Eurovision Song Contest
ESC winner Nemo was once a battle rapper
Before ESC winner Nemo sang, he rapped.
© Nemo vs. Mizzy – Swiss VBT 2015 8th HR
At the weekend, the Swiss singer Nemo won the ESC 2024 with his anthem “The Code”. The theme of the song is Nemo’s non-binarity. As a teenager, he was active in another hobby: battle rap.
On Saturday the Swiss singer Nemo won the Eurovision Song Contest (ESC). Nemo beat the competition with the title “The Code” with 591 points. The 24-year-old is the first non-binary winner of the ESC, which is being held for the 68th time, so he feels neither man nor woman.
But he began his music career as a battle rapper – under the same name, but with a much more masculine style. For example, at the age of 15 he competed in the Swiss video battle tournament Swiss VBT. Two rappers engage in a verbal duel. This will be submitted in the form of a video. The jury and the spectators determine who won the “battle of words”.
ESC: Nemo made it to the semi-finals
Nemo took part in the Swiss VBT 2015 and made it to the semi-finals. There he lost to LXcellent. However, Nemo convinced with good flow and ironic videos. However, the stereotypically male battle rapper Nemo from back then and the queer, non-binary ESC winner Nemo from today have hardly anything in common.
ESC winner Nemo was once a battle rapper
03:13 minutes
In the track against Mizzy, Nemo raps in Swiss German, which is barely understandable to German ears. His ESC winning title “The Code” is sung in English and is autobiographical. He describes Nemo’s own life path. His non-binarity is the focus of the song: “I went to hell and back / to find myself on track”.