Eurovision 2026: who is Dara, the Bulgarian singer who won with “Bangaranga”. The final ranking of the Vienna show

by Claudio Fabretti

17-05-2026

Dara won the Eurovision Song Contest 2026. The Bulgarian singer triumphed in Vienna with "Bangaranga", surprising both pundits and bookmakers and handing Bulgaria its first-ever win in the history of the contest.

The song

"Bangaranga" is about inner strength and personal freedom. "It symbolizes discovering the inner strength that each of us possesses. Acting with love, not with fear," Dara explained. And further: "Inspired by the kukeri – ancient ritual performers who ward off evil – Bangaranga fights the modern demons within us. It's not about aggressive action, but inner change: 'It doesn't attack. It transforms.'" The singer concludes by stressing that it's a state of mind to be rediscovered: "Bangaranga isn't something you become. It's something you awaken inside yourself." The post ends with an invitation: "So whenever life gets scary, don't worry, be Bangaranga."

Who is Dara

Born in Varna on September 9, 1998, and named at birth Darina Nikolaeva Jotova, Dara is today one of the most popular figures in Bulgarian pop. Fame came in 2015 thanks to her participation in the local version of "X Factor": she reached the final, finishing third, a result that quickly opened the doors of the national music market to her.
Over the years she has built a recognizable artistic identity, based on a strong stage presence and a repertoire blending pop, electronic and urban influences. Among the tracks that cemented her success are "Thunder", released in 2021 and holding the top spot on the Bulgarian charts for eleven consecutive weeks, as well as "Call Me" and "Mr. Rover".

Her recording debut came in 2022 with “Rodena takava”, an album that became the best-selling female release of the year in Bulgaria. Overall, the singer has topped 80 million combined streams and YouTube views. Alongside her music career, she has also been a coach on “The Voice of Bulgaria” since 2021.
In 2025 she released her second album, “Adhdara”. A few months later she secured her spot at Eurovision by winning the Bulgarian national selection, the “Natsionalnata selektsiya”, before completing the journey with victory on the Vienna stage.
The visual impact of the “Bangaranga” performance also proved decisive. Staging direction was entrusted to Fredrik Rydman, the choreographer and artistic director already behind several performances that have become Eurovision icons. In the past he had staged Måns Zelmerlöw's “Heroes”, winner in 2015, and Nemo's “The Code”, the winning song in 2024. In 2023 he had also worked with Käärijä on the staging of “Cha Cha Cha”.

The final ranking: Sal Da Vinci fifth

The Bulgarian singer finishes with 516 points – combining expert juries and televote – ahead of Israel, second with 343, and Romania, third with 296. Fourth place went to Australia with 287 points. Sal Da Vinci is fifth with 281 following his performance of “Per sempre sì”, the winning song from Sanremo 2026. Here is the final ranking:

1. Dara – Bangaranga (Bulgaria)
2. Noam Bettan – Michelle (Israele)
3. Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke me (Romania)
4. Delta Goodrem – Eclipse (Australia)
5. Sal Da Vinci – Per sempre sì (Italy)
6. Linda Lampenius x Pete Parkkonen – Liekinheitin (Finlandia)
7. Søren Torpegaard Lund – Før Vi Går Hjem (Danimarca)
8. Satoshi – Viva, Moldova! (Moldavia)
9. Leléka – Ridnym (Ucraina)
10. Akylas – Ferto (Grecia)
11. Monroe – Regarde! (Francia)
12. Alicja – Pray (Polonia)
13. Alis – Nân (Albania)
14. Jonas Lovv – Ya ya ya (Norvegia)
15. Lelek – Andromeda (Croazia)
16. Daniel Zizka – Crossroads (Repubblica Ceca)
17. Lavina – Kraj Mene (Serbia)
18. Aidan – Bella (Malta)
19. Antigoni – Jalla (Cipro)
20. Felicia – My System (Svezia)
21. Essyla – Dancing on the ice (Belgio)
22. Lion Ceccah – Sólo quiero más (Lituania)
23. Sarah Engels – Fire (Germania)
24. Cosmò – Tanzschein (Austria)
25. Look mum no computer – Eins, Zwei, Drei (Gran Bretagna)