Bulgarian singer Dara won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday night with her infectious party anthem “Bangaranga,” giving the southeast European country its first-ever victory in the competition.
Israeli competitor Noam Bettan came second after a contest in Vienna clouded by protests and a boycott over the country’s participation.
Greek entry Akylas’ playful “Ferto” ended 10th. “I don’t know if I should apologize. To be honest, I’m really upset because I didn’t want to disappoint you. I didn’t want to upset you,” Akylas said.
Dara beat 24 other competitors during Saturday’s grand final of the sequin-drenched pop music competition. The song’s infectious beats and tightly choreographed dance routine proved a hit with both national juries in participating countries and viewers around the world, whose votes together decide the winner.
“This is unbelievable,” Dara said at a post-show news conference early Sunday. “I don’t even know what’s going on.”
