Bulgaria’s Eurovision 2026 champion, Dara, has been celebrated in Greece for the overwhelming success of her winning song, ‘Bangaranga’. Panik Records presented her with a prestigious gold plaque at the recent Mad Video Music Awards (Mad VMA) 2026 in recognition of her achievements.
Dara receives gold award for ‘Bangaranga’
Dara, who brought Bulgaria its first-ever victory at the Eurovision Song Contest 2026 with her hit song ‘Bangaranga’, was a standout presence at the Mad VMA 2026. Her success in Greece has been monumental, with ‘Bangaranga’ dominating the digital charts for weeks and accumulating millions of streams.
During a surprise ceremony at the Mad VMA, Panik Records, the label supporting the release of ‘Bangaranga’ in Greece, honoured Dara with a gold plaque. George Arsenakos, co-founder and CEO of Panik Records, presented the award, highlighting the song’s incredible impact on the Greek music scene.
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A Greek touch to a Eurovision victory
The 2026 Eurovision victory for Bulgaria also carries a significant Greek connection. Dimitris Kontopoulos, a renowned Greek composer and producer, was one of the creative minds behind ‘Bangaranga’. This marks another international achievement for Kontopoulos, 21 years after Elena Paparizou‘s iconic win with ‘My Number One’.
Dara’s award presentation followed her energetic and captivating performance on the Mad VMA stage, where she was met with immense adoration from thousands of fans. Fans can now look forward to seeing the video from this special award ceremony, celebrating Dara’s continued success across Europe.
Panik Record’s official press release reads:
Dara, Bulgaria’s top pop star and winner of this year’s Eurovision, was honored by Panik Records for her sweeping success in Greece during the Mad VMA 2026 .
Panik’s co-founder and CEO, George Arsenakos, awarded Dara a gold plaque for the super hit “Bagaranga”, the Eurovision winning song, which is being released in Greece with the support of Panik Records and has garnered millions of streams, remaining at number 1 on the digital charts for several weeks.
This year’s Eurovision victory also bears a strong Greek stamp. Twenty-one years after Elena Paparizou’s historic victory with “My Number One”, Dimitris Kontopoulos becomes the next Greek creator to associate his name with the winning song of the contest, as he is one of the composers and producers of “Banagaranga”, adding another important international distinction to his long and successful career.
The award ceremony took place shortly after Dara performed an “explosive” act, receiving a standing ovation from thousands of spectators in the packed Tae Kwon Do stadium.
“Bagaranga” has had an impressive international run, reaching the Spotify top 10 in 21 countries, and reaching number 12 on the Global Spotify Chart. It also topped the charts in 11 countries and entered the top 3 on the global Genius Top Songs Chart, making it the only single from Drake’s new album to reach the top spots.
