Super Star was an Arabic television show based on the popular British show Pop Idol created by Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment & developed by Fremantle Media. The show unites the Arab community by democratically choosing the next singing sensation. The show is broadcast worldwide on Future TV, a Lebanese television station. It is also the first Idol franchise to feature contestants from multiple countries.
Ahlam bint Ali bin Hazeem Al Shamsi, better known as Ahlam, is an Emirati singer and actress. She has released a total of 14 albums and numerous singles. In 2011, Ahlam joined MBC's Arab Idol judging panel, for the inaugural season and the following three seasons. She was also judge and coach for season 4 in The Voice: Ahla Sawt singing competition.
Nancy Nabil Ajram is a Lebanese singer, television personality and businesswoman. Dubbed by Spotify as the "Queen of Arab Pop". With the support of her father, she began performing as a child and appeared on several television shows in her early years. By the age of 15, Ajram signed a recording contract with EMI and released her debut studio album Mihtagalak (1998). In spite of being under the legal age, Ajram was exceptionally accepted to the Syndicate of Professional Artists in Lebanon. The following year, she released her second album Sheel Oyoonak Anni (2001).
Ragheb Alama is a Lebanese singer, dancer, composer, television personality, and philanthropist. Alama began his career in the 1980s when he appeared as a contestant on the talent show broadcast Studio El Fan, on which he received the Platinum Award.
Studio El Fan was one of the Arab world's first star-maker talent shows in Lebanon, created by the famous television director and producer Simon Asmar, and Alfred Barakat. The program is behind most famous Lebanese stars like Majida El Roumi, Ragheb Alama, Walid Toufic, Wael Kfoury and Assi El Hellani. The program started in 1972 on Télé Liban where it boradcasted during the 1970s and early 1980s, the LBC television proposed to welcome him during the early 1980s where it aired during the late 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, and finally bought by the MTV in 2009. The show ran every four years for an entire year, and contestants from all over Lebanon competed in different singing categories for the gold, silver or bronze medals awards.
The X Factor Arabia, originally aired on March 26, 2006 with the title XSeer Al Najah is the Arab version of The X Factor. The Arabic-language version of the program also created by Simon Cowell has a similar format to the British version, in that there are judges who each have a team of contestants to mentor and compete with each other for the X Factor title. The 14-episode first series was broadcast in 22 Arabic-speaking countries. In its debut, it was known as being one of the most watched programs on television and was produced and supported by Rotana, one of the largest production companies in the Arab World. The winner of XSeer Al Najah earned a chance to sign with Rotana. However, with the continuing success of the rival pan-Arab series Star Academy on Lebanese Broadcasting Corporation (LBC), XSeer All Najah lost most of its pan-Arab appeal and was discontinued after season 2.
Dounia Batma is a Moroccan singer and actress who rose to popularity around the world as the runner-up of the first season of Arab Idol on MBC. She lost the title against Egyptian contestant Carmen Suleiman. She married Mohamed Al Turk, the father of Bahraini singer Hala Al Turk.
Carmen Essam Soliman, better known by her stage name Carmen Suleiman, is an Egyptian singer. Soliman won the first season of Arab Idol song contest in 2012 broadcast live on MBC 1, winning a recording contract with Platinum Records. After grueling rounds of televised eliminations, and critical evaluations by celebrity judges Ragheb Alama, Nancy Ajram, Ahlam and Egyptian music producer Hassan El Shafei, Carmen Soliman prevailed against all other contestants to become the first winner of the hit series on 24 March 2012 with the highest number of votes. Her first single, "Kalam Kalam" was released on 4 March 2013 jumping to No. 1 on the Egyptian charts, and her first album was released in January 2014. Carmen followed with numerous hit singles, including "Akhbari" and "Azama Ala Azama" a trio with fellow Idol contestants, Dounia Batma and Youssef Arafat.
The Voice: Ahla Sawt is the Arabic version of Dutch show The Voice of Holland created by John de Mol and produced by Talpa Media Group. The first season of MENA's version of The Voice debuted on 14 September 2012 and was broadcast worldwide from Beirut, Lebanon via MBC 1, a pan-Arabian television station. Through an agreement, the show was also simulcast via LBCI's channels. The first two season's main host was Egyptian actor Mohammad Kareem and Arwa Gouda. Nadine Wilson Njeim hosted from backstage.
Following the huge success of the first season of Arab Idol, MBC launched the second season on 8 March 2013. The jury panel, composed of Ahlam, Ragheb Alama and Hassan El Shafei, is completed by Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram. The top 27 was announced on 6 April 2013 and the first prime is scheduled for 19 April. 13 contestants should reach the final stage, compared with the first season where only 10 contestants were picked. On finale night, Mohammed Assaf from Palestine won the competition against Ahmad Gamal and Farah Youssef. There was an estimated 60 million votes. media and was welcomed with joy by Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world. This year was a premiere since it will be the first time that there is a non-Arab/non-Arabic speaker contestant.
The first season of Arab Idol was launched on MBC 1 on 9 December 2011. MBC decided to launch a more stylish version of Pop Idol after the 5 seasons of Super Star, the previous Arabic license of the show. The season was presented by Lebanese model Annabella Hilal and Kuwaiti actor Abdallah Tulehi. The judging panel consisted of Lebanese singer Ragheb Alama, Emirati diva Ahlam and Egyptian music producer, record producer and musician Hassan El Shafei. On finale night, 24 March 2012, Carmen Suleiman from Egypt was crowned the winner of the first season of Arab Idol in a tough competition against Dounia Batma from Morocco. The high ranking of this first season encouraged MBC to launch a second season in 2013.
Mohammad Jaber Abdul Rahman Assaf is a Palestinian pop singer well known for being the winner of the second season of Arab Idol, broadcast by the MBC network. His victory received worldwide coverage from the media and was welcomed with joy by Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world. In 2013, Assaf was named a goodwill ambassador for peace by The United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees (UNRWA). He was also named ambassador of culture and arts by the Palestinian government and was offered a position with "diplomatic standing" by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas. Assaf's story is the basis of the 2015 film The Idol, directed by Hany Abu-Assad. After Arab Idol, Assaf has gone on to enjoy huge popularity in the Arab World and the Arab diaspora and has released two albums and a great number of singles and collaborations. Most of his music is sung in the Iraqi and Gulf dialects.
Farrah Yousef is a Syrian singer who was the first runner-up on the second season of the television program Arab Idol in 2013.
Salma Rachid is a Moroccan pop singer who gained fame at the age of 18 following her participation in the second season of Arab Idol, broadcast on MBC. The youngest contestant, she earned fifth place and was praised for the strength of her voice, her ability to master various styles, and her charisma. She was nicknamed El Sultana by her fans and considers Umm Kulthum among her main inspiration.
The third season of Arab Idol premiered on 5 September 2014. Auditions were held in Beirut, Bahrain, Kuwait, Algeria, Cairo, Alexandria, Dubai, Morocco, Palestine, the Iraqi-Kurdish city of Irbil and on the European continent, notably in Paris and Berlin. Emirates Airlines was a major sponsor of season 3. The winner of the season was Hazem Shareef from Syria.
The Voice Kids: Ahla Sawt is an Arabic TV series airing on MBC 1 and MBC 3. It premiered on 2 January 2016. The three judges for the inaugural season were Tamer Hosny, Nancy Ajram and Kadim Al Sahir. There are four stages starting with the Blind Auditions. Contestants between the ages of 7 and 14 sing covers of already existing songs without being seen by the judges. If a coach likes the contestant's performance, they turn their chair. Each coach is allowed to have 15 contestants on their team.
After more than a year-long hiatus, the fourth series of Arab Idol was relaunched on MBC, with its premiere on 4 November 2016. Once again, just like in the previous season, the jury was composed of singers Wael Kfoury, Nancy Ajram, and Ahlam, as well as music producer Hassan El Shafei, and Ahmad Fahmi returned as host of the show. The first four episodes covered the first round of the show, the auditions process, which took place in nine different Arab countries and, for the first time ever, in Turkey. Although thousands of hopefuls put forth their candidacy, only 64 went through to the second round of auditions in Beirut, Lebanon by the end of which, the 25 semi-finalists were picked to go through to the third round, the live show. The Palestinian contestant Yaacoub Shaheen won the title.
The fifth season of the Arabic reality talent show The Voice premiered on September 21, 2019, on MBC1 and MBC Masr. Mohamed Hamaki and Ahlam returned as coaches. Ragheb Alama and Samira Said replaced long time coach Assi El Helani and Elissa as coaches.
Simon Asmar was a Lebanese television director and producer, and the creator of Studio al-Fan, the famous and one of the Arab world's first star-maker talent show in Lebanon, that is behind most famous Lebanese stars like Majida El Roumi, Ragheb Alama, Nawal El Zoghbi, Wael Kfoury and Assi El Hellani. Thus he was nicknamed the "Star-maker". Asmar also produced several popular game shows, including Bab al-Haz, Laylet Haz and Ahla bi Hal Tali. He was also founded the River Arts, a theatre-style river-side restaurant and cafe with a large gathering his famous artists with their orchestras, and a destination for Arab and international tourists.
