

photo: EBU We can not wait for the Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. Therefore, we have a closer look at one of the contestants every day. Today: Switzerland. Nemo Nemo Mettler, known as Nemo, was born on August 3, 1999, in Biel/Bienne, Switzerland. Speaking German naturally, Nemo stepped into the spotlight in 2012, acting in a musical inspired by Udo Jürgens’ famous song. By 2015, Nemo showcased their rap skills on “Die grössten Schweizer Talente” and released their first EP, “Clownfisch,” which made a splash in the Swiss music charts. Their 2017 hit “Du” climbed to 4th place, earning them the SRF 3 Best Talent award. Choosing Berlin as their new home in 2021, Nemo also participated in “The Masked Singer Switzerland” as the Panda, finishing fifth. A pivotal moment came in November 2023, when Nemo publicly identified as non-binary, adopting they/them pronouns. In a thrilling announcement on February 29, 2024, Nemo was chosen to represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with their song “The Code,” promising an exciting performance on the international stage. Non-binary artists in Eurovision 2024 is a special year in Eurovision. No less than three participants identify as non-binary. It is the first time in Eurovision that people, participating, have come out as non-binary at the moment of their participation. Apart from Nemo, als Bambie Thug (Ireland) is non-binary. Their pronouns are they and them. Olly Alexander already came out in 2016: “I feel very non-binary, and you know, I identify as gay and queer and non-binary.” However, he identifies as he and him.The reason that this only happens in 2024 is the term non-binary. People who do not (solely) identify as male or female only use the term since not too long ago. As said, Olly Alexander used the term in 2016. Artists who later came out as non-binary are Jamie-Lee (2016, Germany), Rykka (2016, Switzerland), Montaigne (2021, Australia) and Roxen (2021, Romania). Switzerland in the Eurovision Song Contest Switzerland takes part in the Eurovision Song Contest from the first moment on. They even organized the first contest in Lugano, ánd their contestant Lys Assia won it with the song “Refrain”. It took a long time before the second Swiss victory was there. In 1988, it was Celine Dion who did the job. In those years she was quite unknown and sang “Ne partez pas sans moi”. Oh, how things have changed since then! The Bookmakers Currently, the bookmakers think that Swiss Nemo will be the winner. Ever since they took over the first place from Croatian Baby Lasagna, their change to win is groing more and more. Who knows, next year we will head to Zürich, or Geneva, or Basel, or….. The song And this is the song:

Nemo

© EBU/Corinne Cumming About Quick Facts NameNemo Mettler Born03 August 1999 Nationality🇨🇭 Swiss National SelectionInternal selection 2024 In Eurovision2024 Malmö SongThe Code (2024) Biography Nemo, full name Nemo Mettler, is a Swiss pop music personality born on August 3, 1999, in Biel/Bienne, located in the canton of Bern. They are a native German speaker. In 2012, Nemo played a role in the jukebox musical “Ich war noch niemals in New York,” inspired by the hit song by Udo Jürgens. In 2015, Nemo appeared on the show “Die grössten Schweizer Talente” as a rapper. That same year, they released their first EP titled “Clownfisch,” which reached 95th in the Swiss music charts. Their 2017 single “Du” achieved 4th place in the charts, and they were awarded the SRF 3 Best Talent prize in the same year. Since 2021, Nemo has been living in Berlin. They participated in the second season of “The Masked Singer Switzerland,” the Swiss adaptation of Masked Singer, as the Panda, and were unmasked in the fourth episode, finishing in 5th place. On November 2023, Nemo came out as non-binary in the SonntagsZeitung newspaper, announcing they adopt the neutral pronouns they/them. On February 29, 2024, it was revealed that Nemo would represent Switzerland at the Eurovision Song Contest 2024 with the song “The Code.” The song reached the Grand Final and won it, gaining a landslide victory at the juries and a 5th place in the televote. After the contest, on the winners’ press conference, Nemo was critical about the organization of the contest itself. Entries The Code Country🇨🇭 Switzerland Year2024 LanguageEnglish LyricsBenjamin AlasuLasse Midtsian NymannLinda DaleNemo Mettler MusicBenjamin AlasuLasse Midtsian NymannLinda DaleNemo Mettler Backings– Results Semi Points: 132Position: 4Running order: 4 Results Finals Points: 591Position: 1Running order: 21 https://youtu.be/CO_qJf-nW0k?si=6e5mctmJ4AnLkveQ

🇨🇭 Nemo will represent Switzerland

Rapper Nemo is chosen to represent Switzerland in the upcoming Eurovision Song Contest in Malmö. That is what Swiss TV SRG/SSR announced today. will sing the song “The Code”. Nemo will perform in the first half of the 2nd semifinal. Nemo Mettler, born August 3, 1999, widely known as Nemo, is a multi-talented Swiss artist renowned for their skills in rapping, singing, and musical prowess on the violin, piano, and drums. Nemo’s EP “Clownfisch” in 2015 made waves by reaching number 95 on the Swiss charts, while their 2017 single “Du” soared to number 4 in Switzerland. Additionally, Nemo showcased their versatility on the second season of The Masked Singer Switzerland (2021/2022), where they delighted audiences as a panda and secured fifth place. The exciting announcement of Nemo as Switzerland’s representative for Eurovision 2024 with “The Code” came on February 29, 2024. In a significant personal revelation, Mettler publicly identified as non-binary in November 2023 through an article in the SonntagsZeitung. They expressed a preference for the use of their given name instead of traditional pronouns in German and embraced the gender-neutral “they/them” in English. This is the song:

🇨🇭 🇳🇱 🇨🇾 Three countries have their songs presented

Today, three countries have their song presented. Switzerland Rumour has it that Nemo is the artist representing Switzerland. However, we officially don’t know anything until 11.00 CET. You can watch the presentation of the song here. The Netherlands Joost Klein will present his song “Europapa”. He will do that in the Dutch tv-show “De Avondshow met Arjen Lubach”. The show will start at 16.45 and you can watch it here. Cyprus Silia Kapsis will present her song “Liar”. She will do that on Cypriot television at 17.00 CET and you can watch the presentation here. It is very likely that the EBU will place the Dutch and Cypriot songs right after the presentation on their YouTube Channel.

🇦🇱 🇮🇱 🇨🇭 Update on what happens in and around Europe

Albania has chosen, Israel continues and Switzerland teases. That is what happens in Europe on the field of Eurovision. Albania Albania has chosen. Not Mal Retkonceri, who won Festivali i Këngës goes to Eurovision. The favourite of the televote, Besa Kokëdhima, will do so. It is not known whether her song “Zemrën n’dorë” will be in Eurovision in the way it was presented last week. We will keep you updated. Note that you can find her biography, and all the others of the chosen artists so far, can be found on our website. Israel Israel continues to have auditions. Still, when a candidate gets 70% of the votes (50% of the audience, 50% of an expert jury) they are through to the next round. 17 december Noah Aharon, 94%Zohar Zacharov, 81%Or Giny, 55%Libi Natfali, 82% 18 december Mika Kertis, 87%Israel Levi, 70%Frida Uziel, 57%Eitan Jomo, 90%Romi Netz, 78% Note that Frida Uziel also took part in 2019. She was rejected, but saved by the hosts. This time, a saviour by the hosts is not possible. Frida didn’t make it to the next round 20 december Or Cohen, 83%Gal Kafri, 86%Shoval Mualem, 62%Tahel Perry, 79%Tamar Ben-Zvi, 77% Switzerland Swiss TV announced that they will not be represented by a man with a ballad. Still, everything is possible. A man, with an uptempo song? A woman, with a ballad? Or a woman, but uptempo? Or a group? We don’t know yet, but thanks for the teaser Switzerland!

Composer Wouter Hardy: not nervous tonight

Tonight the Dutchman Wouter Hardy, as composer of the Estonian entry Bridges, will participate for the 3rd time; and for the 3rd time for another country. Kofax Wouter co-wrote “Arcade” for Duncan Laurence. He was also responsible for “Tout l’univers”, the song Gjon’s Tears brought to Switzerland. But what else do we know him from? “I’ve played in bands, I’ve always been a pianist and a keyboardist. I’ve toured all over Europe, I’ve done Glastonbury. I opened for Robbie Williams. All of this was with Kofax, where I was band leader and keyboard player. And I have always played trumpet in orchestras and big bands. That’s where the classical influences come from,” explains Hardy. Arcade Back to the Eurovision Song Contest we come to “Arcade”. The composer says about this: “To win is absurd. Participation was already such that I thought: should we do this with Arcade? It had been there for quite a while. Then we were asked by Ilse Delange and yes, then you’re going to do it anyway. I thought: how can that work with such a song there? My association with the Eurovision Song Contest was circus and lots of dancing and fireworks. I think that’s exactly why it won; because it was so special. And I am very proud of that to this day, that it is something that I fully supported. Then I participated with Switzerland, which I also fully supported, and now again with Estonia. If not, I’m not going to do it.” Intimidated We can’t ignore it: on May 5th, an interview appeared in a Dutch newspaper in which Hardy explains how things went behind the scenes with Arcade at the time. Negotiations about rights didn’t go well. Hardy felt intimidated by Ilse Delange. When the votes came in, Hardy was not in the greenroom. “I do hope that it will result in people being more willing to speak out about such things. I hope that helped. I have lost my story and that is a relief.” Gjon’s Tears And then, two years later, cqme the adventure with Gjon’s Tears in Switzerland. “Gjon was supposed to participate in the Eurovision song contest in 2020. That was canceled, due to COVID19. So he had to have a new song, a new entry. Then he looked at who he could still work with. He was a big fan of “Arcade”, also thought that that was his sound. His references also really appealed to me, who passed them on, like Sam Smith, Hozier, Woodkid. When I read that I thought: okay that could be an interesting one, so I went to Zurich. That’s actually how it went. We subimtted that entry with some other songs and then we won. And in Rotterdam, that was quite special for me. In our own country but with a Swiss flag, that was a bit crazy, but that was cool”. To the toilet It was a close call for Gjon’s Tears to win. “I thought: we’re just going to do it again dude. And then Gjon said: I think we will get less points in the televoting. And he was rogjt, but I did think after the jury vote: now we’re just going to do it again. It’s very funny because we were drinking quite a lot in the greenroom, it was super fun. Then we finished at the top of the jury and then I said to Gjon: don’t drink too much because you might have to start singing if you win. Then he started drinking a lot of water. He really needed to go to the toilet, but that was not allowed. And then every time that camera came, then Gjon would sit so wide and when that camera was gone again with his legs squeezed. In the end we finished third and I am very happy with that. We also won the Marcel Besançon Award for best composition that year. Duncan sang “Arcade” and “Stars”, which I also made. That evening three songs and an award, so that’s very nice.” Estonia And then Estonia came along: “It was the same as Gjon. Alika has always wanted to do the Eurovision song contest, that was her dream. Then they put together a Spotify list of songs she likes. It had “Arcade”, and “Tout l’univers”. Then her manager texted me: “we’re going to work with you.” We worked together for two days and the second day was Bridges, there was no doubt about that after that. They didn’t go into the studio with other people after that and then we participated with Eesti Laul, the national final in Estonia. How is Wouter Hardy doing tonight, is he nervous? “No,” he says firmly. “No. I haven’t listened to any other song either. I just want to be surprised tonight. I’ve only heard Loreen, you can’t miss her. And the Netherlands of course, there is no other way. But no other songs. I’m not really nervous, I don’t have to do anything anymore. That’s great, my work is done. I can just grab a drink and listen.” Not nervous Hardy has some nice things to look forward to anyway. A new album is coming under the name HRDY. “That will be an album with instrumental songs but also featuring vocalists. I released some songs from my album. Those are songs with synthesizers, pianos, strings and so now I’m going to make songs with singers for the first time.”

Liverpool Live: something is happening at the betting odds

The day with the most rehearsals continue. Eight more countries rehearsed today, only 20 minutes each. That means we can inform you if there were major changes in the act. photo credits: EBU/Chloe Hashemi/Sarah Louise Bennett Switzerland Remo Forrer performs in his black jacket and black plastic pants again. It seems there are not many changes since the last performance: Remo with his four dancers, who at a moment wrap him in long ribbons. It is something that reminds us of Sertab (2003) and the late Toše Proeski (2004). Switzerland is currently number 13 in the betting odds, so the final doesn’t seem far away for Remo. Israel The Israeli act is one where a lot happens. She and her dancers are standing in front of a bunch of squares. The dancers bring their hands to their heads, to depict the horn of a unicorn. And of course there is a lot of fireworks in this performance. Israel is currently number 7 at the betting odds. Definitely an entry to look up to, Noa can do very well. Moldova There seem to be no changes in the Moldovan entry: Pasha Parfeni is, in his second Eurovision performance, still surrounded by two backing vocals with a horn, made out of their hair. Two guys accompany them playing the drums. Moldova is currently number 20 at the betting odds. But with a 6th place in the odds for the first semifinal it feels pretty safe for Pasha. Sweden And than there is the other returning participant from 2012, Loreen. Of course there are no changes in the performance, as everything was already there way before the rehearsals… as always in Sweden. All the eyes are at Sweden at this moment, as she leads at the bookmakers. But note that there is something going on: she has now 42% chance of winning, while the runner up has 23%. They are coming closer to eachother. Azerbaijan What we didn’t hear from the first rehearsals but what we know now: the performance of Azerbaijan on screen starts in black and white. Later it fades to colour. It seems to fit to the combination of sixties-like music and rap. However, Azerbaijan is at this moment number 32 at the betting odds. So far that doesn’t give the twins much hope for a place in the final. Czechia Finally a country were there have been some changes: Czechia. The Vesna ladies have altered their hairstyle. During the opening verse, there is some intricate hair choreography, and their braids have become notably longer and weightier than they were on Monday. At this moment Czechia is number 11 at the bookies. The Netherlands We don’t know if there are any changes in the performance of The Netherlands. The people of eurovision.tv say they got goosebumps of the intimate performance Mia and Dion gave. When they are singing the camera turns around them. That seems to work. The bookmakers seem to be more positive about The Netherlands than they were, with currently an 18th place. However, they are 11th at the specified list for the 1st semifinal. Finland The last one is Finland with the same energetic performance we saw Monday. Today a video went viral where Käärijä dances on the music of “Tattoo”, Loreen’s song. At the betting odds something is happening. Finland is coming closer and closer to the first place. Yesterday they had 18% winning chance, now it is already 24%. That might make Finland a serious contender for the victory. in collaboration with Eurovision Artists

Liverpool live: rehearsal schedule

The rehearsals continue with the 2nd rehearsal of 15 countries. The countries now have only 20 minutes to rehearse. 11.30 – 11.50 Norway11.55 – 12.15 Malta12.20 – 12.40 Serbia12.45 – 13.05 Latvia13.10 – 13.30 Portugal13.35 – 13.55 Ireland15.00 – 15.20 Croatia15.25 – 15.45 Switzerland15.50 – 16.10 Israel16.15 – 16.35 Moldova16.40 – 17.00 Sweden17.05 – 17.25 Azerbaijan17.30 – 17.50 Czechia17.55 – 18.15 The Netherlands18.20 – 18.40 Finland

Liverpool live: about sparks, costumes and a lightbox

We’ve had the second half of today’s rehearsals. Here is what we saw and heard today. photo credits: EBU/Sarah Louise Bennett/Corinne Cummings Ireland Spotlights are on Conor, the singer of Wild Youth. He has a rock gold catsuit with flares. There are stairs on stage. And there will be pyro technics. A lot of sparkles are visible by the end of the performance. Eurovision.tv is enthousiastic about the singalong capacities of the song. “Even on the first rehearsal, it’s easy to imagine the crowd in the Liverpool Arena singing along to this euphoric chorus.” Croatia As expected, the members of Let3 wear the costumes they also had in the national final. At eurovision.tv they speak about ‘high fashion hat/dress combo’s’. However, we do not reccomend you wearing this to a party. At the end of the song, they strip down to their underwear and they wave with huge missiles. On the LED-screen you see the faces of the band members. The missiles emit a shower of sparks over the Let3 members! Switzerland As in 2021 and 2022 it is Sacha Jean-Baptiste who is responsible for the Swiss staging. Where you would expect Remo Forrer alone on stage with a spotlight on it, nothing less is true. There are dancers with Remo on stage and he also dances himself. There’s also pyro technics: a short interlude of smoke and red fireworks raining down from the roof. Moldova For the second time, Pasha Parfeni enters the Eurovision stage. We saw him for the first time in 2012. He is surrounded by huge drums, a flutist and two backing singers with horned headdresses. A lot to see and a completely different act from what we saw 11 years ago. Sweden Loreen currently tops the bookmakers. She has the same act as in Melodifestivalen, herself sitting under the huge lightbox. The one from Melodifestivalen however was too heavy, so a lighter version can be seen in Liverpool. It is also lifted a little bit off the ground. The catsuit, the long nails and everything else is the same as in Melodifestivalen, including Loreen’s strong vocals.