Bulgaria’s first ever Eurovision winner Dara has said she had “doubt and anxiety” about taking part in the 2026 edition of the song contest.
The 27-year-old won the competition at the Wiener Stadthalle in Vienna, Austria, with her song Bangaranga, which scored 516 points, beating Israel’s Noam Bettan in second with 343 points and Romania’s Alexandra Capitanescu in third with 296 points.
The singer, whose real name is Darina Yotova, said at a press conference after her win: “I want to thank my husband, because he was the one to push me to come to Eurovision.
“Because in the beginning I was not sure if I want to come or not, because I had anxiety and doubt with myself, and he was the one that he just pushed me, and he was like, ‘you need to go right now to Eurovision, right now, pick up your phone tell them you’re going’.”
Dara, who previously appeared on the Bulgarian edition of The X Factor in 2015 and reached the final, won both the jury and public vote.
She added: “I’m so thankful that I (got) the chance to be in Eurovision, and every day I’ve been here in this place, I felt safe, protected, loved, supported.
“I felt that I can do everything, that everything is possible, and I really, truly think that this community is so amazing.
“I will miss you so much, today I woke up, and I almost cried, because I will miss this place, and you all.”
Dara’s win means next year’s contest will take place in the Bulgarian capital, Sofia.
Her high-energy performance saw her perform in a pink top and leather shorts, as dancers around her performed a jerky routine in shirts and ties.
