Bulgarian singer DARA has made history by winning the Eurovision Song Contest 2026, securing the country's first ever victory in the competition. The 27-year-old artist, whose real name is Darina, triumphed with her song “Bangaranga” in a final held in Vienna, Austria. She amassed 516 points, comfortably ahead of Israel’s 343 points, while the United Kingdom finished last with just one point.
DARA, a former X Factor Bulgaria finalist and coach on The Voice of Bulgaria, described “Bangaranga” as “pop music with folklore bones.” The title, she explained, derives from Jamaican slang meaning uproar or commotion, and the song draws inspiration from the Bulgarian kukeri ritual, where performers wear elaborate costumes and make loud noises to ward off evil spirits. “It is noise and fire and rhythm deployed as a force for good,” she said in a pre-contest interview.
The singer, who grew up in Varna on the Black Sea coast, trained in folklore singing at the National School of Arts. She has released multiple number-one hits in Bulgaria, including “Thunder” and “Call Me,” and her most recent album, “ADHDARA,” explores her adult diagnosis of ADHD. Reflecting on her win, DARA emphasised the importance of raising Bulgaria’s profile: “We are a small country with an enormous cultural soul.”
