AFP
With his world, Nemo conquers Eurovision
Nemo deciphers in “The Code” the realization of being a non-binary person, and this very personal song propelled the Swiss artist to the top of Eurovision on Saturday evening. Nemo Mettler, 24, gives the small country its third crown alpine.”+The Code+ tells the story of the journey I began by realizing that I am neither a man nor a woman”, says Nemo. “Finding myself was a long and often difficult process for me. But nothing “I don’t identify as male or female. I’m just Nemo,” the artist revealed in November. on Instagram. Nemo says his preference for neutral pronouns in English “they / them” or “iel” in French: “I like to think of gender as a galaxy, to imagine myself as a little star, floating somewhere in the ‘inside’Now living in Berlin, Nemo is originally from Biel in northwestern Switzerland, the country’s largest bilingual city and the heart of the watch industry for which the Alpine nation is famous.The Neue Zurcher Zeitung – the austere leading daily – this month described the artist as “incredibly talented, extravagant, but at the same time simple”. “Before the eyes of Switzerland, Nemo went from the status of a young star to veteran of the world of music”, writes the NZZ. Nemo began playing the piano, violin and drums at a very young age. Enrolled in a musical at 13, he broke through in 2016 with a rap in Swiss German that went viral on social networks. After winning the prize for best talent at the Swiss Music Awards 2017, the artist won so many trophies the following year that public television renamed it event the “Swiss Nemo Awards”. “Du” (you in German) took fourth place in the Swiss charts.- Work of art -In 2020, Nemo began to publish songs in English and to write and produce for other artists. If “The Code” tells the story of the artist’s journey on his identity it is also the incarnation of his musical eclecticism: “the artistic manifesto of my personal journey, a distinctive piece of music which combines rap, drum and bass and opera.”Nemo prevailed over more than 400 competitors to represent Switzerland at Eurovision.”This platform offers a huge opportunity to build bridges between different cultures and generations “, explains Nemo, “that’s why it is very important for me, as a queer person, to defend the entire LGBTQIA+ community.” – In the wake of Celine Dion – In Switzerland there is traditional yodeling , but the local music scene is probably better known internationally thanks to events such as the Montreux Jazz Festival and the great artists who have lived and recorded in the country, rather than local talent. Switzerland does, however, have a pedigree quite enviable at Eurovision. She won the very first Eurovision contest in 1956 thanks to Lys Assia and her “Refrain”. More improbable, it was Canadian Céline Dion who gave the Confederation its second victory in 1988 with “Ne partez not without me.” Eurovision describes “The Code” as an adventure full of energy and highlights that Nemo’s music “addresses themes such as gender identity, mental health and finding one’s place in this world.”+The Code+ is not just a song, but a safe space through which everyone can find their truth.”rjm/vog/nzg/roc
