Dara's victory with "Banagaranga" is mostly the result of strong teamwork, said Greek producer Ilias Kokotos. He is part of the song's team together with Dimitris Kontopoulos, and the two are also working on the preparations for "Eurovision 2027" in Burgas.
“Good teamwork is the most important thing“, Kokotos told “Bulgaria Dnes“. According to him, all participants were focused on the common goal, and the Bulgarian National Television, the director and the music producer contributed to the preparation of the performance.
The producer described the victory in Vienna as the most interesting part of the joint work. According to him, Dara managed to win over the audience because she showed pleasure from the performance and did not seem nervous on stage.
He said that at first it was difficult for the singer to combine singing and dancing, but her experience in live television shows helped her. His advice to her was to use the three minutes on stage to give all her energy.
Kokotos believes that Bulgaria and the Balkans have the potential to create hits with international success. He cited examples from Romania and Albania and noted that Bulgarian and Greek music have many common features.
The Greek producer confirmed that he is leading a team working on the “Eurovision 2027“ show in Burgas. Bulgaria was awarded the hosting rights after Dara's victory, and BNT and the European Broadcasting Union chose the seaside city to host the contest.
The final will be held on May 15, 2027 at “Arena Burgas“, and the semi-finals are scheduled for May 11 and 13. Kokotos explained the choice of Burgas with the opportunity for the entire city to become part of the event. As examples, he cited Liverpool, Rotterdam and Basel, which were hosts instead of larger cities in their respective countries.
„We want to do the best and make Bulgarians proud of what they will see“, said Ilias Kokotos.
Dara waited three years for the right moment
Dara said that she kept “Bangaranga“ for three years because she felt that the song was created for “Eurovision“. The Romanian producer Monoar also participated in the preparation, who, according to the singer, helped give the composition its finished look.
Before her participation, she isolated herself in Greece, ran and practiced meditation to control her stress and heart rate. After the national selection, Dara also talks about receiving threats and panic attacks, indicating that the support of her husband Erwin helped her continue.
“I decided that I would not be a victim of this story“, said Dara. She stated that she wanted not only to present herself, but also to draw attention to Bulgaria and the Balkans.
After the victory, Dara and “Bangaranga“ continued their international presentation with nominations in four categories for the “Grammy“ 2027 awards. The official nominations will be announced on November 16, 2026.