Bulgaria’s Dara has addressed claims made by Russian artist Philip Kirkorov, who suggested that Bulgaria’s victory at Eurovision 2026 was largely due to his contributions. Kirkorov made these assertions on social media, prompting a response from Dara.
In her comment on Kirkorov’s Instagram post, Dara clarified that the song Bangaranga, which secured Bulgaria’s win, was developed during the Sofia Songwriting Camp in 2023. She emphasized that the success of the song stemmed from the collaborative efforts of a dedicated team of professionals.
Dara highlighted the significant roles played by her creative team, Virginia Records, the Bulgarian National Television, and various international producers involved in the project. She began her response with the phrase, “With all due respect,” indicating her intention to address the matter diplomatically.
Earlier, co-writers of Bangaranga had denied any involvement from Kirkorov in the song’s creation. Romanian musician Christian Tarcea (known as Monoir), one of the song’s contributors, stated that the official authors are limited to four individuals: himself, Dara, Anne, and Dimitris Kontopoulos.
The Eurovision Song Contest 2026 took place in Vienna, Austria, on May 12, 14, and 16. Dara’s performance of Bangaranga earned Bulgaria a total of 516 points, comprising 204 from the jury and 312 from the audience. This marked Bulgaria’s first win in the competition.
Israel’s Noam Beitan secured second place with a total of 343 points, while Romania’s Alexandra Capitanescu finished third with 296 points. Delta Goodrem from Australia placed fourth with 287 points, and Italy’s Sal Da Vinci rounded out the top five with 281 points.
Despite being favored by bookmakers, Finnish representatives Linda Lampenius and Pete Parkkonen finished in sixth place with 279 points. Ukrainian singer Leléka achieved ninth place, accumulating 221 points—54 from the national jury and 167 from the audience.
Dara has refuted Philip Kirkorov's claims regarding his role in Bulgaria's Eurovision 2026 victory, emphasizing the collaborative effort behind the song 'Bangaranga.' The contest saw Bulgaria achieve its first win, with Dara's performance earning significant points from both the jury and viewers.