DARA Wins BNT’s National Selection and Will Represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026

DARA is the big winner of BNT’s national selection for Eurovision and will represent Bulgaria at Eurovision 2026 in May in Vienna. Watch her first exclusive interview on 'The Day Begins' with Georgi Lyubenov on BNT 1 on Sunday, 1 February.

With her performance of the song “Thunder”, DARA won over both the audience and the jury – Bogdana Karadocheva, Nina Nikolina, Lyubo Kirov, Krisko, and Victoria Halkiti, a true legend with over 30 years of Eurovision experience. The Greek star is one of the most respected vocal coaches in Europe, having worked with artists such as Dima Bilan, Despina Vandi, Ani Lorak, Elena Paparizou, Sakis Rouvas, Eleni Foureira, and many other Eurovision winners and finalists. This year, Victoria Halkiti also served on the jury for Luxembourg’s national selection.

DARA received a specially designed statuette created for BNT’s national selection by the talented Bulgarian artist Stoyan Zikov. The sculpture represents a stylised heart made up of interwoven elements that together create harmony.

It symbolises the diversity of participants in the national selection and their musical styles, united by a shared goal: to represent Bulgaria with distinction on the international stage. The award was presented by Aleksandra Zhekova, one of Bulgaria’s most successful winter sports athletes and co-host of the studio programme Today at the Games, where she and Radostin Lyubomirov will highlight the most important moments of the Milan-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympics from 6 to 22 February.

Special guest performers at the national selection final included Nevena Tsoneva and Ivo Dimchev. As an internationally recognised artist, the provocative musician received an exclusive invitation from BNT to participate in the next national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest.

The stage of the glittering show also featured international Eurovision participants from Azerbaijan, Malta, and Albania. Eldar, the winner of Eurovision 2011 (Azerbaijan), performed his hit “The One”. AIDAN (Malta) and Alis (Albania), who will compete against Bulgaria in the second semi-final in Vienna, performed the songs “Bella” and “Nân”, respectively, representing their countries.

Representatives from several European public service broadcasters attended the final of Bulgaria’s national selection for Eurovision 2026. Having been impressed by the first show on BNT 1 on 24 January, they closely observed the planning and staging of the final this past Saturday.

DARA now enters a preparation period for the third and final stage of the national selection. On 28 February, she will perform live on BNT 1 three songs written especially for her Eurovision 2026 participation. The song that will represent Bulgaria in the Austrian capital will be chosen through a combined vote – by both the jury and viewers voting via the platform eurovision2026.bg.

In Vienna, DARA will perform in the second semi-final on 14 May, with the grand final of Eurovision 2026 taking place on 16 May.