Bulgaria has celebrated its first-ever victory at the Eurovision Song Contest as fans welcomed home singer Dara, whose party anthem 'Bangaranga' proved an unexpected breakthrough hit. The 70th edition of the contest was held at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, on Saturday night.
A Triumphant Return
Prime Minister Rumen Radev hailed Dara, whose real name is Darina Nikolaeva Yotova, as 'a young artist who, thanks to her talent and professionalism, has managed to rise above all the complexities and prejudices surrounding the voting process.' He added, 'Dara is yet more proof that Bulgaria can win.'
The final was boycotted by Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland over Israel's participation. Outside the venue, hundreds of pro-Palestinian demonstrators marched past chanting 'boycott Eurovision.' Despite the controversy, Israel's entry, 'Michelle' by Noam Bettan, came second with 343 points, while Dara's 'Bangaranga' scored 516 points.
UK's Poor Performance
The United Kingdom once again performed poorly, with its entry 'Ein, Zwei, Drei' by Look Mum No Computer (musician Sam Battle) finishing last (25th) with just 1 point.
Eurovision organisers noted that the Bulgarian entry won both the jury and public votes, a feat that had not occurred 'in almost 10 years, since Kyiv 2017.'
National Celebration
The surprise Bulgarian success was met with delight across the southeastern European country. Dara, 27, was toasted by the foreign minister as the nation's greatest young ambassador and proof that 'talent, courage and hard work' can pay off.
Ina Dobreva, Dara's former acting teacher in her hometown of Varna, expressed delight for her former student, saying the win was a much-needed ray of hope at a turbulent time. 'Bulgarians really needed to have a moment like this where we can gather around common happiness,' Dobreva said. Bulgaria, an EU member state, has endured years of political instability, recently holding its eighth election in five years.
Kristina Dureva, 25, a recruitment specialist from Sofia, said, 'I didn't expect Bulgaria to win, so it was quite nice to see that for the first time, we actually managed to do it.'
Ilayda Kayalar, 21, an interior design student also from the capital, said winning Eurovision cemented Bulgaria's EU integration while bolstering the country's international popularity. 'I'm really happy today. Winning means that Bulgaria is finally known for something,' she said.
Dara's Reaction
Dara said that in a turbulent world, 'Bangaranga' represented 'a quiet belief that everything's going to be all right.' At a press conference, she added, 'Nobody believed that we can win and that Bangaranga can win, and having this love from all the juries and all the audience tonight. It feels like a dream. I don't know if I am sleeping or is it reality?'
Bulgaria is already looking ahead to 2027, according to the general director of BNT, the public broadcaster. Both the mayor of Sofia and the mayor of Burgas, a port city on the Black Sea, are reported to be lobbying for their city to host next year's edition.
Dara made a triumphant arrival in Sofia on Sunday evening, with Mayor Vasil Terziev saying, 'She will be greeted with a red carpet.'
