Eurovision Song Contest2024 crowned its winner!With 591 points, Switzerland won it all with their song “The Code” by Nemo.The 24-year-old artist from the bilingual town of Biel/Bienne is non-binary and proved that their artistry and vocal prowess was the magic formula that broke the code. This year’s contest has been bogged down by outside drama that has infiltrated into the competition, but within the competition itself, it has been filled with acceptance and visibility with the crop of artists that range the spectrum of identity.It’s fitting that, with a mission of peace set out by the artists, the winner is the epitome of the message.Eurovision’s theme was “United by Music.” The artists did more than that. They used their platform on the world’s biggest musical stage to unite and celebrate all people. AsABBAsays, “Thank you for the music.”
Running for a whopping 68 years,Eurovision Song Contesthas grown into one of the most illustrious competition events on the planet.Literally uniting nations from around the world through the unity of music,Eurovision Song Contestis a celebration of art, culture, and heritage that has stood the test of time. According to theGuinness Book of World Records,theEurovision Song Contestis the longest running televised music competition.And it’s continued to grow, expanding its fan base beyond the nations of Europe. When it comes to its American reach, it had a niche following, but thanks to the hilariousWill FerrellandRachel McAdamsNetflixhitEurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga, viewers were introduced to their new obsession. America has had its fair share of televised reality singing shows, some cementing themselves in pop culture history,but none have stood the test of time quite likeEurovision.Even with similar voting mechanics,Eurovisionhas the ability to unite everyone, compared to American programs that have a devoted fan base. BecauseEurovisioncelebrates national pride and identity, it is a unique beast. We tried to do it here withAmerican Song Contest,but it flopped.Eurovision Song Contestjust does it better!
Eurovision Song Contest 2024
An annual international music competition features performers from numerous countries showcasing their musical talents in a vibrant and colorful contest. Each participating country sends a unique act to perform an original song live on a grand stage, competing for the votes of both the public and a professional jury.
Eurovision Song Contest Is a Celebration of More Than Just Music
Since 1956,Eurovision Song Contesthas been a celebration of music as the nations of Europe, and beyond, come together to discover whose song is the best in the world. Throughout its 68-year history, there have been multiple changes that have altered the contest. From the number of individuals allowed on stage to the language each act can use in their song. From the length of the song to how the voting process works.TheEurovision Song Contesthas been an ever-changing program that has consistently maintained the most devoted and ambitious fan base in the world.WhenEurovisionfans go hard, they go HARD! For each contest, nations, who are a part of the European Broadcast Union, submit a song, either by national selection or their own individual song competition, where they will be judged by a jury of industry professionals as well as the voting public. In its current formation, the Big Five countries, comprised of France, Germany, Italy, Spain, and the United Kingdom, are automatically granted placement into the grand final, in addition to the host nation. As tradition, the winning country each year will host the contest the following year. Of course, there are some exceptions, like when the United Kingdom hosted for Ukraine in 2023 due to the conflict in Ukraine. But when a nation becomes host, it becomes a massive celebration that brings fans from all over the world to the event. Think of it as theOlympicsof music.
In 2023, Sweden won for their seventh time, tying Ireland as the nation with the mostEurovision Song Contestvictories.Loreen, the winner ofEurovision Song Contest2012, won for her second time, marking the first time a female artist was victorious twice. Thanks to Loreen’s win, Sweden selected Malmö as the host city.With 37 entries entered,Eurovision Song Contest2024 was a celebration of more than just music.During the build up to the contest,Eurovisionfans hit social media andYouTube to express their thoughts and initial reactions on the songs as they are revealed.They scrutinize every note, analyze every lyric, and dive into the contest’s memory bank to compare it to previous entries. There is not another music-based reality show that quite mirrors this. The closest thing you can compare it to is sports commentary. With fans sporting their favorite nation’s colors, it’s like cheering on your favorite sports teams. And onceEurovisionweek arrives, the obsession intensifies.
Best Eurovision Song Contest 2024 Performances From Semi-Finals 1, Ranked
The fans have voted for their favorites in the first Semi-Finals of the Eurovision Song Contest 2024
SinceEurovisionis, for the most part, a mostly transparent event, fans are able to watch the dress rehearsals. They get to see the evolution of each act. Between the press conferences andthe fabulous turquoise carpet, they are a way to allow the artists to connect with their fans all while giving them global celebrity status. And just like sports, the odds makers provide their predictions on the placements of the night after each and every moment that leads up to the semi-finals and grand final. For many, this is theirSuper Bowl. All eyes are glued to every story, every social media post, every rumor that seeps out of the arena. And when any drama unfolds, you can bet your bottom dollar thattheEurovisionsuperfans will spill the tea and solve the mysteries before anyone else!Name a reality show that has that hold over average people. I’ll wait.
Nemo Is the Perfect Winner for The World Right Now
This year’sEurovision Song Contestwas one for the history books.Like the previous contest, there were 37 entries. Romania did not return, but Luxembourg made its long-awaited return after 31 years. It featured two returning artists,Natalia Barbufor Moldova andHera Björkfor Iceland. With geopolitical challenges becoming an overwhelming presence over the entire contest, many took this year to boycott the participation of Israel. Of course, there were many controversies along the way, includingBelgium not qualifyingafter being a top 10 contender early in theEurovisionseason, Italy accidentally revealing a version of their at home vote, the treatment of some delegations towards the artists, andthe shocking disqualification of the Netherlandsin the grand final. But with all of that put aside, music became the primary focus.
Going into the week, it seemed as if it would be a battle between two countries: Croatia and Switzlerland. The voting public championed Croatia and their artistBaby Lasagna. Since entering the Eurovision scene,“Rim Tim Tagi Dim” had become one of the nonsensical smash hitswith its addictive beat, its humorous lyrics about economic emigration, and the razzle-dazzle of Baby Lasagna himself. When it came to the 37 juries, they championed Switzerland’sNemoand their song “The Code.” Blending a unique operatic undertone, pop beats, and a rapid-fire rap section,“The Code” was not only special for its originality but for being an autobiographical song.Despite Croatia receiving the most televotes, receiving 12 points from 22 nations' juries handed Nemo and Switzerland the victory.
Best ‘Eurovision Song Contest’ 2024 Performances From Semi-Finals 2, Ranked
For the final 10 spots in the ‘Eurovision Song Contest’ 2024 the performances were, let’s just say it was shocking!
When artists participate on American singing programs likeAmerican Idol, the artists do get to represent themselves, but they are often stuck into a formula about how they can present their art and what music they will be singing. If anyone knows this better, it would be Georgia’s 2024 entry,Nutsa Buzaladze, who was a finalist onAmerican Idoljust a year prior. Not only did Nutsa take over the international stage, she broke Georgia’s 8-year streak of not qualifying for the finals.And it may be because she was in her element in a way thatAmerican Idolrestricted.When it comes to Nemo, their story is found directly within the lyrics. The lyrics celebrate the individual’s journey of discovering themselves, and the difficult journey they went through to do so. The lyrics literally mention 0’s and 1’s and how they broke the binary code.
With such a personal message, Nemo’s visibility triumphed. For many people watching, Nemo is a hero.For others, they continue to lack a complete understanding of what it means to be non-binary, and perhaps the LGBTQ+ community as a whole. But since everyone was united by music, none of that detracted from the brilliance of the performance. Nemo held their own on stage. It was just a rotating top platform. It was an extraordinary presentation that is bound to be remembered for years to come. Especially now that they will likely be performing it forever and at next year’s contest in Switzerland. Nemo’s presence on theEurovisionstage is groundbreaking.They are the first non-binary individual to win the contest.With the valiance to celebrate all individuals, this certainly won’t be the last time either. Representation matters.
Representation Was in Full Bloom at Eurovision
When it comes to gender and sexual identity representation, this year’s contest featured one of the largest groups of artists that identify within the LGBTQ+ community. They include Australia’sZaachariaha FieldingandMichael Rossof the duoElectric Fields, Belgium’sMustii, Denmark’sSaba, Ireland’sBambie Thug, Lithuania’sSilvester Belt, San Marino’sKenzy Loevettof the bandMegara, United Kingdom’sOlly Alexander, and the aforementioned Nemo from Switzerland. As of those eight acts, only half of them qualified for the grand final. While there may not be any correlation between personal identity and success rate in this contest,the fact that these many artists are able to present their work on the global stage is huge. And to be accepted at the same time.
For fans who follow every move duringEurovision, they are eagle-eyed watching the interactions of all the artists. As many reality stars say during their time on their respective shows, only their group of individuals can truly understand the experience they went through. Trauma bonding to the max. It was quite obvious, seeing that through the comradery the artists were showing one another.They had one another’s backs when they experienced some conflict behind the scenes.Even as Nemo was receiving their points, artists including Bambi Thug and Greece’sMarina Sattirushed over to hug them when their delegation honored them with their top score. Where else can you see competing individuals celebrating others beating them with such fervor? It’s partially because they knew history was being made and how important Nemo’s victory was for a marginalized community.
When it comes to groundbreaking moments for the LGBTQ+ community, Eurovision has been at the forefront of history.Back in 1961,Jean-Claude Pascalwon as a gay man for Luxembourg for his song “Nous les amoureux.” The song featured ambiguous lyrics regarding the song’s lovers’ genders. Controversial at the time, he was able to hide the song’s meaning. In 1997, the United Kingdom was victorious with their song “Love Shine a Light” byKatrina and the Waves. At the time, she was not out, butKatrina Leskanichlater came out as a lesbian. Just a year later, Israel’sDana Internationalmade major history as she won as a transgender woman thanks to her song “Diva.” At that time, it didn’t quite matter who she was, music triumphed. Two-time winner Loreen of Sweden is openly bisexual. One of the most celebrated winners in recentEurovisionhistory comes from Austria’s 2014 entry “Rise Like a Phoenix.” The epic power ballad was performed by drag queenConchita Wurst, marking the first time a drag artist wonEurovision. Portugal’sSalvador Sobral, who identifies as intersex as of this year, won in 2017 with the highest score inEurovisionever. And then there’s Nemo! The acceptance of the spectrum of sexuality has been something that the entire world has endured. When it comes toEurovision, it’s all about music.But the mere fact that these individuals, alongside countless others, have had the chance to share their voice on this amazing platform is simply extraordinary.
If you are not part of the mega-fandom ofEurovision, the obsession may not make sense.Eurovisionis a way of life. In the realm of reality television, there is just simply nothing like it.Eurovisionfans may take offense to lumping it under the same umbrella, but it’s a competition show that follows some extraordinary journeys.EurovisionSong Contest has a vast LGBTQ+ following because it is a place to feel a part of a community and be accepted. There’s a reason why many international seasons ofDrag Racehave featured runways, challenges, and lip syncs inspired by the history ofEurovision. As the contest continues to grow, inclusivity will continue to grow alongside it.Eurovisionis something special and everyone deserves to experience it with their friends at least once in their lives.
