Nemo Mettler was given a hero's welcome has they arrived back home with the Eurovision Song Contest trophy in tow.
The singer was mobbed by adoring fans as they touched down at Zurich Airport in Switzerland after being crowned the 2024 Eurovision champion on Saturday night, making history as they became the contest's first non-binary winner.
Nemo - who broke their trophy within hours of it being presented to them - picked up 365 points from the juries and 226 from the public for a total of 591 thanks to their performance of their song The Code.
The singer, who uses they/them pronouns, was greeted by cheers and fans chanting their name as they arrived at the airport today, with many waving flags or holding banners in honour of Nemo's victory.
Nemo posing with non-binary activists after landing at Zurich Airport (AFP via Getty Images)UK entry Olly Alexander didn't have the best night in Sweden for the Eurovision final over the weekend, but broke his silence on Sunday in order to congratulate Nemo on their success. Olly shared a post from the official Eurovision account announcing Switzerland act Nemo's win on his Instagram Stories and added: "Nemo !!! You did it !! I'm so so proud of you. It's been such an honour to be on this journey with you. You broke the code."
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Nemo admitted to smashing their trophy shortly after clinching the title over the weekend, and pointed out that the contest itself has other issues that need addressing. They soared to the top of the scoreboard on Saturday night, racking up the highest number of 12 points from the jury before securing an additional 226 points from the public vote, amassing a grand total of 591 points.
The 24-year-old trailblazer returned to the stage for an encore of their hit tune The Code. Donning a vibrant pink skirt and a fluffy jacket in shades of pink and orange, Nemo energetically performed and brandished the glass microphone trophy aloft, only to have it shatter on stage as they attempted to rise a mere half-hour after UK commentator Graham Norton had quipped, "Don't break the trophy!"
Nemo was clearly moved by the reception (WALTER BIERI/EPA-EFE/REX/Shutterstock)
They're win has been celebrated across the LGBTQ community (AFP via Getty Images)The details of how the trophy came apart remain a mystery, especially since it's been reinforced with metal rings in recent times to prevent such incidents. Perhaps Nemo underestimated their own vigour during their Saturday night performance at the event hosted in Malmo, Sweden.
Following the event, Nemo took to the press conference to reiterate their stance on equality, having previously stated, "I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person in this world " upon receiving the winner's award.
Nemo revealed that their song, which includes the lyrics 'break the code', was a reflection of their journey towards understanding their non-binary identity. They also expressed that participating in the competition was a way of representing the entire LGBTQIA+ community.
Nemo said: "I had to smuggle my flag in because Eurovision said no - and I did it anyway, so I hope so other people did that too. Come on! ". They further criticised what they perceived as a double standard, stating, "This is clearly a double standard and as I say, I broke the code and I broke the trophy. Maybe the trophy can be fixed. Maybe Eurovision needs a little bit of fixing too every now and then." Their empowering speech was met with cheers from the crowd.
Nemo got a hero's welcome (AFP via Getty Images)This year's Eurovision Song Contest has been marred by controversy due to Israel's participation amidst the ongoing conflict with Hamas. A large group of protesters gathered outside the Malmo Arena during the performances. Several demonstrators, including Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg, were detained and removed by police.
The Eurovision jury spokesperson for Israel faced a chorus of boos before they could even announce that the country had given its top score of 12 points to Luxembourg, and the jeers continued as Israeli performer Eden Golan took to the stage.
In a week marred by controversy, the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) was slammed after Norway and Finland's points spokespeople, Eurovision celebrities Alessandra Mele and Kaarija, declined to present the jury vote. They were swiftly replaced by TV host Ingvild Helljesen and radio journalist Toni Laaksonen for Norway and Finland, respectively.
Nemo has inspired fan thanks to their performance (AFP via Getty Images)Adding to the drama, Irish contestant Bambie Thug called out the Israeli broadcaster for an alleged rule violation, revealing they are awaiting a response from the EBU following "multiple complaints". This follows the artist skipping their dress rehearsal to urgently bring an issue to the EBU's attention.
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EBU's executive supervisor for Eurovision, Martin Osterdahl, was met with boos when he confirmed the grand final results had been checked and verified. Earlier, Dutch act Joost Klein was axed from the competition by Eurovision officials after a clash with a camerawoman, a decision that Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS blasted as "very heavy and disproportionate".
The final tally saw Switzerland leading with 591 points, followed by Croatia's Baby Lasagna from singer Rim Tim Tagi Dim with 547 points and Ukraine's Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil, who scored 453 points for their emotional and religious song Teresa and Maria. However, it was a disappointing night for the UK as Years and Years frontman Olly Alexander finished in 18th place out of 25, securing just 46 points for his track Dizzy. Adding insult to injury, he also received the dreaded 'nul points' from the audience vote.
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