Switzerland has won Eurovision, topping the leaderboard in a competition fraught with last-minute changes and backstage incidents.
The first non-binary performer to take the trophy, Nemo used their childhood opera experience to pull together an impressive performance mixing rap, rock, drum ‘n bass and classical opera, as well as balancing on a revolving disc spinning at speed as they sang.
The song – which took an early lead in the race – shares a message of self-acceptance and the freedom for each one of us to live our lives openly and without fear of judgment.
When accepting their prize, Nemo said: “I hope this contest can live up to its promise, and continue to stand up for peace.” They then performed their song to wrap the show.
Nemo is the first Swiss act to win the contest since Celine Dion took the prize in 1988.
Croatian act Baby Lasagne (whose real name is Marko Purisic) took second place with the anarchic rock track Rim Tim Tagi Dim.
The UK’s act, Dizzy, sung by Olly Alexander came 18th out of 25, with 46 points. He performed 13th in the running order – a number considered unlucky for some, and received a crushing “Nul Points” in the public vote.
The Years And Years star gave an energetic performance surrounded by his four dancers dressed in boxing shorts, writhing around a brightly lit cube decked out like a boxing ring.
Ireland’s act, Bambie Thug, came a sixth, with their self-named “Ouija pop” track Doomsday Blue.
Victoria, Crown Princess of Sweden, opened the show, speaking in a short, pre-recorded video, and wishing all the contestants luck, before Sweden’s identical twins Marcus and Martinus performed the first song.
Performers made some tentative moves towards bringing politics to the stage, with Lithuania signing off their song with the command, “Spread love to the world”, while Portugal’s act said, “Peace will prevail”.
At the end of France’s performance by Slimane, he said: “United by music, for love and peace, thank you so much.”
During an earlier performance he had cut his act short, saying: “Every artist here want to sing about love and sing about peace. We need to be united by music yes but with love for peace. United by music yes but with love for peace”.
Meanwhile, Ireland’s act Bambie Thug rounded off their performance by saying: “Love will always triumph hate.”
Ireland’s Bambie Thug performing Doomsday Blue. Pic: Reuters
Boos and toy fruit
During a cutaway of their team, which was played after all the songs had been performed in a round-up of the acts sat in the ‘green room’ area onstage, there was a large soft-toy watermelon clearly in the background behind Bambie.
The fruit is widely used as a symbol of Palestinian solidarity.
Earlier this week, the 31-year-old, who is non-binary, said the EBU prevented them from displaying a pro-Palestinian message during their performance during the first semi-final.
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Israel receives mixed reaction at Eurovision
There was some audible booing when Israel’s Eden Golan performed, and more audible booing when Israel handed out their scores.
But the loudest booing of the night was reserved for the man in charge of the Eurovision Song Contest, Martin Osterdahl, who was almost drowned out by jeering from the crowd when he first spoke, and then again when he handed out the points for Netherlands.
This year’s Eurovision contest has been embroiled in controversy over the last few months, with demonstrations and calls for Israel to be banned due to their actions in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
Protests in Malmo this week. Pic: TT News Agency via Reuters
On Thursday, between 10,000 and 12,000 people took part in a pro-Palestinian march through Malmo, the host city.
An unprecedented axing
But on Friday, drama unfolded closer to home when Dutch act Joost – who had been among the favourites to win – was axed over allegations he made verbal threats to a female Eurovision production worker after coming off stage following the second semi-final on Thursday.
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It is the first time in Eurovision history that an act has been disqualified after reaching the grand final.
Joost Klein. Pic: AP
Then on Saturday, Irish contender Bambie Thug did not take part in the final rehearsal for the show, due to “a situation” they said needed “urgent attention” from organisers.
Several presenters scheduled to award the points of their country during the programme, withdrew from the show just hours before it was due to begin, including Finnish singer Kaarij (whose song Cha Cha Cha came second in last year’s show) and Norwegian singer Alessandra Mele.
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Eurovision act suffers wardrobe malfunction
Away from the political overtones the EBU was trying so hard to avoid, Swedish supergroup Abba – the most famous band ever to come out of the contest – were shown in hologram form and performed on stage in London.
The four “Abbatars” as they’ve been dubbed sang Waterloo, accompanied from the Malmo stage by fellow former winners Conchita Wurst, Charlotte Perrelli and Carola Haggkvist.
‘Maybe Eurovision needs a little bit of fixing’
Speaking to reporters after their win, Nemo admitted they had accidentally broken the glass microphone shortly after being presented with it on stage.
Nemo hit out at the EBU’s “double standards” when asked about fans reportedly not being allowed to bring non-binary flags into the auditorium, admitting: “I had to smuggle my flag in because Eurovision said no and I did it anyway. I hope some other people did that too… This is clearly like a double standard… I broke the code and I broke the trophy, maybe the trophy can be fixed – maybe Eurovision needs a little bit of fixing too”.
They said the experience of performing in Eurovision had been “intense, and not just pleasant all the way,” adding that the fact had not been “all about love and unity made them “really sad”.
When pressed on how they felt about Dutch act Joost not being in the final, Nemo refused to be drawn, saying, “I don’t really know any specifics” so would “refrain from “saying that if I don’t have anything smart to say”.
However, on their fellow Eurovision finalists, Nemo said they had made “friends for life,” adding that they hope to collaborate with some of their fellow acts, and would “love to do a song with Bambie [Thug]”.
Next year’s contest will be held in Switzerland.
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