Dara (Bulgarian singer)
Bulgarian singer (born 1998)
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Darina Nikolaeva Yotova (Bulgarian: Дарина Николаева Йотова; born 9 September 1998), professionally known as Dara (Дара; stylised in all caps), is a Bulgarian singer. She first rose to prominence in 2015 after reaching the final in the Bulgarian edition of The X Factor. In 2016, she released her debut single "K'vo ne chu", and in 2022, she released her first studio album, Rodena takava under Virginia Records.[3] In 2026, she won the Eurovision Song Contest for Bulgaria with the song "Bangaranga", giving the country its first ever win in the competition in 70 years.
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Early life and education
Yotova was born on 9 September 1998 in Varna, Bulgaria.[4] She graduated from the Dobri Hristov National School of Arts in Varna, where she studied folk singing using traditional Bulgarian vocal techniques.[5][1]
Career
2015–2019: The X Factor and early career
In 2015, Yotova took part in the Bulgarian edition of the reality series The X Factor, in which she finished third,[1] with the Bulgarian rapper Krisko as her mentor.
Following her departure from The X Factor, Yotova signed a record deal with the Bulgarian music label Virginia Records and adopted the stage name Dara. In the summer of 2016, she released her debut single, "K'vo ne chu", accompanied by a music video. A few weeks later, the single peaked at the top of the Bulgarian charts, and an English-language version of the song, titled "Onto You", was released on 29 September, directed at an international audience.[6]
On 12 March 2017, Dara released her second single "Rodena takava", also accompanied by a music video.[7] A few months later, on 21 July, she made her first guest appearance on a single named "Nyama da si tragnesh s drug" by labelmates Plamen & Ivo alongside Bulgarian hip-hop duo Pavell and Venci Venc'.[8] On 29 September, Dara's third single "Nedei" was released on YouTube with an official music video.[9]
On 20 June 2018, Dara released her fourth single "Vse na men", along with a music video.
2020–2024: Glasat na Bulgaria and debut album Rodena takava
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In early 2020, Dara starred in the TV show Kato dve kapki voda, the Bulgarian version of Your Face Sounds Familiar, finishing in third place in the final.[10] Since 2021, Dara has been a coach on The Voice of Bulgaria.[11] In 2022, on the ninth season, Jacklyn Tarrakci, a member of Team Dara, won the competition. This made Dara the winning coach. In 2024, during the eleventh season, Dara's artist, Slaveya Ivanova, won the competition, marking Dara's second win in four seasons as a coach.[12]
In March 2022, Dara won the Fashion Teen Idol award at the Code Fashion Awards, as voted by the event's teen audience.[13] In April of the same year, she released her debut album Rodena takava accompanied by a live performance at Joy Station, Sofia.
In March 2023, Kai released "Rover", a remake of Dara's original "Mr. Rover", on his solo album Rover.[14]
In the spring of 2024, she participated in Dancing Stars, where she finished as the runner-up.[15][16]
2025–present: ADHDara and Eurovision win
On 19 September 2025, Dara released her second studio album ADHDara.
In early 2026 Dara participated in the Bulgarian national selection for the Eurovision Song Contest. After winning the second show on 31 January 2026, she was selected to represent Bulgaria at the contest in Vienna.[17] The song with which she competed in Vienna, "Bangaranga", was selected on 28 February 2026.[18][19] Dara won Semi Final 2 and then went on to Eurovision with "Bangaranga", scoring 516 points[20] and giving Bulgaria its first win.[21][22] She also won the Marcel Bezençon Award for the Best Artistic Performance category, voted by the partcipating commentators.[23] The song has surpassed 5 million streams on Spotify.[24]
Personal life
In 2025, Dara was diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).[25]
Yotova married Ervin Ivanov, a Turkish-Bulgarian doctor and pharmacologist, on 17 May 2025.[26]
Discography
| Dara discography | |
|---|---|
| Studio albums | 2 |
| Singles | 31 |
| Music videos | 21 |
Studio albums
| Title | Details |
|---|---|
| Rodena takava |
|
| ADHDara |
|
Singles
As lead artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUL Air. [27] |
BUL Dom. Air. [28] |
AUT [29] |
FIN [30] |
GER [31] |
LTU [32] |
NOR [33] |
NZ Hot [34] |
SWE [35] |
UK [36] | |||
| "K'vo ne chu" | 2016 | — | 6 | — | — | — | * | — | — | — | — | Rodena takava |
| "Rodena takava" | 2017 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Nedei" | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |||
| "Vse na men" | 2018 | 9 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "BTW (Bye Bye)" (with Livin R & Noisy) |
2019 | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Sosa maje" (with Virgo) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Darbie" | 7 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Hotel 5 zvezdi" (with Pavell & Venci Venc') |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Upgrade | |
| "Ella Ella" | 6 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Rodena takava | |
| "Ai Ai" | 2020 | 3 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Mamacita" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Cold as Ice" | 2021 | 5 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Thunder" | 1 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Call Me" (with Matteo) |
2022 | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Mr. Rover" | — | 4 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "Veche nyama kak" (with Lubo Kirov) |
2023 | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Tseluni me |
| "Boginya" | — | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "In My Head" | 6 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Zaminavam" | — | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Nyama da mi lipsvash" (featuring Bobo) |
10 | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Samo moi" | 2024 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Zmiya" (with Venci Venc') |
— | 3 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Kradets na mechti" | 8 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Nishto poveche" | 2025 | 9 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ADHDara |
| "Barbie & Ken" (with Virgo) |
— | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Sauce Kid 4 | |
| "Nito zvuk" | 10 | 1 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ADHDara | |
| "Da ne mojem" | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Onche bonche" | 2026 | — | 2 | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | |
| "Curse" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | Non-album singles | |
| "This Is Me" | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| "Bangaranga" | 1 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 14 | 26 | 1 | 21 | ||
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. "*" denotes that the chart did not exist at that time. | ||||||||||||
As featured artist
| Title | Year | Peak chart positions | Album | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BUL Air. [27] |
BUL Dom. Air. [28] | |||
| "Nyama da si tragnesh s drug" (Plamen & Ivo featuring Dara and Pavell & Venci Venc') |
2017 | — | 3 | Non-album singles |
| "Sreshtu men" (Pavell & Venci Venc' featuring Dara) |
2018 | — | — | |
| "My Time" (Monoir featuring Dara) |
4 | 1 | ||
| "USK" (Molec) featuring Dara |
2026 | — | 8 | Paraklis |
| "—" denotes a recording that did not chart or was not released in that territory. | ||||
Music videos
| Year | Title | Director | Artist(s) |
|---|---|---|---|
| As main performer | |||
| 2016 | "K'vo ne chu" | Lyusi Ilarionov, Andrey Andreev | |
| 2017 | "Rodena takava" | Lyusi Ilarionov, Georgi Markov[37] | |
| As featured performer | |||
| 2017 | "Nyama da si tragnesh s drug" | Lyusi Ilarionov, Georgi Markov | Plamen & Ivo featuring Dara, Pavell & Venci Venc' |
Awards and nominations
| Award | Year | Nominee(s) | Category | Result | Ref. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| BG Radio Music Awards | 2017 | "Kvo ne chu" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [38] |
| "Kvo ne chu" (written by Pavel Nikolov and Nikolay "X" Nikolov) |
Lyrics of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| Herself | Debut of the Year | Nominated | |||
| "Kvo ne chu" (directed by Lyusi Ilarionov) |
Music Video of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2018 | "Nedei" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [39][40] | |
| Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Won | |||
| "Nedei" (written by herself and Pavel Nikolov) |
Lyrics of the Year | Nominated | |||
| "Nedei" (directed by Lyusi Ilarionov) |
Music Video of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2019 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | [41] | |
| "Vse na men" (directed by Lyusi Ilarionov) |
Music Video of the Year | Won | |||
| 2020 | "Ella Ella" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [42] | |
| Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| "Darbie" (directed by Viktor Antonov – Rik) |
Music Video of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2021 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | [43] | |
| "Ai Ai" (directed by Emanuil Albert) |
Music Video of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2022 | "Thunder" | Song of the Year | Nominated | [44] | |
| Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | |||
| "Thunder" (directed by Stefan Marinov) |
Music Video of the Year | Won | |||
| 2023 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | [45] | |
| "Rodena Takava" | Album of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2024 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Nominated | [46] | |
| Herself and Lubo Kirov | Combination of the Year | Nominated | |||
| 2025 | Herself | Female Artist of the Year | Won | [47] | |
| Code Fashion Awards | 2022 | Herself | Fashion Teen Idol | Won | [13] |
| Marcel Bezençon Awards | 2026 | "Bangaranga" | Artistic Award | Won | [23] |
