Eurovision
Sam Ryder is, undoubtedly, one of the United Kingdom’s greatest Eurovision success stories in recent years. At 2022’s Song Contest, he finished in 2nd place (its highest finish since 1998) and used that to springboard to a No. 1 album (There’s Nothing But Space, Man!), and cement himself as one of the scene’s most electrifying performers. Soon he was collaborating with Queen’s Brian May, performing in front of the Royal Family at Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee party, and bringing a puppyish enthusiasm to every booking.
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But even so, things in this industry can change in a heartbeat. In 2023, a leadership change at Parlophone Records meant that the executives that Ryder had signed with were leaving the label, and Ryder was caught in the middle: He saw the benefits of remaining on a major label, but felt indebted to the people who backed him when few others did.
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Ryder was not an overnight success. Prior to his selection for Eurovision, he gigged hard for a decade in various rock bands, and held down jobs in construction and hospitality. His rise on TikTok during the pandemic in 2020 eventually helped him land the spot for Eurovision in 2022, and it came when Ryder had just entered his 30s. His was a late-blooming success story and hard-fought for; he understood how fragile the industry can be, and how quickly it can all change.
When it came to the next phase of his career following his debut album success, he prioritized the things that were important to him: respecting the music-making process, and staying loyal. His new run of music — including “OH OK”, out Friday (May 23), and “White Lies” — is earthier, country-flecked as opposed to the glam-rock stylings of his debut. He thought about the artist he wanted to be, and how he can be authentic to his craft. He signed with Artist Theory, the new label from Nick Burgess and Jack Melhuish, who he met at Parlophone and left the major label system with them.
It’s a move that now looks savvy. The material he’s releasing showcases a new depth to his songwriting, and sits alongside Hozier and Noah Kahan’s rugged productions, all while retaining his powerhouse vocals and inimitable charm. In June, Ryder will perform at Glastonbury Festival for the first time; in November, Wembley Arena in London beckons, a sign that everything continues to move in the right direction for the singer-songwriter.
As he releases his new single “Oh OK,” Ryder tells Billboard U.K. about having faith in himself, his move to Nashville and the next phase of his career.
How would you describe this new era?
I’d call it the ‘frontier soul’ era. Soul music – that goes without saying. I sang that for years when I was at weddings and love it. But when I say frontier, think about the grandeur of old Hollywood and the richness in that aesthetic. The music is very much inspired by the Westerns that me and my grandad used to watch together. There’s a real attention to how the score and sound is recorded; films like Alexander the Great where the credits would roll up on screen first with a massive orchestra score. There’s such a richness in all of that aesthetic for me that I really enjoy.
You made the decision to head on a new journey with your label for this next album. Talk us through that…
A door was presented, to be real. At the time I remember feeling sad about it, even though it’s a choice we made, it felt exciting to a degree but daunting also. Parlophone had been there for the entire first album stint, which was amazing. Every challenge we met and exceeded. Parlophone, at that time, was the small dog in the fight. They’d reopened the label and had something to prove and the reason I chose it was because it felt like me; I hadn’t been given a chance until so much later on in my life to reach my potential.
When that label got dissolved essentially, [my] album had just gone to No. 1 and I was turning up to play a sold-out Hammersmith Apollo in London. It shows no one is ever safe from that happening to their label – it wasn’t a situation of the label wanting to go in a different direction, but all these amazing people were getting fired. I didn’t want to move to another major label where you’re an artist inherited rather than believed in and journeyed with.
The executives you worked with left an impression. You must have had faith in them in their next venture?
It’s not just faith, you’ve actually seen them in action and what they can do. Faith can be misconstrued in any industry. Any time you go and see a different label or management – which I’ve been through in my career – everyone gives you their best on that first meeting. It’s almost impossible to make a decision on anything but a gut instinct and a proof of concept; you’ve seen the lengths they’ll go to to make something happen and seen how collaborative they are and how they manage situations. Those are really important attributes.
It must have given you a lot more freedom in the way you approached the writing and recording process. Is that fair?
Yeah, I mean the way that people write music in the current industrial age of recording, you’re in sessions most days of the week with different people. You just end up collecting songs. That’s what I did for the first album and what a lot of my peers are doing as well. You can collect in the region of 100 songs, which, on paper, sounds great right? You’ve got all these songs, and everyone you work with is a great writer and then you put an album together of the best 12 songs.
The problem with that is that you don’t get a concept for the journey of a record, because everything in isolation sounds great and a single song sounds amazing. But put that together and it feels like you’re eating Big Macs and profiteroles for an hour; it just doesn’t feel nutritious.
Your journey has not been a typical one. Success came for you at a different period of your life than a lot of acts. What would you say to the next wave of people coming through when they’re faced with important business decisions like you had to make?
For any new artist, I know how exciting it would feel to come from making music in your bedroom to getting an email from one of the big three labels. I mean, take the meeting, of course. I have so much to thank major labels for; the experience was really magical. It wasn’t without its challenges, but nothing worth fighting for is going to be easy.
But I would say that there’s a really exciting conversation happening in the indie space. The idea of the major label system is slightly outdated. That’s not to say that the people working in those industries are outdated. They love music as much as you and I do. But they’re working in the confines of a massive beast. It’s like working with any big corporation, things happen slowly as there’s so many moving parts; an indie label can be a bit more nimble. I believe [the major’s] intentions are right, but it’s going to take time for change… and I haven’t got the time, man. I need to move quickly!
Have you always dreamt of heading to Nashville?
For the last 13 years the goal has been to get to Nashville and I’m so stoked we’ve been able to do it. I’ve bought a log cabin in the trees which is so peaceful. The city has absolutely exploded in the best way, but it’s still kept its heart and soul.
What is that music community like, particularly for someone moving into the area?
With Nashville, if the evidence of other people’s success doesn’t psych you out everywhere you look, it can be a really good motivational place to be. It’s the same with actors in Hollywood, I imagine. Maybe they go to the Walk of Fame and see these examples of past and present success which aren’t yours yet. It’s kind of the same with Nashville… but I don’t get psyched out by seeing that. I love it. I think that if it’s possible for them, it’s possible for me. It makes me feel like things are happening there and you’re at the epicentre of something special. And I think serendipity and spontaneity are so crucial in music and all the arts. That’s where the good stuff happens.
Heading to Nashville, writing and recording there and on your own terms with the new label must have brought the best out of your creativity, right?
It was nice to have that more manageable pace with it. In the past you just didn’t have time to sit and consider what you’re doing. Your schedule fills up so fast and there’s just not much time. When I look back, making music felt like the side project to everything else that needed to be done. The schedule was so crazy with everything else like promo and TV, that sitting and making music almost felt like a luxury. You’d make music in a room, and then send it off for someone else to mix it and master it or whatever. You never spend time really feeling what you want from a song. And that’s how albums sound as opposed to singles.
You’ll be playing Wembley Arena later this year. Was that always a goal for you?
It was definitely a goal, but as life went on it felt more like a pipe dream. My career started a lot later than some others in my peer group. In some ways it’s a blessing because I have the thickest skin in the game. The amount of times I was certain it wasn’t going to happen but I had to carry on doing it because I had literally no idea what else I was going to do.
Are you glad it happened at this stage of your life where you can appreciate the journey a bit more?
Oh definitely. If I had hit Wembley at a younger stage in my career, I think it might have come from a place of ego and to show everyone at school, or whoever doubted me, “Look what I can do.” Whereas now it’s more of a peaceful feeling where I’m so grateful and I don’t want to let anyone down. I know I won’t because I’ll put my all into the show.
Classically trained countertenor JJ of Austria is the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest winner with “Wasted Love,” a song that combines operatic, multi-octave vocals with a techno twist. JJ beat 25 other competitors during Saturday’s (May 17) grand final in the Swiss city of Basel.
Israel’s Yuval Raphael came second at an exuberant celebration of music and unity that was shadowed by the Gaza war and ruffled by discord over Israel’s participation.
JJ, whose full name is Johannes Pietsch, was Austria’s first winner since bearded drag queen Conchita Wurst in 2014. JJ, who sings with the Vienna State Opera, has called Wurst a mentor. It was Austria’s third victory overall in Eurovision.
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“This is beyond my wildest dreams. It’s crazy,” said the singer after being handed the microphone-shaped glass Eurovision trophy.
JJ won after a nail-biting final that saw Raphael scoop up a massive public vote from her many fans for her anthemic “New Day Will Rise.” But she also faced protests from pro-Palestinian demonstrators calling for Israel to be kicked out of the contest over its conduct of the war against Hamas in Gaza.
Estonia’s Tommy Cash came third with “Espresso Macchiato,” and Swedish entry KAJ, who had been favorite to win with jaunty sauna ode “Bara Bada Bastu,” came fourth.
The world’s largest live music event reached its glitter-drenched conclusion with a grand final in Basel, Switzerland, that offered pounding electropop, quirky rock and outrageous divas.
Acts from 26 countries — trimmed from 37 entrants through two elimination semifinals — performed to some 160 million viewers for the continent’s pop crown. No smoke machine, jet of flame or dizzying light display was spared by musicians who had three minutes to win over millions of viewers who, along with national juries of music professionals, pick the winner.
The show offered a celebration of Europe’s eclectic, and sometimes baffling, musical tastes. Lithuanian band Katarsis delivered grunge rock, while Ukraine’s Ziferblat channeled prog rock and the U.K.’s Remember Monday offered country pop.
Italy’s Lucio Corsi evoked 1970s glam rock, while Icelandic duo VAEB rapped about rowing and Latvia’s six-woman Tautumeitas offered gorgeous, intertwined harmonies.
There were divas aplenty, including Spain’s Melody, Poland‘s Justyna Steczkowska — participating in Eurovision for a second time after a 30-year gap, with “GAJA” — and Malta’s outrageous Miriana Conte, who performed “Serving,” a song whose previous suggestive title and lyrics were changed on the orders of contest organizers, on a set including a glitter ball and giant lips.
Dean Vuletic, an expert on the history of Eurovision, said the competition has become more diverse over the years, both musically and linguistically. There are songs in 20 languages this year, including Ukrainian, Icelandic, Albanian, Latvian and Maltese.
“In the past it was about having a catchy, innocuous pop song, usually in English,” he said. But “in recent years the formulaic approach to a Eurovision entry hasn’t succeeded.”
“An entry needs to be memorable and it needs to be authentic in order to succeed these days,” said Vuletic.
This year’s contest was roiled for a second year by disputes over Israel’s participation. Dozens of former participants, including Switzerland’s Nemo, have called for Israel to be excluded, and several of the broadcasters that fund Eurovision sought a review of the country’s participation.
Pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel protests both took place in Basel, though on a much smaller scale than at last year’s event in Sweden, where tensions spilled over backstage and Dutch competitor Joost Klein was expelled over an alleged altercation with a crew member.
Hundreds of people marched through Basel just before the competition, waving Palestinian flags and chanting “Boycott Israel.”
Earlier, a group of Israel supporters gathered in Basel’s cathedral square to root for Raphael and to show that “Jews belong in public spaces in Switzerland,” Zurich resident Rebecca Laes-Kushner said.
She said that “it would be such a strong statement against antisemitism,” if Raphael won.
“This is supposed to be about music, not about hate,” she said.
The European Broadcasting Union, or EBU, which runs Eurovision, tightened the contest’s code of conduct this year, calling on participants to respect Eurovision’s values of “universality, diversity, equality and inclusivity” and its political neutrality.
After a controversial ban in 2024 on flags, apart from national ones, being waved in the arena, this year audience members can bring Palestinian flags or any others, as long as they are legal under Swiss law. Performers, though, can only wave their own country’s flag.
Eurovision director Martin Green told reporters that the organizers’ goal was to ”re-establish a sense of unity, calm and togetherness this year in a difficult world.”
“All 37 delegations, in difficult times, have behaved impeccably,” he said.
For the Italian public, he is now an artist who needs no introduction. His surprising climb to second place at the Sanremo Festival 2025 with the song “Volevo Essere un Duro” (“I Wanted to Be a Tough Guy”) made him famous thanks to its mix of tenderness, irony and aesthetic and musical references to glam rock – reinterpreted in his own way. However, for the international public of Eurovision 2025, Lucio Corsi is an artist who is still to be discovered.
Italy’s presence among the “Big Five” guarantees him direct access to the final, but will he be able to replicate his unexpected success of Sanremo? He openly does not aim for victory: “Music for me is not a competition. It would make no sense: how can you compete in music? It’s not a sport,” he says, sounding sincere.
However, everyone’s eyes and ears are focused on the Saturday (May 17) final, where the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest winner will be decided. Billboard Italy interviewed the “anti-hero” songwriter after his performance in the first semifinal to gather his thoughts and impressions before the final.
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What was your first impression of Eurovision?
It was interesting to see how many rehearsals there are before the performance. They are repeated several times a day and there is great attention to every little detail. There is also great readiness to improve the shots and the sound. It is a fortune to be able to invent what we want on stage.
What are the similarities and differences between Sanremo and Eurovision?
In Sanremo everything is very concentrated: from morning to evening there are interviews, rehearsals, performances. Here, instead, everything is more dilated in time and there are fewer things on your schedule. In Sanremo you continuously breathe the atmosphere of the festival, here you can also isolate yourself: in some moments you don’t even feel like you are at Eurovision. It is also interesting to be able to encounter other types of musical expression, from other countries and with other conceptions of the songs.
You said that you particularly like Napa, the Portuguese band. Have you had the chance to meet other Eurovision artists in person?
Yes, I met Go-Jo, the Australian artist. I first met him by chance while walking in Rome: we turned a corner and found ourselves face to face. It’s a small world…. Then I met [Estonian artist] Tommy Cash here in the hotel. These encounters are among the nice things of these experiences.
After your performance, many people appreciated your reference to a glam rock sound and aesthetic. Is it an element you are counting on to appeal to an international audience?
I have always tried to find my own way of being inspired by that type of sound. I have always liked it, since adolescence. It is not something aimed at making an impression: it just interests me on the level of composition, sound, research. However, I like many types of music, from folk to prog rock. In the future, I would like to delve into other things as well. This is just a snapshot of this period of mine.
How was your “anti-hero” style received by those who didn’t know you before?
I’m very happy that the English subtitles to the lyrics did their job. I’m happy to see that foreign journalists understood the meaning of the song. I hope that can happen in the final, too. The English translation we did is the simplest possible, because it has to reach non-native speakers as well. We didn’t need a sophisticated translation but a clear, immediate text.
Your collaboration with Tommaso Ottomano, who is with you on stage, is very close: tell us about the human and professional relationship that binds you guys.
He’s like a brother. We’ve known each other since we were kids and we’ve invented everything together, from songs to music videos [Ottomano is also a director, ed.]. We both come from Tuscan, in particular from Maremma, which is a sort of Italian Wild West. Music took us away from the boredom of the province, which is also wonderful because it’s very similar to peace. Learning to deal with such boredom as kids gave us the opportunity to find escapes in music. Also, the stories of people from the provinces are very epic: since the places are “small,” these stories have to be in some way gigantic. This inspires me a lot.
Lucio Corsi
Francis Delacroix/Billboard Italy
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Organized by the European Broadcasting Union, the 69th annual Eurovision Song Contest features the brightest up-and-coming singers and pop groups in 37 countries, including France, Germany, Sweden, Belgium, Australia, Israel, Italy, United Kingdom and many others, competing to win the event.
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Eurovision 2025 starts on Tuesday (May 13) at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT and ends on Saturday (May 17) at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT. The music competition livestreams on Peacock. Learn more about Eurovision Song Contest 2025 here.
The event livestreams from St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland. Keep reading to learn how to watch the event live.
How to Watch Eurovision Song Contest 2025
Peacock exclusively livestreams Eurovision Song Contest 2025. For Peacock subscribers, you can tune into the live event for no additional cost. Just log into your account once the event begins, and you’ll have access.
Don’t have a Peacock subscription? The streaming platform doesn’t offer a free trial, but does come with a couple of affordable plans starting at $7.99 per month.
There are two different plans offered on Peacock: The Premium Plan for $7.99 per month or the Premium Plus Plan for $13.99 per month. If you’re looking for additional savings, you can save 17% off when you do the annual plan for $79.99 per year or $139.99 per year. With the Premium Plan, it’s ad-supported and you’ll receive more than 80,000 hours of TV, movies and sports, access to live sports events, current NBC and Bravo shows, 50+ always-on live TV channels as well as the ability to stream new, exclusive and original content from the streaming platform.
Peacock’s Premium Plus plan comes with everything in the Premium plan, no ads, your local NBC channel live and the ability to download and stream eligible content offline.
Alongside Eurovision Song Contest 2025, you’ll have access to the entire Peacock library, including WrestleMania, Yellowstone, The Holdovers, Five Nights At Freddy’s, Vanderpump Rules, The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, Based on a True Story, Bel-Air, Kevin Hart: Reality Check, Poker Face, Saturday Night Live, Willie Nelson & Family and more.
Check out the Eurovision 2025 schedule below, and livestream the event here.
Eurovision 2025 Schedule:
Tuesday, May 13, First Semifinal — 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT
Thursday, May 15, Second Semifinal — 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT
Saturday, May 17, Grand Final — 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT
The streaming service also offers a number of music documentaries and specials, such as Toby Keith: An American Icon, Bowie: The Man Who Changed The World, Bob Dylan: The Folk Years, Stevie Nicks: Through The Looking Glass, Katy Perry: Main Square, Welcome To The A: 50 Years of Hip-Hop in Atlanta and more.
Meanwhile, those who want to watch internationally can access the streaming service with a VPN, such as ExpressVPN or NordVPN — prices start at $4.99 per month or $3.09 per month, respectively.
Eurovision Song Contest 2025 is available to stream on Peacock starting on Tuesday, May 13, starting at 3 p.m. ET/12 p.m. PT.
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At the age of 10, Melody became a precocious phenomenon in Spanish pop with “El Baile del Gorila,” the lead single from her album De Pata Negra, which led her to embark on an international tour. Twenty-four years later, the singer and songwriter is facing the challenge of representing Spain at the 2025 Eurovision Song Contest, which will be held on May 17 in Basel, Switzerland.
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The song she will perform is “Esa Diva,” a pop track that’s both a vocal challenge and a manifesto of empowerment. “A diva is brave, powerful/ Her life is a garden full of thorns and roses/ She rises up dancing/ Stronger than a hurricane,” goes part of the chorus, in Spanish. With an intense performance and dynamic staging, Melody is aiming for more than just a show — a story with purpose and soul.
“I didn’t want to go with an empty dance song. I wanted it to have a message, strength, to speak about something that happens to all of us,” the artist explains in an interview with Billboard Español.
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The song has been widely embraced since its debut at the Benidorm Fest, evolving with new versions. The original was co-written by Melody and Alberto Fuentes Lorite and produced by Joy Deb, Peter Boström, and Thomas G:son. On March 13, a symphonic version was released, arranged by Borja Arias and performed by Melody alongside the RTVE Orchestra and Choir, adding a more cinematic and emotional dimension to the track.
“I wanted to show it in a different way. I’m a fan of soundtracks, and this song called for an orchestral treatment,” Melody says. “If a rhythmic song works as a ballad, it’s a great song.”
Beyond the music, “Esa Diva” has become a symbol. “The diva isn’t just the one who shines on stage –she’s the one who fights, the one who falls and gets back up. The one who supports other women. The one who is strong, but also humble,” Melody notes. And many people have found comfort and inspiration in this message. One of the anecdotes that has moved her most is about a young woman undergoing cancer treatment who listens to the song daily to gather strength.
Although this is not the first time Melody has tried to represent Spain at Eurovision — she did so in 2009 with “Amante de la Luna” — she feels that now is the right time. “If I didn’t do it now, I was never going to do it. It was the moment,” she adds. “I feel it, and I’m enjoying it like never before.”
Her victory at Benidorm Fest 2025 confirms this: She was the audience favorite, earning first place in the tele-vote with a solid 39%. Although the jury placed her third, the combination of both votes secured her direct pass to Eurovision.
With six albums released, tours across Latin America and roles in series like Cuéntame Cómo Pasó and Arde Madrid, the singer and actress has navigated genres and formats with ease. “It’s been many years. And here we are, with a good attitude, eager to sing and keep making the audience happy. What more could you ask for?” the performer of “Parapapá” and “Rúmbame” says with a laugh.
Meanwhile, she continues to bring her music across Europe as part of her pre-Eurovision tour, TheDIVAXperience. In recent days, she has performed in Amsterdam and London, presenting the new version of “Esa Diva” to specialized media and Eurovision fans. On April 7, the artist was welcomed in Dos Hermanas, her hometown, where she performed the song from the balcony of City Hall before a crowd. “The love from my hometown moves me. When you’re recognized at home, it feels different,” she says.
This week, she will participate in the PrePartyES in Madrid (April 18-19), where she will share the stage with representatives from various European delegations. Then, on April 23, she will headline a special farewell event organized by RTVE at Teatro Barceló before heading to Basel for the contest.
The staging for Eurovision promises a significant evolution compared to what was seen at the Benidorm Fest. Melody has indicated that the set design will include new visual and choreographic elements, aiming to make the most of the technical possibilities of the stage. “There will be new ingredients. It won’t just be a song; it’s a story I want to tell,” she says, making it clear that her proposal seeks to move audiences beyond the visual spectacle.
Recently becoming a mother, Melody, an independent artist and an advocate for meaningful lyrics, acknowledges that balancing it all is not easy: “I organize myself however I can. But my son recharges my batteries, and when I need grounding, I go back home.” Participating in Eurovision involves much more than stepping onto a big stage — it means enduring a level of media exposure, artistic pressure, and public scrutiny that is hard to match.
Regarding the flood of opinions surrounding this experience, Melody maintains a firm stance. “I value constructive criticism; there’s always room to learn. But destructive criticism doesn’t affect me. I’m not driven by that. I sing from the heart, and that’s why I’m here,” she says.
Her approach is not casual. Eurovision generates a massive volume of social media conversations every year, with millions of interactions, according to data from the EBU (European Broadcasting Union). The contest’s global audience exceeds 160 million viewers across its three shows, making it one of the most-watched musical events in the world. For any artist, the exposure is as immense as the challenge.
After the festival, Melody already has plans: a new single, a tour across Spain and a strong desire to reconnect with her Latin American audience. “I’ve always felt so much love from Latin America,” she says. “This is a new chapter, and I’m thrilled to bring my music there again. They’re so heartfelt, so close. I want to dance and enjoy together.”
JoJo Siwa is ready for the world’s stage. According to the 21-year-old star, Poland is considering her to represent the country in the next Eurovision Song Contest — and she’s totally down to do it. The Dance Moms alum shared the news while getting ready to head to the airport in a recent TikTok video, […]
With their groundbreaking anthem to gender nonconformity “The Code,” Swiss pop artist Nemo transformed from a lesser-known European artist to a bona fide global star in a matter of weeks.
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That’s in no small part thanks to their participation in the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, which they won on May 11, 2024. “I remember being on that sofa, hearing the jury votes and just being in a state of complete confusion,” they tell Billboard. “It was incredible. And it was really meaningful because I feel like this kind of [opportunity] doesn’t really happen for Switzerland that often. We have such a great scene and so many amazing artists, so I’m really happy that this puts a spotlight on Swiss music.”
Nemo is eager to share that spotlight with the nonbinary community, both in Switzerland and across the world. “It can be hard to stay hopeful when bad things keep happening to our community over and over again,” they say. “But this helps me feel like there are finally things to be hopeful about.”
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FOUNDATION
Nemo’s career started from a place of sheer curiosity. At age nine, the singer found a flyer in their hometown advertising open auditions for a youth opera and joined. After one performance of Mozart’s The Magic Flute, they came to a realization: “I love being on a stage.” Nemo went on to perform in a number of operas and even landed a role in a musical in Zurich, all of which helped hone their vocal skills and educate them on writing lyrics. In 2015, they self-released Clownfisch, an EP of songs written in Swiss German. But soon after its release, Nemo realized that writing and performing songs in their native dialect could only get them so far. “Swiss German is great, but it is also a tiny language,” they say. “If I wanted to open my playing field and collaborate with more people, I needed to start writing in English.”
DISCOVERY
After a decade spent jumping between boutique indie labels, Nemo decided to submit a song to Eurovision 2024 — but knew they needed someone “to direct that water.” They reached out to multiple major labels and found what they were looking for at Universal Music Group. Soon after, Nemo submitted an original song, “The Code,” which fittingly interpolates The Magic Flute. The frenetic, operatic track won Eurovision’s top prize by 44 points over the favorite to win, Croatia’s Baby Lasagna. In taking home the trophy, Nemo became the first nonbinary performer to win Eurovision — and has since watched “The Code” become their first charting hit, climbing to Nos. 21 and 52 on the Billboard Global Excl. U.S. and Billboard Global 200 charts, respectively. “Jumping into the cold water that is Eurovision meant learning how to swim while everyone was watching,” they say.
FUTURE
With so much momentum, Nemo is resolute in making the most of their moment. Following the “very time-consuming” process of curating their Eurovision performance, Nemo has now been spending a significant amount of time in the studio. “The last couple of days, I’ve worked with some amazing writers and producers, and we have so many songs that I want to share,” they say, beaming. “A lot of exciting things are finally happening.”
A version of this article originally appeared in the June 22, 2024, issue of Billboard.
The four members of the Swedish pop quartet ABBA, who triumphed at the 1974 Eurovision Song Contest with the peppy love song “Waterloo,” on Friday (May 31) got one of the most prestigious knighthoods in Sweden from the Swedish King Carl XVI Gustaf.
The Order of the Vasa was handed out for the first time in almost 50 years. Agnetha Faltskog, Björn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson and Anni-Frid Lyngstad became “Commander of the First Class” of the order for “very outstanding efforts in Swedish and international music life.”
Sweden has several orders, including the Royal Order of Seraphim, which is awarded to heads of state and foreign royals, and the Royal Order of the Polar Star that is given to foreign citizens and stateless persons.
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The Royal Order of Vasa, which is given in recognition of personal efforts for Sweden or for Swedish interests as well as the successful performance of public duties and assignments, was dormant until late 2022, when it was reactivated after regulations opened the Royal Orders to Swedish citizens again.
Earlier this year, candidates were nominated by the public and the Swedish government and the king approved the nominees that included the four ABBA members.
The orders were awarded during a solemn ceremony at the Royal Palace in the gilded Vita Havet Assembly Rooms. The monarch handed them the order in a red box while a diploma was given to them by Queen Silvia.
”The order you get today today is Sweden’s thanks for your exceptional efforts,” the monarch said before handing out orders to “13 exceptional Swedes.”
Andersson, Faltskog, Lyngstad, who now uses the last name Reuss walked up using a cane, and Ulvaeus received the order in an event that was aired live on Swedish media.
The Eurovision victory turned ABBA into a pop juggernaut, by far the most successful band to win the pan-continental music contest. ABBA’s melodic disco pop sold hundreds of millions of records worldwide. The stage musical Mamma Mia! based on its songs is 25 years old and spawned two movies.
Coincidentally, the 2024 Eurovision was held in southern Sweden. Swiss singer Nemo won the 68th contest with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing a nongender identity.
The Swedish band members have not performed together live for four decades, but released a comeback album, Voyage, in 2021. The digital “ABBA-tars” opened in London in 2022.
Two other receipients were two 2023 Nobel Prize winners: French-Swedish physicist Anne L’Huillier, and Svante Pääbo, who won the coveted award in physics and medicine. They were both made Commander Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star for “outstanding research efforts.”
Another edition of Eurovision Song Contest – the pan-European Olympics of pop songwriting – has come and gone, but the competition’s impact lingers, with six songs appearing on the May 25-dated Billboard Global Excl. U.S. chart. Nemo’s “The Code” won for Switzerland and leads all charting songs, debuting at No. 21, while also cracking the Billboard Global 200 at No. 52.
“The Code” arrives with 21.6 million streams worldwide, 20.8 million of which, or 96%, were from outside the U.S., May 10-16, according to Luminate. It crowns Billboard’s Switzerland Songs, while placing in the top 10 on rankings reflecting activity in Austria, Belgium, Croatia, Finland, Greece, Iceland, Luxembourg and Sweden.
Eurovision runner-up Baby Lasanga’s “Rim Tim Tagi Dim”, representing Croatia, and fourth-place finisher Slimane’s “Mon Amour” (France) also debut on both global charts. The former is new at No. 64 on Global Excl. U.S. and No. 139 on the Global 200, and the latter starts at Nos. 61 and 144, respectively.
Plus, third-place finalist “Teresa & Maria” by Alyona Alyona and Jerry (Ukraine) hits Global Excl. U.S. at No. 130 and seventh-place finisher “La Noia” by Angelina Mango (Italy) arrives one spot higher at No. 129.
One other Eurovision song appears on both global charts, but you won’t find it on the competition’s leaderboard. Joost’s “Europapa,” representing the Netherlands, was disqualified from competing after the singer threatened Eurovision’s production crew. The ban may have helped spur global consumption, as its No. 24 re-entry on Global Excl. U.S. comes just below the winning track’s debut, and it leads the Eurovision pack on the Global 200, one spot above “The Code,” at No. 51.
The global success of Joost’s entry, particularly on the Global 200, were U.S. sales and streams are part of the chart’s equation, is unique. On average, this year’s six Eurovision tracks drew 3.65% of their worldwide streams from the U.S. in the frame following the competition’s close, in line with last year’s 3.58%. But “Europapa” is an outlier, more than doubling that average. Of 23 million streams worldwide in the tracking week, 7.44% come from the U.S., marking the highest domestic share of any Eurovision song to have hit the global charts since 2021. The song’s spiked American activity is notable since its lyrics are in Dutch (while “The Code” is performed in English).
The total tally of six Global Excl. U.S.-charting songs improves upon the four from Eurovision’s 2023 haul and matches 2022’s six. Still, 2021’s competition remains unmatched with seven, including Måneskin, which won for Italy with “Zitti E Buoni.” That song got as high as No. 10 but proved an appetizer for the group’s “I Wanna Be Your Slave” and “Beggin,” which climbed to Nos. 8 and 2, respectively, later that year.
Defying the odds, Switzerland won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with “The Code” by Nemo on Saturday (May 11) at the Malmö Arena in Sweden. It’s the perfect bookend as Switzerland won the very first competition in 1956 with “Refrain” by Lys Assia. This is the European nation’s third win and the first since Celine Dion claimed victory with “Ne Partez Pas Sans Moi” in 1988.
Croatia was tipped to take the 2024 crown, and in the end, it did come down to the two countries vying for first place. Switzerland took a commanding lead with the jury vote, which is always announced first. Adding in the audience votes at the end usually provides for a dramatic ending, and it could have gone either way, but Switzerland collected enough points from the public to maintain its lead. It would have been Croatia’s first win out of 29 tries; it is the country’s best result to date, after three top five finishes — in 1996, 1998 and 1999.
Nemo, who identifies as non-binary, received the microphone-shaped glass trophy from the hands of Loreen, who won Eurovision in 2023 for Sweden with “Tattoo.” Nemo has been releasing music in Switzerland since 2015. They competed on Switzerland’s version of The Masked Singer in 2021-22 and was unveiled as the Panda in fifth place.
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It was a Eurovision Song Contest with more drama than in recent memory. Joost Klein from the Netherlands was disqualified after the semi-finals because of an alleged backstage incident. Alanna Mele, designated to be the spokesperson to give Norway’s jury points on air, withdrew the day of the final with a statement that ended with “Free Palestine.” Slimane from France unexpectedly stopped his performance during Saturday afternoon’s (May 11) dress rehearsal for a message of love and peace. Bambie Thug from Ireland protested to the European Broadcasting Union about remarks from the Israeli commentator and missed one of her rehearsals.
One of the biggest questions of the night was whether would ABBA appear, 50 years after giving Sweden its first Eurovision victory with “Waterloo.” While the four members did not appear in person in Malmö, they were represented by their avatars in London, where the virtual show Voyage has been playing for two years. While most of their dialog about their Eurovision win was directly from the show, they did add comments wishing everyone well in Malmö.
Nemo’s win means that Switzerland will host Eurovision in 2025. Cities in that nation can vie to host. Switzerland previously hosted Eurovision in Lugano and Lausanne.
The top 10 countries for Eurovision 2024 and their combined points from the jury and public votes are:
Switzerland, 591
Croatia, 547
Ukraine, 453
France, 445
Israel, 375
Ireland, 278
Italy, 268
Armenia, 183
Sweden, 174
Portugal, 152
Norway finished last with 16 points. The U.K. entry “Dizzy” by Ollie Alexander, did not fare well with the juries, receiving 46 points, but completely failed with the public, being the only nation to receive zero points from viewers voting by telephone, website, SMS and the Eurovision app.