Eurovision 2026 winner DARA pays tribute to Giorgos Mazonakis, recalling childhood memories and sharing an emotional farewell to the Greek star
International Bulgarian star DARA, who brought Bulgaria a historic victory at Eurovision 2026 in Vienna with the hit “Bangaranga“,is saying farewell to Greek star Giorgos Mazonakis, who died prematurely at just 54 years old. In a story she shared, DARA explained that the singer was an inseparable part of the soundtrack of her childhood and recalled her memories of him.
DARA Says Goodbye
In the story, DARA wrote: “Oh man, this is so sad. This song (“To Gucci Forema”, which was playing in the background) was literally the soundtrack of my childhood. It was one of my and my brothers’ absolute favorite songs growing up.”
She added: “It’s crazy how one song can carry so many memories – our childhood, our home, that whole period of our lives. The second I hear it, everything comes back. Thank you so much for the music and for being such a beautiful part of those memories. Rest in peace, Giorgos Mazonakis. Sending the biggest hugs to my Greek fam.”
DARA Is at the Peak of Her Career
In recent months, DARA has gone through an intense period of uncompromising business and artistic activity. The singer recently revealed that she established her own independent record label in an exceptionally short period of time: “Ya girl built a whole label in two months, so you can imagine what’s been going on behind the scenes. Or maybe you can’t, and that’s okay too. I’ve been making some very big decisions in a very short amount of time. We have a plan, we have a mission, we have the vision, and we have a lot of music ready to go.”
As recalled, following DARA’s victory, Bulgaria will host Eurovision 2027 in Burgas, with preparations for the massive production already in full swing.
Bulgaria in Eurovision 2026
“Bangaranga” is the song performed by the singer DARA, which represented Bulgaria in Vienna, Austria. DARA won the contest and got 516 points in the final. 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 is performed entirely in English.
Eurovision 2027: The 71st Eurovision Song Contest will be held in Bulgaria, following the country’s historic win with the song “BAGARANGA” performed by DARA. This will be the first time the contest is hosted in Bulgaria.
