Bulgaria has claimed its first-ever victory in the history of the Eurovision Song Contest, with pop artist Dara storming the leaderboard during the grand final of the 70th anniversary edition in Vienna, Austria. The musical showcase took place overnight at the Wiener Stadthalle following the 2025 victory of Austrian performer JJ. The event featured a roster of 25 grand finalists performing before a live stadium crowd of 10,000 spectators and a global television audience exceeding 100 million viewers.JOIN US ON TELEGRAMFollow our coverage of the war on the @Kyivpost_official. Dara, an established 27-year-old performer in her homeland, emerged as a surprise victor over heavily tracked favorites from Finland and Australia. Her entry, “Bangaranga,” is an upbeat party track inspired by kukeri – an ancient Bulgarian ritual featuring furry costumed dancers and traditional bells. Dara described the song’s core concept as “pop music with folklore bones”. Bulgaria secured its victory under the complex double-voting framework. The country received 204 points from the professional national juries and a massive 312 points from the global public televote, finishing at the top of the leaderboard with 516 points overall. Israel’s Noam Bettan finished in second place with 343 points, while Australia’s Delta Goodrem finished fourth. Conversely, the United Kingdom finished last, with experimental electronic act Look Mum No Computer receiving a “nul points” sweep from the public vote.