Eurovision 2024 is on its way, and we now know who will be representing Switzerland in Malmö. After some names had been rumored as possible candidates, the Swiss public broadcaster has chosen Nemo Mettler as its next hopeful to reach the final.
Nemo Mettler is a 25-year-old artist chosen internally by Swiss television with a song titled “The Code.” Nemo won five Swiss Awards at the age of just 18 and has an album released in 2022 along with several singles.
Who is Nemo?
Nemo was born in 1999, and at just 25 years old, they will represent his country in the fight for victory at Eurovision 2024. He plays piano, drums, violin, and other instruments. At the age of 18, they already won 5 Swiss Awards, but the success came so quickly that they couldn’t fully process it.
After that, they tried to find out who they really was, moving from Berlin to Los Angeles to work on future projects, including an EP that leans more toward pop, as they originally came from an urban music scene.
The sound of their latest album, “Whatever Feels Right,” released in 2022, has a lot of hip-hop influence. However, as they continued to release more music, their style transformed into something more akin to Sufjan Stevens, creating songs that evoke calm and tranquility, while also carrying important messages relevant to the world we live in.
In November 2023, he publicly revealed that they identifies as non-binary, and with his song “This Body,” they gave voice to all his thoughts on this complex topic.
Nemo is set to revolutionize the contest with their enthusiasm for representing Switzerland and sharing their message across Europe. They believe it’s crucial for a genderqueer person like they to have this platform. Ultimately, their journey is a universal narrative of overcoming challenges, finding oneself, and embracing self-love above all else.
“The Code” the Swiss entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2024
“The Code” has been chosen by Nemo to represent Switzerland in Malmö next May. The song was composed by the artist themself along with Linda Dale, Benjamin Alasu, and Nylan (Lasse Nymann). Linda Dale was a composer for songs like “Queen of Kings” (Norway 2023) and “Woman Show.” Benji Alasu co-wrote “Freya,” and Nylan contributed to “Geronimo.”
The track combines various musical genres, including rap, drum ‘n’ bass, and lyrical elements. According to the artist, the song reflects his journey after realizing they is neither male nor female. “The Code” is not just a song, but a place where everyone can find their truth. And Nemo’s truth lies between the 0s and 1s of the binary system.
This theme is not exclusive to this song, as Nemo’s discography is filled with songs containing important messages about who we are and who we want to be.
Lyrics of «The Code»
Welcome to the show
Let everybody know
I’m done playing the game
I’ll break out of the chains
You better buckle up
I’ll pour another cup
This is my boheme
So drink it up my friend
Uhhh Uhhh
This story is my truth
I, I went to hell and back
To find myself on track
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Like ammonites
I just gave it some time
Now I found paradise
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Let me tell you a tale about life
‘Bout the good and the bad, better hold on tight
Who decides what’s wrong, what’s right
Everything is balance, everything’s light
I got so much on my mind
And I been awake all night
I’m so pumped, I’m so psyched
It’s bigger than me, I’m getting so hyped
Uhhhh
Let me taste the lows and highs
Uhhhh
Let me feel that burning fright
Uhhhh
This story is my truth
I, I went to hell and back
To find myself on track
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Like ammonites
I just gave it some time
Now I found paradise
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Somewhere between the 0s and 1s
That’s where I found my kingdom come
My heart beats like a…
Somewhere between the 0s and 1s
That’s where I found my kingdom come
My heart beats like a drum
Uhhhh…
I, I went to hell and back
To find myself on track
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Like ammonites
I just gave it some time
Now I found paradise
I broke the code
Oh, Oh, Oh
Switzerland’s participation in Eurovision
Switzerland was one of the founding countries of Eurovision. It was the first host nation and also the first winner. Thanks to Lys Assia’s splendid performance, they achieved victory with the song “Refrain.” Switzerland has participated in the contest 65 times, reaching the final on 53 occasions. It is one of the countries that has attended the most editions, having only missed those of 1995, 1999, 2001, and 2003, all due to poor results.
Since that first participation, the country has managed to win only once more. In 1988, Céline Dion won Eurovision with “Ne partez pas sans moi.” Today, she is a global music icon.
However, since the early 21st century, Switzerland has struggled to achieve notable results, failing to reach the final in 11 out of 19 editions.
In recent years, the country has regained momentum, with four consecutive qualifications and two top-four finishes. These were achieved by Luca Hänni with “She Got Me” in 2019 and Gjon’s Tears performing “Tout l’Univers” in 2021, earning a bronze medal.
In 2023, Remo Forrer represented Switzerland at Eurovision with his song “Watergun,” managing to qualify for the final but ultimately settling for a 20th-place finish.