Bulgaria has won the Eurovision Song Contest for the first time in its history. In the final of the 70th edition of the contest, held in Vienna, DARA triumphed with the song “Bangaranga.” This is a breakthrough result not only for the artist herself, but also for the Bulgarian music scene, which had never before claimed the Eurovision trophy.

Bulgaria’s victory was impressive in terms of points. DARA received a total of 516 points: 204 from the juries and 312 from the public vote. Importantly, “Bangaranga” won both the jury vote and the televote, something that rarely happens at Eurovision. According to the organizers, it was the first such case since the contest in Kyiv in 2017.

The triumph was all the more spectacular because Bulgaria returned to Eurovision after several years of absence. The country did not take part in the contests from 2023 to 2025, and its comeback immediately ended in a historic victory. Previously, Bulgaria’s best result had been Kristian Kostov’s second place with “Beautiful Mess” in 2017.

“Bangaranga” turned out to be one of the most distinctive performances of this year’s Eurovision. The song combined modern pop with elements of Bulgarian folklore. According to The Guardian, the song was inspired by the kukeri tradition — an ancient Bulgarian ritual in which participants wear fur costumes, bells and animal masks to symbolically drive away evil forces.

On stage, Bulgaria opted for a strong, dynamic and memorable performance. DARA’s act was not merely a classic pop number, but a spectacle combining the energy of a club hit, Balkan expressiveness and folkloric symbolism. It was precisely this mixture that may have decided her success: the song was modern, yet deeply rooted in local culture.

Bulgaria’s victory was also record-breaking. The organizers reported that the margin over second place was 173 points, the largest points gap in the history of the contest. Second place went to Israel’s Noam Bettan with the song “Michelle,” while third place was taken by Romania, represented by Alexandra Căpitănescu and “Choke Me.”

This year’s Eurovision, however, took place not only in the atmosphere of a musical celebration, but also amid political tensions. The contest in Vienna was boycotted by five countries — Ireland, Spain, the Netherlands, Slovenia and Iceland — over Israel’s admission to the competition. Protests against Israel’s participation also took place in the Austrian capital.

Against this backdrop, Bulgaria’s victory was seen as a symbolic moment of respite from political disputes. DARA gave Bulgaria not only its first Eurovision win, but also a success that may become an important source of national pride and international promotion for the country. Bulgarian commentators noted that the triumph came at a time when the country has struggled for years with political instability, and Eurovision became, for many viewers, an opportunity for shared joy.

Poland finished the contest in 12th place. Alicja Szemplińska, representing Poland, was well received by the juries, although she did not manage to reach the very top of the final ranking. For Polish viewers, it was a solid result, but the evening clearly belonged to Bulgaria and DARA.

The victory of “Bangaranga” shows that Eurovision still rewards courage, a distinctive identity and the ability to combine local tradition with a modern sound. Bulgaria did not win by chance — it offered a performance that was spectacular, energetic and culturally recognizable. After years of absence, the country returned to the Eurovision stage with great momentum and immediately wrote itself into the contest’s history.