Nemo, who won the 2024 contest in Malmö, Sweden, with the song “The Code”, announced their decision through an official statement posted on social media this week. The artist explained that returning the trophy was a symbolic act intended to draw attention to what they view as a moral inconsistency within the competition’s governing body. They expressed disappointment that, despite growing public pressure and widespread calls for the EBU to suspend Israel amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, the broadcaster group confirmed Israel’s eligibility for the 2026 event.

The EBU’s recent decision to include Israel has reignited debate around the political neutrality of Eurovision, which bills itself as an apolitical celebration of music and culture. Critics have accused the organisation of double standards, pointing to its decision to bar Russia from the competition in 2022 following its invasion of Ukraine. Supporters of Nemo’s stance argue that continuing to allow Israel to compete undermines the contest’s credibility and social responsibility at a time of humanitarian crisis.

In their announcement, Nemo reiterated support for freedom, equality, and human rights for all people affected by war, emphasising that their protest was directed at institutions rather than individuals or fellow artists. The decision has sparked a wave of responses across the Eurovision community, with fans and past contestants divided on how politics should intersect with the music contest. Some have hailed the move as courageous and consistent with Nemo’s progressive advocacy, while others defended the EBU’s commitment to maintaining Eurovision as a politically neutral event.

The EBU, in a brief statement responding to Nemo’s decision, confirmed receipt of the trophy but maintained its longstanding policy that Eurovision is “not a platform for political statements.” The organisation noted that all participating broadcasters must adhere to its rules of impartiality and inclusion. Nonetheless, the decision to proceed with Israel’s participation in 2026, expected to be in Madrid, has continued to fuel debate over how the contest should handle political and humanitarian issues.

Nemo’s act adds to a growing wave of artistic protest surrounding Israel’s presence at major cultural events. Over the past year, petitions from European artists, activists and fan groups have called for the EBU to reconsider its stance, arguing that participation from a nation involved in an active military campaign contradicts the spirit of unity that Eurovision seeks to promote. Whether the EBU will alter its position remains uncertain, but the controversy has already ensured that next year’s contest will unfold under heightened scrutiny.

 Featured Image Credits: Arkland

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The Arthouse Tour comes alongside their debut album ‘Arthouse’ set to release in August. The singer has shared pop anthems from the upcoming album such as ‘Unexplainable’ which showcases their emotive, hypnotic vocals. ‘Casanova’ however demonstrates their versatility as this 2 May release shows a theatrical, peppy expression of queer joy. In sharing the music video, Nemo says “never had as much fun shooting a music video before.”

Nemo’s success following their Eurovision win last year has been astounding. The singer achieved an impressive 591 points for their opera/ hip hop fusion ‘The Code’, an addictive track showing their unique operatic vocals and expressing their journey in accepting themselves as non-binary.

They discussed the importance of performing the song in 2024 with Pink News, sharing “Knowing they like a song where I am unconditionally myself, and I talk about the journey of finding myself and being non-binary, and knowing that it touches them… [is] really beautiful”. Being the first non-binary Eurovision winner, the singer told the BBC, “Winning Eurovision turned my life around.” And they have indeed had a great rise to fame with an impressive set of tours and festivals lined up such as Summerstage Basel and Stars in Town in Switzerland. 

The singer recently posted about their last visit to the UK in September, sharing their astonishment at “how trans rights particularly in the UK and US have so quickly been eroded”. They continued the post with advice on how to help and support the trans community in the UK.  

 

 

 

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Nemo gave a moving performance at this year’s 2025 Eurovision Song Contest as they opened the show with their new track ‘Unexplainable’. The song had an expressive and poignant performance as the singer, filled with emotion, ripped off their wig while hitting soul-stirring operatic notes.

Some found the performance to be confusing for the Eurovision setting, with one viewer posting with the caption “what was this yesterday?” Still, many defended the performance as a captivating showcase of vulnerability.

@sillysigmafemale (IGNORE MY HAIR) forever biggest nemo fan @nemothingsss I love you don’t go bald #sillysigmafemale #fyppp #viral? #tiktokk #eurovision #2025 #eurovision2025 #europe #nemo ♬ original sound – Eurovision

Along with the release of their ‘Arthouse’ album, Nemo is releasing a line of merch including CDs, Vinyls and their signature fluffy hat. Merch, tour and festival tickets can be found on their website.