Bulgaria has won the 2026 Eurovision Song Contest, after singer Dara took the top spot with her song “Bangaranga.” This is the first win in the contest’s 70-year history for Bulgaria, which only joined Eurovision in 2005 and skipped the last three editions.
Described by its performer as “pop music with folklore bones,” “Bangaranga” is an energetic party anthem inspired by kukeri—an ancient Bulgarian tradition where men roam through villages wearing furry costumes, bells, and animal masks.
The exact meaning of “bangaranga” became one of the night’s running jokes. Singer Dara explained, “Bangaranga is a special energy that everyone has inside them, a feeling that anything is possible.”
Bulgaria’s surprise win means the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) and other participating broadcasters avoid a major headache. If second-place Israel had won, organizers would have faced tough questions about where to host the 2027 contest.
The 70th anniversary of the musical event took place in Vienna, after Austria’s operatic contestant JJ won last year.
About 10,000 spectators watched the show at Vienna’s Wiener Stadthalle, with an expected TV audience of over 100 million. It was the third time Austria has hosted the event.
The grand final featured musical acts from 25 countries, with Bulgaria, Moldova, and Romania returning after being absent in previous years. Controversially, Eurovision’s anniversary was marked without five nations that boycotted the event over Israel’s continued participation while attacks in Gaza continue.
Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia, and Iceland all chose not to participate after the EBU changed rules around multiple votes and state-sponsored promotion of songs, but stopped short of banning Israeli broadcaster Kan from taking part. In December, Nemo, the Swiss singer who won the 2024 Eurovision Song Contest, said they were returning their trophy in protest over Israel’s presence in Vienna.
Police reported that about 2,000 people gathered for a protest against Israel’s inclusion in Vienna’s city center earlier on Saturday.
On the night, Israel’s entry—a romantic pop song about a toxic relationship performed by Noam Bettan—came in second place after a strong public vote.
Austrian broadcaster ORF had said in advance it would not officially use so-called anti-booing technology for home viewers, which had been used in some previous editions. But the crowd’s reaction to Bettan taking the stage was warm compared to the reception for singer Yuval Raphael in 2025.
There was some booing during the announcement of Israel’s public vote, in response to a group of fans continuing to chant Israel’s name.
In the highly polarized previous two editions of the contest, Israel had performed well in the public vote, coming second in 2025. However, other countries’ broadcasters raised concerns about the Israeli government’s heavy promotion of its acts through social media, leading to changes in voting rules for Vienna.
This year, fans were allowed to cast ten individual votes, down from 20 in previous years. Voting for the same act ten times was allowed, but voting for the act from the country the fan was calling from was not.
During the jury vote announcement, the presenter for Israel’s broadcaster KAN seemed to reference last year’s voting controversy, saying he already knew who would win this year.
In the lead-up to the final, KAN was forced to apologize after mocking Croatian group Lelek by comparing their traditional makeup to “henna tattoos in Eilat.” Lelek condemned the comments as disrespectful.Their song, Andromeda, focuses on Catholic resistance to the Ottoman Empire, and their makeup includes sicanje—a traditional folk tattooing practice used to prevent forced conversions. This reflects their culture and the history of oppressed women.
The UK came in last place with Look Mum No Computer, also known as Sam Battle. The YouTube star builds his own synthesizers, but his song Eins, Zwei, Drei failed to win over neutral voters. It received zero points from the public vote, meaning it didn’t make the top ten in any of the voting countries.
Apart from Sam Ryder’s Space Man in 2022, the UK has had poor luck in the competition over the last decade or so, including getting the dreaded nil points with James Newman in 2021.
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Look Mum No Computer performs in Vienna. Photograph: Hannibal Hanschke/EPA
Belgium and Germany also got zero points from the public vote.
Another UK-based act, Boy George of Culture Club, didn’t make it to the grand final. The San Marino entry he had a cameo in—Senhit’s Superstar—failed to qualify from the first semi-final. Australia’s entry, sung by Delta Goodrem, came in 4th place.
Frequently Asked Questions
Here is a list of FAQs about Bulgaria winning the 70th Eurovision Song Contest with Dara and the song Bangaranga
BeginnerLevel Questions
1 Wait did Bulgaria really win Eurovision 2025
Yes Bulgaria won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest in 2025 It was their first victory in the competitions history
2 Who is Dara
Dara is a popular Bulgarian singer and songwriter She represented Bulgaria at Eurovision 2025
3 What does Bangaranga mean
Bangaranga is a madeup catchy word from the song It doesnt have a direct translation but is meant to sound energetic fun and universal like a joyful exclamation
4 Why did this song win
The song won because of its incredibly catchy melody highenergy performance and strong audience connection It scored very high with both the jury and the public vote
5 Where was the 2025 Eurovision held
The contest was held in Malm Sweden following Swedens win in 2024
Advanced BehindtheScenes Questions
6 How did Bulgaria manage to win after never winning before
Bulgaria had come close in the past This year they invested heavily in a worldclass stage production hired top international songwriters and Daras performance was considered flawless
7 What was so special about the Bangaranga performance
The performance featured a futuristic neonlit stage with augmented reality effects that made it look like Dara was dancing with holographic creatures The choreography was sharp and the energy was nonstop
8 Did Bangaranga break any Eurovision records
Yes It received the highest number of televotes in a single night in Eurovision history It also broke streaming records on Spotify in the 24 hours following the final
9 Who wrote the song Bangaranga
The song was written by a team including Dara herself along with Swedish and Bulgarian producers The team was known for blending Balkan folk rhythms with modern pop and EDM
10 Was there any controversy about the win
There was minor debate online about whether the song was too simple lyrically
