DARA has been selected to represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026 after winning ״Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026״ Her competing song will be chosen during a final show on February 28th.
DARA has been chosen to represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026, which will take place in Vienna, Austria, on May 12th, 14th and 16th. The song will be selected during the third and final stage of the Bulgarian selection process on February 28th. On that night, DARA will perform three songs, with the winning entry determined by a combined vote of 50% jury and 50% public televoting.
Selection Process
DARA was selected through “Natsionalna Selektsija”, consisting of three televised shows. The second show concluded on Saturday, during which the Eurovision representative was chosen. In the third and final show, scheduled for February 28th, the song that will represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria, will be selected.
DARA – Who Are You?
DARA, whose full name is Dara Nikolaeva Yotova, is one of the most prominent pop singers of her generation in Bulgaria. She rose to public attention in late 2015 after reaching the final of the Bulgarian version of The X Factor. Since then, she has established herself as a leading figure in the national pop scene.
She launched her solo career in 2016 with the hit “K’vo ne chu“, which topped the Bulgarian charts and later received an international English-language version titled “Onto You“. In the years that followed, she released a series of successful singles, appeared on major television productions such as the Bulgarian edition of “Dancing with the Stars”, and became widely recognized beyond music audiences.
Since 2021, she has served as a mentor on The Voice of Bulgaria, where she has guided contestants to victory on two occasions.
״Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026״ Results:
| Performer | Jury | Public | Total | Rank |
| DARA | 22 | 8 | 30 | 1 |
| Mihaela Marinova | 19 | 7 | 26 | 2 |
| Mona | 18 | 6 | 23 | 3 |
| Kerana and Cosmonauts | 18 | 5 | 23 | 4 |
| Preyah | 17 | 3 | 21 | 5 |
| Molec | 17 | 4 | 21 | 6 |
| Innerglow | 16 | 2 | 19 | 7 |
| Roksana | 16 | 1 | 17 | 8 |
Bulgaria at Eurovision 2022
For Eurovision 2022, Bulgaria sent Intelligent Music Project with their song “Intention”, which interrupted Bulgaria’s streak of successes as they failed to qualify for the final for the first time since Eurovision 2013. The band finished sixteenth out of seventeen countries in the first semi-final held in Turin, Italy, receiving a total of 29 points, split to 11 points from juries and an additional 18 points from public voting. Following this participation, drummer Stoyan Yankoulov became the first artist to represent Bulgaria three times at Eurovision after participating in both Eurovision 2007 and Eurovision 2013.
Eurovision 2026: This will be Bulgaria’s 15th participation in the Eurovision Song Contest. Bulgaria joined the competition in 2005 and achieved its best result in Eurovision 2017 when the singer Kristian Kostov finished in second place with the song “Beautiful Mess”.
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A writer and content creator with a strong specialization in the Eurovision scene, particularly across Eastern Europe and post-Soviet countries. His work highlights the artistry, storytelling, and cultural variety that define the contest, offering readers a deeper look into both established performers and emerging voices.
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