DARA and director Fredrik Rydman are in Athens preparing Bulgaria’s “Bangaranga” for Eurovision 2026 – aiming for a first-ever victory in Vienna?
The man behind the recent Swiss and Swedish Eurovision victories has landed in Athens to direct the Bulgarian entry – “Bangaranga” by DARA. Is Bulgaria on its way to its first-ever victory? And which Eurovision star did the singer share the stage with last night?
Is Bulgaria signaling its next victory? Just before Eurovision 2026 kicks off, Fredrik “Benke” Rydman, the Swedish choreographer and artistic director considered one of the most influential in modern contest history, has joined the rehearsals for the Bulgarian representative in Athens. Together with Swedish director Sacha Jean-Baptiste, herself a Eurovision winner, it seems Bulgaria is aiming very high in this year’s competition.
Rydman holds a very impressive Eurovision resume. He is the director behind the win of Nemo‘s “The Code” and the spinning plate in Malmö 2024, directed the iconic performance of Måns Zelmerlöw‘s “Heroes” in 2015, and the madness of Käärijä in 2023 with “Cha Cha Cha“. Now, he is in the studio to turn “Bangaranga” into a visual experience that will leave Europe speechless.
The Dream Team Works in Greece
The choice of Athens as a rehearsal destination is no coincidence. DARA is surrounded by a true dream team, which includes:
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Victoria Chalkitis (Vocal coach)
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Ilias Kokotos (Project manager)
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Dimitris Kontopoulos (Composer)
These three names carry significant past successes in the competition. Chalkitis accompanied the song “Secret Combination” by the Greek Kalomira, who reached third place in 2008, and coached Silia Kapsis at Eurovision 2024 with the song “Liar“. Kokotos produced, among others, “Die Together” by Amanda Tenfjord, who represented Greece in 2022, and Stefania with “Last Dance” a year prior. Kontopoulos produced “Shady Lady” by the Ukrainian Ani Lorak in 2008 and composed “You Are The Only One” by the Russian Sergey Lazarev in 2016.
What to Expect from the Bulgarian Performance
Rydman’s presence in the team signals that Bulgaria does not intend to settle for just qualifying for the final, but is aiming as high as possible – to the top of the leaderboard. Despite the intensive work in the studio, the team found time to unwind. Recently, the delegation members shared photos on social media against the backdrop of the illuminated Acropolis, looking united and full of confidence ahead of the big mission.
Rydman’s ability to create visual narratives that appeal to both the judges and the audience at home is his trademark. The combination of DARA’s explosive charisma and Rydman’s endless creativity is expected to give birth to a performance rich in technology and artistic innovation.
Posted as a story on the @dimitriskontopoulos Instagram page
Eurovision Stars Collide on Stage
The preparations for Eurovision are not the only excitement DARA has these days. Last night, she performed together with Eleni Foureira, the Cypriot representative at Eurovision 2018 who reached second place with the song “Fuego“. The two stars performed the song “Bangaranga” together with particularly high energy:
הצגת פוסט זה באינסטגרם
The Road to Vienna Leads Through Athens and Stockholm
Currently, DARA is on a particularly tight schedule. She is staying in Athens for vocal rehearsals under the guidance of the famous vocal coach Victoria Halkitis. At the same time, she has flown to Stockholm several times to work on the staging of the song together with Rydman and Jean-Baptiste. According to a report by the Greek website Eurovisionfun, Rydman is even expected to arrive in Athens in the coming days to perform final polishes on the Bulgarian performance.
Before arriving in Vienna, the singer will perform this coming weekend at Eurovision pre-parties in London and Romania. Afterward, she will return for final preparations in Sofia, the capital of Bulgaria, and land in Vienna on Sunday, May 3rd, ahead of her first rehearsal on the Eurovision stage planned for the following day.
This Season’s Busiest Directors
Bulgaria is not the only country that will enjoy the golden touch of the Swedish directors this year. As previously published, Jean-Baptiste will also direct the performance of the Cypriot singer, Antigoni.
Meanwhile, Fredrik Rydman is not resting for a moment: besides working with Bulgaria, he is also responsible this year for the staging of the Swiss representative for Eurovision, Veronica Fusaro. For both directors, this is a particularly busy year, where they are expected to present some of the most impressive visual displays on the competition stage in Vienna.
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. Now, she is set to take the international stage as she represents Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026 with her entry, “Bangaranga”.
Bulgaria in Eurovision 2026
“Bangaranga” is the title of the song to be performed by DARA, which will represent Bulgaria as the first performance in the second semi-final of Eurovision 2026 in Vienna, Austria. The song was written and composed by Dimitris Kontopoulos and Cristian Tarcea. While this is the performer’s first Eurovision entry, it marks the 15th song in the contest for composer Dimitris Kontopoulos.
The song “Bangaranga” is an expressive pop-dance anthem that channels the voice of a bold, fearless, and unapologetically dominant woman – someone who chooses to lead rather than follow. Its theme resonates with the values of female empowerment and individuality. For DARA, the song acts as a mantra of explosive energy and a call for a positive riot, designed to captivate the audience with a relentless rhythm and a magnetic presence.
Currently, Bulgaria ranks 13th in the Eurovision betting charts.
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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Tal Dahan – Journalist, radio broadcaster, and Eurovision content creator.
Tal Dahan is an Israeli journalist and editor specializing in the Eurovision Song Contest, working with the EuroMix editorial team for four years. Since 2022, she has provided regular on-site coverage of Eurovision from the host city, and from 2023 has also reported directly from the press room—offering the Israeli audience live updates, exclusive interviews, and in-depth commentary.
Tal is a member of the Eurovision tribute and parody band “EuroFalsh,” a radio broadcaster, and a student of political science and communications.
She is considered one of Israel’s leading young Eurovision experts. In addition to covering the main contest, Tal has reported from Eurovision pre-parties and national selection events across Europe (in Thessaloniki, Stockholm, Madrid, and more), been interviewed by major media outlets in Israel and internationally, and presented Eurovision-themed podcasts and radio shows.
