4 days ago 
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It was an extracurricular favourite, but Dara's opus Bangaranga comfortably won the competition
Eurovision Song Contest victor Dara says she wanted to discontinue the contention doubly earlier securing Bulgaria's first ever victory.
The Bangaranga vocalist has told BBC Newsbeat she considered dropping retired to support her intelligence health.
Dara says she was near "shaking successful her bed" aft being announced arsenic her country's act, fearing her recently diagnosed ADHD would beryllium exacerbated by participating successful Vienna.
"That was however my assemblage reacted," the 27-year-old says, "and I was trying to calm myself down for 3 hours."
Dara won Eurovision by a record-breaking points borderline successful May, contempt initially being small much than an extracurricular favourite.
As polished arsenic it was quirky, the performance was packed with property and 1 of the sharpest hooks to ever descend its claws into the contest.
But Bulgaria's historical triumph whitethorn ne'er person happened had its prima followed done with her program to quit.
"The archetypal clip I said nary due to the fact that determination were immoderate things that I was not good with successful the contract," says Dara.
Already an established artist, problems started to stack up erstwhile she was announced arsenic Bulgaria's archetypal Eurovision introduction since 2022.
"I instantly felt similar I did thing bad, that I'm not worthy," she says. "I didn't privation to hazard my intelligence wellness to specified a grade that I couldn't heal it."
Alma Bengtson / EBU
Dara's Bangaranga show featured clever choreography and plentifulness of property - and it won implicit audiences astir the world
When commentator Graham Norton asked Olly Alexander what proposal he'd springiness acts based connected his ain acquisition successful 2024, Alexander's reply was telling.
"Get yourself a truly bully therapist."
Dara says nonrecreational assistance she received aft her ADHD diagnosis prepared her for the contest.
"I enactment with a therapist and she helped maine with however to consciousness successful a spot afloat of people," she says. "I deliberation she did a large job. I truly felt successful my portion wherever I went."
Dara says breathing exercises, drawing, journalling and meditation helped "keep her successful the centre".
"Eurovision is so, truthful large - the biggest happening that artists tin do," she says. "But I've ne'er felt much calm connected stage, much secure."
Vienna saved its biggest infinitesimal for Dara until past - 1 of the astir emphatic wins successful Eurovision history.
"I was conscionable calm," Dara says, recalling however she felt arsenic points flowed successful from crossed the world.
"I opened my bosom and conscionable kept repeating, 'Thank you God for putting maine connected that signifier and for these radical astir me.'"
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Bulgaria's archetypal ever Eurovision victor was met by a ample assemblage successful Sofia erstwhile she arrived location from Austria
The ticker portion had hardly settled successful Austria earlier Bulgaria's nationalist broadcaster BNT confirmed Sofia arsenic adjacent year's big city.
Dara was met by immense crowds arsenic she returned to the Bulgarian capital, wherever she volition play a cardinal relation successful immoderate the state plans for 2027.
But aft securing her spot successful Eurovision's hallway of fame successful Vienna, Dara's thought of aboriginal occurrence is simply a small person to home.
"I privation to person kids immoderate day," she says. "I privation to beryllium steadfast and that is overmuch much important than being palmy successful my career.
"Being palmy arsenic a quality being is beauteous large connected my list."
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