Eurovision 2026 winner DARA has released her first new single since placing first in the 2026 Contest in Vienna. The “Bangaranga” singer and ESC 2026 champ has today released her new song, “Bad Idea”.
About “Bad Idea”
The current reigning Eurovision winner, DARA, has released her first follow up single since taking the trophy in Vienna. “Bangaranga” singer DARA has released new track, “BAD IDEA”. The song is an uptempo, dance-pop banger, building on the success of her ESC winning anthem. Lyrically, the song describes wanting someone that is full of red flags, and asking them to let DARA be their “BAD IDEA”.
DARA’s new single features banging dance beats, with an electro-pop backing track and a melodic breakdown in the post-chorus. This is absolutely made for dancing and partying, with an irresistible energy. The song is as much of a ‘girl-bop’ anthem as her Eurovision track, but with more of a traditional club feel. And DARA says the single marks the start of a new era for her.
Speaking about her new single, and the start of her new era, DARA said:
It’s been such a wild ride since Eurovision. Everything has been moving so quickly and I’ve barely had a moment to take it all in. But this is only the start… I’ve been working tirelessly on a new chapter, a new era. And I’m so proud of what’s to come. This is just the beginning. I’ve always had a mission with my music. My mission is to unify, to bring people together, to share love and hope and the dream of a better world. I’m here for the people who feel misunderstood or don’t fit into a box. If you are struggling, or haven’t found your confidence yet, I welcome you with open arms. I’m so excited to bring you with me on this journey.
The new single was written and composed by DARA herself, alongside Victor Thell, Linnea NEA Södahl and Twan Ray. The track is the latest of DARA’s to be released on the Orpheus Music / Warner Music labels.
Listen to “Bad Idea” on streaming:
Spotify:
Apple Music:
YouTube:
Who is DARA?
DARA is the stage name of Darina Yotova, a 27-year-old singer-songwriter born in the Bulgarian city of Varna. She first rose to fame in 2015, when she finished third on the Bulgarian version of The X Factor. DARA was mentored by Bulgarian rapper Krisko on the show.
Since her appearance on The X Factor, DARA has gone on to become one Bulgaria’s biggest stars, having a string of chart topping hits in the country and across wider Europe. In 2022, she released her first studio album, “Rodena takava”, under the Bulgarian Virginia Records label. The singer also served as a coach on The Voice of Bulgaria. So far, she has been the winning coach in two out of her five seasons on the show. In the spring of 2024, she took part in the fifth season of Dancing Stars, where she finished as the runner-up.
DARA’s Eurovision Journey
For their return to the Eurovision Song Contest in 2026, Bulgaria held a national selection process to first choose the artists, followed by another selection show to pick the song. DARA beat 14 other acts in the Bulgarian selection show and was announced as the country’s Eurovision 2026 representative. A second national selection show was broadcast to select the song with which she would perform at Eurovision. “Bangaranga” beat both “This Is Me” and “Curse”, winning both public and jury votes to be the song DARA took to Eurovision in Vienna.
DARA’s track for Eurovision, “Bangaranga”, was written by DARA herself, as well as Anne Judith Wik, Cristian Tarcea and Dimitris Kontopoulos. DARA was drawn as a perfomer in the second Semi-Final at the Contest in Vienna. She would eventually perform in the opening slot in the running order. “Bangaranga” would be Bulgaria’s first qualification into the Grand Final of Eurovision since 2021, winning the second Semi-Final. In the Grand Final, DARA performed in 12th position. At the close of voting, DARA was announced the winning of both jury and televote portions of the 2026 Contest. The Bulgarian singer was awarded 516 votes overall. 312 points were awarded by the public televote and 204 points from the international juries.
“Bangaranga”‘s win in the 2026 Contest marked the first ever win for Bulgaria. This makes them the 28th country to win Eurovision in the Contest’s history. DARA’s victory also broke Alexander Rybak’s 2009 record for the biggest points difference between a winner and runner-up. It was also the first time since Portugal’s 2017 win, with Salvador Sobral, that the victorious entry was placed first in both public and jury votes. DARA recently appeared during the Junior Eurovision Contest in Malta to perform “Bangaranga” as part of the interval act, which also featured Junior Eurovision 2025 winner Lou Deleuze. The singer later joined Junior Eurovision 2026 winner Naré on stage after the Contest, to celebrate her win.
What do you think about DARA’s first single since winning the Contest in Vienna? Let us know your thoughts on social media and follow ‘That Eurovision Site’ on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, Threads, Bluesky, and ZOOP for more information on Eurovision 2027!
News source: DARA / Orpheus Music / Warner Music / Instagram / Spotify
Photo credit: Vasil Germanov