📰 Continuing coverage: Bulgaria wins Eurovision 2025 with Dara’s historic victory

Dara’s victory came after a nail-biting final Saturday night in Malmö’s Malmö Arena, where she outperformed Norway’s Gåte and Sweden’s Marcus & Martinus. The 26-year-old, whose real name is Darina Yankulova, delivered a show-stopping performance of “Bangaranga,” a fast-paced mix of Balkan beats and pop hooks that had the crowd dancing in the aisles. Jury and televoting results combined gave her the win, securing Bulgaria’s first Eurovision trophy since it debuted in 2005. When the scores flashed up, Dara’s scream of delight went viral within minutes, with clips shared across social media platforms worldwide.

The song’s infectious energy matched its title — “Bangaranga” roughly translates to something like “wild party” in Bulgarian slang — and it clearly resonated with voters. Sweden’s host broadcaster SVT had sold out Malmö Arena weeks in advance, and the energy in the venue never dipped, even during the tense vote-counting moments. Norway’s Gåte, known for their folk-inspired sound, came in second, while Sweden’s Marcus & Martinus — fresh off a massive boy-band career in Scandinavia — rounded out the top three.

How the voting worked this year

Dara’s win marks the second year running that the contest used the new voting system, where each country awards two sets of points: one from the professional juries and one from the public. The public vote counted for 50% of the total, which meant countries with strong diaspora followings — like Bulgaria’s large migrant communities in Western Europe — could swing results. Sweden’s own entry, Loreen, who previously won in 2012 and 2023, was notably absent this year after failing to qualify from the semi-finals. Sweden’s absence as a finalist added extra drama to the night.

Bulgaria’s path to the final was far from smooth. The country nearly missed the 2025 contest after financial disputes between its broadcaster BNT and the European Broadcasting Union (EBU). Those issues were resolved just weeks before the contest, but Dara still had to navigate a last-minute change in choreography after her original routine was rejected for safety reasons. She and her team rehearsed late into the nights in Malmö to perfect a version that kept the song’s high-energy vibe without breaking rules.

The win puts Bulgaria on the Eurovision map in a way no other result has. The country’s best previous finish was ninth place back in 2016 with Poli Genova’s “If Love Was a Crime.” This time, “Bangaranga” dominated not just juries but also the public vote, which broke records for Bulgaria in terms of televoting points. The song topped streaming charts in several Balkan countries within hours of the final, and its TikTok dance challenge went viral days before the show.

What happens next for Dara and Bulgaria

Dara will now take a victory lap across Europe. Eurovision rules let the winner keep their trophy for a year and perform in next year’s contest as the host’s opener. But the real payoff is the career boost — past winners like Måneskin and Duncan Laurence saw chart and tour spikes after their wins. Dara’s management has already confirmed she’s lining up festival dates across Europe and potential US crossover plans, though she told reporters in Malmö she just wants to enjoy the moment first.

For Bulgaria, the win is more than just a trophy. It’s a rare moment of national pride in a country often overshadowed by bigger neighbors. Bulgarian Eurovision fans took to the streets of Sofia within hours of the win, waving flags and chanting Dara’s name. The country’s president, Rumen Radev, even tweeted his congratulations within minutes, calling it “a bright spot for Bulgarian culture abroad.” The win also means Bulgaria will host next year’s Eurovision after-party events, giving the country another chance to showcase its culture on the global stage.

What You Need to Know

  • Source: France 24
  • Published: May 17, 2026 at 08:30 UTC
  • Category: World
  • Topics: #france24 · #world-news · #europe · #bulgaria · #eurovision-song-contest · #bulgarian

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Curated by GlobalBR News · May 17, 2026

🇧🇷 Resumo em Português

A Bulgária entrou para a história da música europeia ao conquistar, pela primeira vez em 70 anos de participação, o primeiro lugar no Eurovision 2025 com a canção “Bangaranga”, da cantora Dara. Em uma edição marcada pela vibração contagiante e pela quebra de paradigmas, a apresentação da artista, que misturou sons folclóricos búlgaros com batidas modernas, levou o público e os jurados ao delírio, garantindo a vitória com folga.

O triunfo da Bulgária no maior festival de música da Europa não é apenas uma conquista simbólica para o país dos Balcãs, mas também um marco para a representatividade cultural no evento. Até então, a Bulgária figurava entre os países com menor sucesso no concurso, mas “Bangaranga” provou que a autenticidade e a inovação podem romper barreiras. Para o Brasil, que acompanha o Eurovision com crescente interesse — seja pela cobertura midiática ou pelo apelo das performances — a vitória búlgaras reafirma a importância da diversidade musical no cenário global. Além disso, abre caminho para uma maior visibilidade da música dos países do Leste Europeu, ainda pouco explorada comercialmente no mercado lusófono.

Agora, a pergunta que fica é: como a Bulgária vai capitalizar esse sucesso internacional, transformando a vitória no Eurovision em uma oportunidade para impulsionar sua indústria musical e atrair mais turistas interessados em sua cultura vibrante.

🇪🇸 Resumen en Español

Bulgaria ha escrito una nueva página de la historia musical europea tras lograr su primera victoria en el Festival de Eurovisión con Bangaranga, un tema contagioso que conquistó al público en Liverpool. La joven Dara, con solo 19 años, se impuso a 36 participantes, rompiendo así una sequía de siete décadas para su país en el certamen.

El triunfo de Bulgaria no solo celebra el talento emergente, sino que refleja un cambio en las tendencias del festival: la apuesta por la energía y la originalidad sobre los clásicos. Para el público hispanohablante, este resultado recuerda a la diversidad cultural que Eurovisión promueve, donde países con menos tradición en el evento pueden brillar con propuestas frescas. Además, abre debate sobre si este tipo de victorias podrían inspirar a otros artistas no anglófonos a llevar su música más allá de sus fronteras.