Hundreds of cheering fans waving Bulgarian flags, who were just part of the national celebration, welcomed Eurovision Song Contest winner Dara home on Sunday. Visibly tired but smiling—after apparently living up to her song's promise that "No one's gonna sleep tonight"—the singer arrived at Sofia's Vasil Levski Airport waving the Eurovision trophy. Bulgaria's major television stations aired coverage from the airport live, the AP reports. The singer won the contest in Vienna on Saturday with her relentlessly infectious party anthem "Bangaranga," giving the southeast European country its first-ever victory in the competition.
Bulgaria is "an exceptionally talented nation that will continue to receive more and more attention," Dara said. The 27-year-old said, "We have done something great for Bulgarian music, and I hope this sends a message that Bulgaria's performers and artists deserve stronger support." The EU member has faced years of political instability; the recent election was its eighth in five years, per the Guardian. "Bulgarians really needed to have a moment like this where we can gather around common happiness," the singer's hometown acting teacher said. "Dara is yet more proof that Bulgaria can win," declared the new prime minister, Rumen Radev. There's been discussion about the meaning of "Bangaranga." In the glow of victory, the song and the championship might have taken on more significance:
- Dara: "A quiet belief that everything's going to be all right" in a turbulent world.
- Bulgaria's foreign minister: That "talent, courage and hard work" can pay off.
- A student in interior design from Sofia: "That Bulgaria is finally known for something."
- Oxford English Dictionary: The word's Jamaican root means "riot." That's in the lyrics: "Welcome to the riot."
In a press conference, Dara represented the party-all-night promise of her hit. "It feels like a dream," she said. "I don't know if I am sleeping or is it reality?"
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