Malmö, Sweden – Nemo, a Swiss singer, won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest early Sunday with “The Code,” an operatic pop-rap hymn to her quest to embrace a nongender identity.

Switzerland’s contender defeated Croatian musician Baby Lasagna for the title by receiving the most points from national juries and fans worldwide. Nemo, 24, is the first nonbinary winner of the tournament, which has long been regarded as a safe haven for the LGBT community. Nemo is also the first Swiss winner since Celine Dion, a Canadian singer who competed under the Swiss flag in 1988.

“Thank you so much,” Nemo remarked shortly after midnight when the results of Saturday’s final were announced. I hope this contest can live up to its promise and continue to stand for peace and dignity for every person.”

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Switzerland’s Nemo Wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest After Event Roiled By Protests Over War In Gaza

At a post-victory press conference, Nemo stated his satisfaction in accepting the medal for “people who are daring to be themselves and people who need to be heard and understood.” “We need more compassion and empathy.”

Nemo’s victory in the Swedish city of Malmo came after a traumatic year for the pan-continental pop contest, which witnessed significant street protests against Israel’s participation, turning the feelgood musical festival into a chaotic pressure cooker overshadowed by the conflict in Gaza.

Hours before the final, Dutch contestant Joost Klein was kicked out of the competition after a backstage brawl that authorities were investigating.

Nemo — full name Nemo Mettler — defeated finalists from 24 other countries, all performing in front of thousands of live audience members and an estimated 180 million viewers worldwide. Each contestant had three minutes to combine popular tunes and eye-popping splendor into performances that would win the hearts of spectators. Musical styles included rock, disco, techno, rap, and mashups of other genres.

Eden Golan, an Israeli singer who spent Eurovision week in Malmo under strict security, ascended the stage to a wall of sound – boos and applause — to perform the power ballad “Hurricane.” Despite the protests, Golan climbed the odds table throughout the week and finished fifth, trailing only Nemo, Baby Lasagna, Ukrainian combo alyona alyona & Jerry Heil, and French artist Slimane.

Eurovision officials forced a change to the song’s original title, “October Rain” – an apparent reference to the Oct. 7 Hamas strike that killed over 1,200 people in Israel and sparked the Gaza conflict.

The show was typical Eurovision fare, with Estonia’s 5Miinust x Puuluup performing a pop-zombie folk hybrid, Greece’s Marina Satti and Armenia’s Ladaniva performing folk-inflected power pop, and Finland’s Windows95man performing goofy 1990s nostalgia, emerging from a giant onstage egg wearing very little clothing.

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Switzerland’s Nemo Wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest After Event Roiled By Protests Over War In Gaza

Britain’s Olly Alexander performed the peppy dance single “Dizzy,” Ireland’s gothic Bambie Thug summoned a demon onstage and brought a screaming coach to Malmo, and Spain’s Nebulossa bravely reclaimed a term used as a slur on women in “Zorra.”

On Saturday, thousands of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched through Sweden’s third-largest city, which has a large Muslim population, demanding a boycott of Israel and a cease-fire in the seven-month Gaza war, which has killed nearly 35,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run territory’s health ministry.

Several hundred people gathered outside the Malmo Arena before the final, some shouting “shame” at arriving music fans and clashing with police who were obstructing their path. Climate campaigner Greta Thunberg was one among those led away by police.

Klein, the Dutch artist, was removed from the competition after a female production crew member filed a complaint, according to the European Broadcasting Union, the competition’s organizer. The 26-year-old Dutch musician and rapper’s song “Europapa” has been a hit with bookmakers and fans.

Dutch broadcaster AVROTROS, one of dozens of public broadcasters that collectively sponsor and broadcast the tournament, said Klein was filmed without authorization as he exited the stage following Thursday’s semifinal and made a “threatening movement” toward the camera.

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Switzerland’s Nemo Wins 68th Eurovision Song Contest After Event Roiled By Protests Over War In Gaza

The broadcaster stated that Klein did not touch the camera or the camera operator, and that his dismissal was “disproportionate.”

Tensions were obvious in the hours preceding the final. At the start of the final dress rehearsal, several artists were missing from the Olympic-style artists’ entry; however, they all appeared in the final.

Several competitors mentioned peace or love at the end of their performances, including France’s Slimane, who stated: “United by music for love and peace.”

Nemo described the Eurovision experience as “really intense and not just pleasant all the way.”

SOURCE – (AP)

A judge in California has determined that Brian Wilson, the 81-year-old primary musical visionary of the Beach Boys, will be placed under conservatorship following the death of his wife, who had cared for him while he battled a neurocognitive illness.

On Thursday, Judge Gus May of the Superior Court of California, County of Los Angeles, authorized a petition submitted in February by lawyers representing potential conservators following the death of Wilson’s wife of 28 years, Melinda Wilson, on January 30.

According to the appeal, Brian Wilson‘s neurocognitive impairment has rendered him “unable to properly provide for his own personal needs for physical health”.

The judge stated in the filing that there was “clear and convincing evidence” that the conservatorship was required and suitable since Wilson was “unable to care for” himself and lacked the capacity to make decisions regarding his own health and medications.

He also claimed that evidence revealed Wilson had agreed to the plan.

Brian under home care

In a February statement, Wilson’s family confirmed that LeeAnn Hard, his business manager, and Jean Sievers, his publicist and manager, would serve as co-conservators, in accordance with “family processes” established by Wilson and his wife, who died at their Beverly Hills home.

“This decision was made to ensure that there will be no extreme changes to the household, and Brian and the children living at home will be taken care of and remain in the home where they are cared for,” according to the family statement.

“Brian will be able to enjoy all of his family and friends and continue to work on current projects as well as participate in any activities he chooses,” added the statement.

In addition to appointing the conservators, the judge granted a request by two of Wilson’s seven children, Carnie Wilson and Wendy Wilson of the pop group Wilson Phillips, for all of the children to be consulted on healthcare decisions and, if they so desired, to be added to group texts on nurse updates.

In a February email to The New York Times, Sievers stated that Brian Wilson had dementia and that as a co-conservator, she would “ensure that all of Brian’s daily living needs are satisfied and he continues to lead an active life.” She stated on Friday that she had no more comments.

Beach Boys Transformed Pop Music

Wilson has fought with mental health issues for years, including depression and a schizoaffective disorder diagnosis, which manifested as auditory hallucinations both on tour and in the studio as the Beach Boys‘ creative force.

The Beach Boys transformed pop music in the 1960s with a trademark sound that combined lush harmonies, creative instrumentation, and emotive lyrics. With classics like Good Vibrations and God Only Knows, they were one of the most influential bands of their day, alongside the Beatles.

Brian Wilson’s wife, whom he met in 1986, acted as his healthcare agent near the end of her life, according to court documents. They married in 1995 and have five children. Wilson credits her with stabilising his life and career.

“Melinda was more than my wife,” Wilson said on Instagram in January, confirming her death. “She was my saviour.” She provided the emotional assurance I needed to pursue a profession. She urged me to create music that was near to my heart. “She was my anchor.”

Source:  The New York Times

Malmö, Sweden – Scores of musicians, hundreds of journalists, and thousands of music enthusiasts have converged in Malmo, Sweden, as the Eurovision Song Contest prepares for Saturday’s jubilant, glitter-drenched finale.

But even Eurovision cannot avoid the world’s divisions. Thousands of pro-Palestinian protestors are expected in the city to call for a cease-fire in the Israel-Hamas conflict and criticize Israel’s participation in the event.

Here’s an introduction to what Eurovision is, how it operates, and what to look for.

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What is Eurovision?

The short answer is that Eurovision is a music competition in which performers from around Europe and beyond compete under their national flags for the title of continental champion. Consider these the pop music Olympics.

The longer explanation is that Eurovision is an event that combines pop, partying, and politics, resembling a music festival, an awards show, and a United Nations Security Council meeting. It’s a crazy joyful festival that celebrates music’s unifying power, but it’s also a venue for politics and regional rivalries.

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How does it work?

This year, the tournament will be held over many days in the Swedish coastal city of Malmo, which has entries from 37 countries. The country is hosting after Swedish singer Loreen won the competition last year in Liverpool, England.

After two semifinals, the artists have been reduced to 25, and they will compete in Saturday’s final in front of thousands of fans in the Malmo Arena and a global broadcast audience estimated at 180 million.

In an unusual move, the 26th finalist, Joost Klein of the Netherlands, was removed from the competition on Saturday due to “a complaint made by a female member of the production crew” that is being probed by police, according to organizers.

Nations may enter a solo act or a band. They can perform in any genre or language, but the regulations require them to sing live and limit their songs to three minutes. Staging has become increasingly extravagant, with spectacular pyrotechnics and sophisticated dance. This year is very great for topless male dancers.

After all of the acts have been performed, the winner is determined by a notoriously complex combination of phone and online votes from all around the world and rankings by music-industry juries in each Eurovision country. As the results are announced, countries move up and down the standings, and tensions rise. Ending up with “nul points,” or zero, is considered a national shame.

Eurovision’s musical style has evolved drastically since its inception in 1956. The early years of crooners and ballads gave way to cheery pop, as exemplified by possibly the greatest Eurovision song of all time, ABBA’s “Waterloo,” which won 50 years ago.

Euro-techno and power ballads are popular nowadays, but viewers choose rock, folk rap, and odd, unclassifiable music.

According to bookies, Swiss singer Nemo is a top contender, delivering “The Code,” a beautiful, operatic ballad. Nemo would be the first nonbinary performer to win the contest with a large LGBTQ+ following. A quarter century ago, Dana International became the contest’s first transgender winner.

Another nonbinary singer gaining traction is Ireland’s Bambie Thug, whose song “Doomsday Blue” is Gothic, passionate, over-the-top, and a true crowd-pleaser. They are the only contestants to bring a “scream coach” to Malmo.

Other acts expected to perform well include operatic Slovenian singer Raiven, Ukrainian rap-pop combo Alyona Alyona and Jerry Heil, and Spain’s Nebulossa, whose song “Zorra” sparked controversy because its title can be translated as an anti-female slur.

The performer with the most traction is Croatian vocalist Baby Lasagna. His song “Rim Tim Tagi Dim” is classic Eurovision: joyful, humorous, slightly emotional, and immensely catchy. It is already a major fan favorite.

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WHY ARE SOME PEOPLE PROTESTING?

Eurovision’s tagline is “united by music,” its organizer, the European Broadcasting Union, works to keep politics out of the competition. But it frequently intrudes.

Belarus was kicked out of Eurovision in 2021 for its government’s crackdown on opposition, while Russia was kicked out in 2022 for its full-fledged invasion of Ukraine.

This year, there have been requests for Israel’s exclusion due to its actions in the conflict against Hamas.

Israel is competing but was forced to change the title of its song, which was previously titled “October Rain,” in an apparent reference to Hamas’ October 7 cross-border raid. Eden Golan, a 20-year-old vocalist, now performs the song “Hurricane.”

Thousands of pro-Palestinian activists marched through Malmo hours before Golan performed in Thursday’s semifinal, and another is planned for Saturday. Swedish police have launched a large security operation, with officers from throughout the country joined by reinforcements from Denmark and Norway.

SOURCE – (AP)