Darina Nikolaeva Yotova (Bulgarian: Дарина Николаева Йотова, born 9 September 1998), better known by her stage name Dara (Bulgarian: Дара), is a Bulgarian pop singer, who rose to fame in late 2015 after reaching the final in the Bulgarian edition of The X Factor. She is currently signed to Virginia Records, and in 2016 she released her debut single "K'vo ne chu" under the label.[1]
Career
2015–16: The X Factor
Born in Varna, in 2015 Yotova participated in the Bulgarian version of the reality show The X Factor where she finished third, with Bulgarian rapper Krisko being her mentor.
2016–present: Early career
Following her departure from The X Factor, Yotova signed a record deal with Bulgarian music label Virginia Records and adopted the stage name Dara. In the summer of 2016, she released her debut single "K'vo ne chu", accompanied by a music video. A few weeks later, the single peaked the Bulgarian charts and a subsequent English version of the song by the name of "Onto You" was released on 29 September, directed towards an international audience.[2]
On 12 March 2017, Dara released her second single entitled "Rodena takava", also accompanied by a music video.[3] A few months later, on 21 July, she made her first guest appearance on a single named "Nyama da si tragnesh s drug" by labelmates Plamen & Ivo alongside Bulgarian hip-hop duo Pavell and Venci Venc'.[4] On 29 September, Dara's third single "Nedei" was released on YouTube with an official music video.[5] On 20 June 2018, Dara released her fourth single entitled "Vse na men", along with a music video.
Since 2021, Dara has been a coach on The Voice of Bulgaria. In 2022, on the ninth season, Jacklyn Tarrakci, a member of Team Dara, won the competition. This made Dara the winning coach.
On 7 March 2022, Dara announced her debut album Rodena takava set to be released on 20 April 2022, accompanied with a live concert showcasing the album in Joy Station, Sofia.
In March 2023, Kai released "Rover", a remake of Dara's original "Mr. Rover", with his solo album Rover.[6]
Discography
This section needs to be updated. The reason given is: There is no record of Dara's post-2021 releases whatsoever. Please help update this article to reflect recent events or newly available information.(May 2023)