Bulgarian singer Dara with her contagious dance song Bangaraga was crowned grand winner of Eurovision Song Contest 2026 in Vienna, Austria, while Greece’s Akylas finished in 10th place and Cyprus’ Antigoni Buxton in 19th place.
Bulgaria took the top spot both in the jury’s vote and the televoting – the first time any country has achieved this double victory since 2017.
One of the composers of Bangaraga is Greek songmaker Dimitrios Kontopoulos.
Despite the controversy surrounding its participation, Israel took 2nd place, thanks to its massive ranking in the televoting which was only beaten by Bulgaria.
Greece takes 10th place in Eurovision with Akylas’ high-energy performance
Despite the Greek entry, Ferto, figured among the bookmakers’ favorites since the beginning of the contest’s promo tour, the song finished in 10th place.
The song was composed by its performer, Akylas, in collaboration with papatanice and TEO.x3, and the lyrics written by Orfeas Nonis and Akylas.
For the creators, the song deeply personal—an experiential tale of the journey from hardship to success. It explores the internal conflict between chasing genuine dreams and the impulse to fill emotional voids left by a deprived childhood. The song tackles themes of greed and the endless human desire for “more,” while ultimately serving as a poignant reminder that true value lies in gratitude.
The Greek entry followed a classic, albeit maximalist, Eurovision recipe, featuring an energetic, charismatic performer and a highly catchy track in a fast-paced and ambitious staging by by Fokas Evangelinos, which included a poignant homage to Helena Paparizou’s winning 2005 performance, My Number One.
See all the latest news from Greece and the world at Greekreporter.com. Contact our newsroom to report an update or send your story, photos and videos. Follow GR on Google News and subscribe here to our daily email!
