Darina Nikolaeva Yotova, known mononymously as Dara, is a Bulgarian singer born on 9 September 1998 in Varna. She first rose to prominence in 2015 after reaching the final in the Bulgarian edition of The X Factor, finishing third.
๐ค Early Career
In 2016, she released her debut single “K’vo ne chu” under Virginia Records. A few weeks later, the single peaked the Bulgarian charts and an English version called “Onto You” was released on 29 September.
๐ Music Releases
On 12 March 2017, Dara released her second single “Rodena takava”. On 29 September, Dara’s third single “Nedei” was released on YouTube. On 20 June 2018, Dara released her fourth single “Vse na men”.
๐บ Television Appearances
In early 2020, Dara starred in the TV show Kato dve kapki voda, finishing in third place. Since 2021, Dara has been a coach on The Voice of Bulgaria. In the Spring of 2024 she participated in Dancing Stars, finishing as the runner-up.
๐ Eurovision Victory
On 30 December 2025, it was announced that Dara would participate in the Bulgarian national selection for Eurovision 2026. She won the second show on 31 January 2026 and was selected to represent Bulgaria. Dara won Eurovision with the song “Bangaranga,” scoring 516 points and giving Bulgaria its first win.
| Year | Event | Result | Song/Show |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015 | The X Factor Bulgaria | Third place | โ |
| 2020 | Kato dve kapki voda | Third place | โ |
| 2024 | Dancing Stars | Runner-up | โ |
| 2026 | Eurovision Song Contest | Winner | “Bangaranga” |