Darena Popova graduated from the State Academy of Music in Sofia in 1984, majoring in choral conducting in the class of Prof. Vasil Arnaudov.

Since 1983 she is chief conductor of the city choir at the community center "Postoyanstvo" - Lom and choirmaster of the Lom operetta. Since 1986 she is chief conductor of the Struma Mixed Choir, Pernik, and since 1988 she is conducting the chamber choir "Kolegium Kantikum" - Pernik. Between 1996 and 1998 she is conductor of the Children's Choir at the National Children's Palace - Sofia. Since 1998, Darena Popova is conductor and chief artistic director of the "Angel Manolov" Academic Choir at the National Student House in Sofia. Since 2005, she is conducting the Folklore Formation "Chemerika", and since 2017, she is conductor of the Folklore Vocal Formation "Dilmana" at the National Student House - Sofia.

Darena Popova is a member of Europa Cantat. She received four "best conductor" awards  - two "best conductor prize "José Hódar" awards in Torrevieja, Spain, respectively in 2005 and 2009, one from Freamunde, Portugal (2010), and a "Maestro" award from Hisarya , Bulgaria (2015). Darena Popova is the recipient of the "Mati Bulgaria" gold badge. In 2018, she received the National Prize "Bearers of Enlightenment", category "They - the bearers of enlightenment - 2018" and in 2019 she became "Person of the Year" in the category "Guardian of Tradition".