UK Comes Last As Bulgaria’s Pop Star Dara Wins Eurovision 2026
Bulgarian pop star Dara has won the Eurovision Song Contest with her pneumatic dance anthem Bangaranga.
The 27-year-old topped both the public and the jury vote in a nail-biting conclusion, soaring ahead of Israel in second and Romania in third to score a massive 516 points.
Dara was far from a front-runner going into the contest, but her intricate choreography and naggingly catchy chorus helped her eclipse the competition – giving Bulgaria its first ever Eurovison title.
The UK, however, continued its run of disastrous results. Look Mum No Computer’s song Eins, Zwei, Drei took last place, with one solitary point from the Ukrainian jury.
The musician predicted his downfall earlier in the week, admitting that his synth-driven track was “Marmite – you either love it or hate it”.
After the contest, he put a positive spin on his loss.
“Bulgaria honestly deserved winner!” he posted on social media. “The most important thing is we all tried our hardest… regardless of the outcome!”
It is the third time since 2020 that the UK has placed last.
The top five of the leaderboard looked like this:
- Bulgaria: Dara – Bangaranga (516 points)
- Israel: Noam Bettan – Michelle (343 points)
- Romania: Alexandra Căpitănescu – Choke Me (296 points)
- Australia: Delta Goodrem – Eclipse (287 points)
- Italy: Sal Da Vinci – Per Sempre (281 points)
Unlike Look Mum No Computer, who is best known for a YouTube channel where he builds eccentric contraptions, Dara is a major pop star in her home country.
Her songs and videos have amassed over 80 million listens and views, including the number one single Thunder, and she is a coach on the country’s version of the TV talent show The Voice.
Speaking backstage after lifting the crystal microphone trophy, Dara said: “I want to thank everybody who felt the Bangaranga and felt connected to the force.”
Bulgarian National Television also confirmed next year‘s contest will be held in the country’s capital, Sofia.
Source: BBC
