Bulgarian pop star Dara has won the Eurovision Song Contest with her pneumatic dance anthem Bangaranga.
It was the first time the southeast European nation has clinched the title in its 70-year-history.
The 27-year-old topped both the public and the jury vote in a nail-biting conclusion, soaring ahead of Israel in second place and Romania in third to score a massive 516 points, the the largest winning margin in Eurovision history.
Dara was not considered a front-runner, but her intricate choreography and catchy chorus helped her beat the competition to give Bulgaria its first ever Eurovison title in the 70th edition.
Israel’s Noam Bettan performed by Michelle won 343 points, while Romania had its best ever placing with Alexandra Căpitănescu’s Choke Me on 296 points.
Romania’s Alexandra Căpitănescu had already provoked controversy with the lyrics to her song Choke Me long before the contest.
Campaigners criticized the song for glamorizing sexual violence, but Căpitănescu,27, said the lyrics were about suffocating under the weight of self-doubt.
Her Lady Gaga style performance which was second-to-last wowed viewers and she took third place, a best for Romania.
Dara is a major pop star in Bulgaria a nation of 8 million and her songs and videos have amassed over 80 million listens and views. She is a oach on the country’s version of the TV talent show The Voice.
Bangaranga means “uproar” in Jamaican patois and the lyrics point to Dara’s commitment to overcoming anxiety and ADHD, which she was diagnosed with last year.
“Bangaranga is something that everyone’s got in themselves,” she explained.
“It’s the moment you choose to lead with love, not fear.”
Her performance came with whiplash-inducing choreography, based on the ancient Bulgarian tradition of Kukeri, in which masked performers chase away evil spirits.
Bulgarian National Television also confirmed next year‘s contest will be held in Sofia.
Five countries boycotted the event, including Spain, Iceland and seven-time winners Ireland. In Vienna, there were protests in the city center ahead of the grand final, but no disturbances during his song, Michelle, described as a heartfelt Mediterranean love song.
Romania’s Eurovision entry “Choke Me” slammed for promoting sexual strangulation
