Bulgaria wins Eurovision in Vienna as ‘Bangaranga’ tops grand final
Bulgaria won the 70th Eurovision Song Contest on Saturday in Vienna, with singer Dara taking the grand final using her upbeat party anthem “Bangaranga,” according to the Associated Press. The victory gave Bulgaria its first win in the competition and came after an edition that continued to draw attention for protests tied to Israel’s participation.
Dara, who AP described as an established name in her homeland, was not among the favorites to win, but the performance delivered a tightly choreographed dance routine paired with an “infectious” sound. Early Sunday, Dara told a post-show news conference: “This is unbelievable,” and added, “I don’t even know what’s going on.”
AP reported that Dara later thanked “everyone who felt the bangaranga and felt connected to the force,” and described the song as connected to an inner strength. The singer has also spoken about battling with anxiety, and she has described “Bangaranga” as drawing on Bulgaria’s kukeri—elaborately costumed men who perform ritual dances intended to ward off evil spirits.
In the grand final, AP said Dara beat 24 other competitors during the approximately three-minute performances staged in the Wiener Stadthalle arena. The contest’s votes came from national juries and viewers whose votes together decide the winner, AP reported, while the show itself featured pyrotechnics and visual effects ranging from flame jets to glitter guns and wind machines.
Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu finished third with the rock song “Choke Me,” AP said, followed by Australia’s Delta Goodrem in fourth place with the midtempo ballad “Eclipse.” Italy’s Sal Da Vinci took fifth with “Per Sempre Si” (“Forever Yes”), while the Finnish duo of Pete Parkkonen and Linda Lampenius ended up in sixth, AP reported.
The top five also reflected the contest’s broad range of styles, from rock and choral elements to techno-pop and opera-pop. AP said Germany’s Sarah Engels performed an “empowering” power ballad, Poland’s Alicja delivered gospel-tinged R&B, Ukraine’s Leléka offered a more ethereal performance, Sweden’s Felicia brought techno-pop, and France’s Monroe performed opera-pop.
Protest pressure and Israel turnout shape the final picture
A central political flashpoint remained Israel’s presence in Eurovision, which AP said had been clouded for a third year by calls for Israel to be excluded over its conflicts in Gaza and elsewhere. AP said five longtime Eurovision participants—Spain, the Netherlands, Ireland, Iceland and Slovenia—boycotted in protest, and that tension around Israel’s participation looked unlikely to ease.
In Vienna, AP reported that hundreds of protesters marched near the contest arena ahead of Saturday’s final, holding placards including “Block Eurovision.” Pro-Palestinian groups also staged an outdoor concert on Friday under the banner “No stage for genocide,” AP said.
During the performance of Israel’s entry, AP reported that Noam Bettan was loudly cheered but met with some boos as he performed “Michelle,” a rock ballad in Hebrew, French and English. AP added that in the week leading up to the final, four people were ejected for trying to disrupt Bettan’s semifinal performance.
AP quoted Congolese-Austrian artist Patrick Bongola, one of the protest organizers, saying: “Inviting Israel on such a beautiful stage as the Eurovision Song Contest stage is an affront to all the people who believe in humanity, who believe in love and togetherness.”
Points, voting system, and what the results mean
AP said Bulgaria scored 516 points in the contest’s “convoluted” voting system, while Israel received 343 points. Dara finished ahead of Bettan, who took second, as the combined juries and viewer votes shaped the winner.
Eurovision historian Dean Vuletic told AP that the contest often produces surprises, noting that “People like to see the underdog on stage” and that Eurovision “has never really been a contest for big stars.” Vuletic also said political controversy is not new to Eurovision, pointing to the contest’s first boycott in 1969 when Austria refused to send a delegation to Spain under Francisco Franco.
Despite the boycott-related fallout AP described as a blow to Eurovision’s finances and viewership, the contest was also looking toward expansion, with a spinoff Eurovision Song Contest Asia scheduled in Bangkok in November, AP reported.