Dara

Early Life and X Factor Bulgaria

Darina Nikolaeva Yotova was born on 9 September 1998 in Varna, Bulgaria. She grew up passionate about music and attended the Dobri Hristov National School of Arts in her hometown, where she developed her singing skills. As a teenager in 2015, Dara auditioned for the Bulgarian edition of The X Factor. She reached the finals of the TV talent competition. Ultimately Dara finished in third place. This exposure made her famous across Bulgaria.

Breakthrough Singles and Pop Stardom

After X Factor, Dara signed with Virginia Records to launch her professional music career. In mid-2016 she released her debut single “K’vo ne chu” (meaning “What Didn’t You Hear?”). It quickly shot to the top of the Bulgarian music charts. An English version of the song, titled “Onto You,” came out a few months later for international listeners. Dara continued to produce one hit after another in the following years. Songs like “Rodena takava” (“Born This Way”) and “Nedei” (“Don’t”) in 2017, as well as “Darbie” in 2019, became popular on radio and YouTube.

By her early twenties, Dara had cemented herself as a pop star in Bulgaria. She achieved multiple number-one singles on the official Bulgarian music charts. Furthermore, her songs and videos have amassed over 80 million streams and views online. Known for blending pop and R&B, she gained a reputation for her unique voice and high-energy stage presence. Dara’s biggest hits to date include the catchy singles “Thunder” (2021), “Call Me” (2022, a duet with Romanian singer Matteo), and “Mr. Rover” (2022), each of which dominated the charts for weeks. The success of “Mr. Rover” even extended internationally when K-pop star Kai covered the song in 2023.

Television Appearances and Coaching

In early 2020, Dara broadened her experience by joining a popular television show. She was a contestant on Kato dve kapki voda, the Bulgarian version of Your Face Sounds Familiar. This show allowed her to showcase her versatility and charisma on stage beyond her own songs.

The following year, Dara took on a new role as a mentor on The Voice of Bulgaria, becoming one of the youngest coaches in the show’s history. She coached emerging singers on this TV talent competition and quickly found success. In 2022, a contestant from Team Dara won The Voice, making Dara a winning coach in just her second season. She continued as a coach for multiple seasons, and her team won again in 2024. Through these television appearances and mentorship roles, Dara became even more familiar to the Bulgarian public and solidified her place in the entertainment industry.

Albums and Global Collaborations

In 2022, Dara released her long-awaited debut album Rodena takava, named after one of her hit singles. She celebrated the album’s release with a special live concert in Sofia, where she performed songs from the album for her fans. This record compiled many of her popular tracks and reinforced her status as a leading pop artist in Bulgaria.

In September 2025, Dara unveiled her second studio album, titled ADHDARA, which she described as her most personal project to date. The album’s title is a play on the term “ADHD” combined with her name, reflecting its energetic and personal nature. ADHDARA marked a creative turning point for Dara. She embraced a more internationally oriented sound and image. Around this time, Dara also became a brand ambassador for the sports company Puma in Southeastern Europe. Additionally, she began working with renowned producers and songwriters from around the world. Dara has collaborated with international talents such as Chris Young (who has worked with Rod Stewart and Kylie Minogue), Jungleboi (known for songs with ZAYN and Rihanna), as well as Romanian hit-makers like Monoir. 

Eurovision 2026 and Recent Highlights

After a three-year break from the contest, Bulgaria returned for Eurovision 2026. Dara entered the national selection process, Natsionalna Selektsiya 2026, organized by the Bulgarian public broadcaster BNT. On 31 January 2026, she competed against seven other finalists in the live televised final and won first place. Dara secured her spot to represent Bulgaria at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna. Dara performed her upbeat song “Thunder” during the selection final and won over both the public viewers and the expert jury with her performance. She topped the televote and the jury vote, making it a unanimous victory for her in the competition. 

Now, as the chosen artist for Bulgaria, Dara will prepare a brand-new song for Eurovision. On 28 February 2026, BNT will host a special show where Dara will perform three newly written candidate songs, and a combined jury-and-audience vote will decide which one becomes Bulgaria’s official entry. The selected song will be the one Dara sings at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in May, where Bulgaria is set to compete in the second semi-final on 14 May.