Arab Idol (season 4)

Arab Idol (season 4)
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.
Judges
There was no change in judges from season held in 2014.
The judges for the season were:
Wael Kfoury - singer from Lebanon
Nancy Ajram - singer from Lebanon
Ahlam - singer from United Arab Emirates
Hassan El Shafei - composer, record producer from Egypt
Auditions
The candidates who qualified successfully are listed below. Each candidate is from the host country, unless otherwise stated.
Morocco
Nisreen El Safi
Hajar Idelhaj – she was notable because of her ability to sing in not only Arabic but also Hindi.
Ikram Farraj
Maysaa Aynas
Yasmine Chellah
Iman Foudaib
Sakina Elhagamy
Kaoutar Berrani
Hamza Essaoui
Jordan
Rawan Aalyan (Palestine)
Muhannad Alkhatib
Mohammed Alhawari
Muhannad Hussein
Turkey
Ahmed Aldosh (Syria) – disappeared before the group challenge.
Mohammed Ben Saleh (Tunisia)
Houssam Al Shoueikhi (Tunisia)
Matti Sobo (Iraq)
Fouad Al-Hitar (Saudi Arabia)
Algeria
Mohammed Fergani – he played an Oud while auditioning.
Manal Hadly
Yousef Hamani
Kawther Khawatmiya – later known as Kamelya Wared. The name change was possibly due to some conflict with judge Nancy Ajram.
Aya Baghdadi
Mohammed Saleh
Iraq
Mohammed Hamza
Asher Alwaleed
Ayman Amin
Houmam Abdulrazak – later known as Houmam Ibrahim. Before his stint in Arab Idol, he was already a well-known singer in Iraq, and had enjoyed minor chart success with a song, "Ma erftani" (You don't know me).
Muhannad Jassem
Bejan Jaza
Palestine
Yacoub Shaheen
Ameer Dandan
Nader Hammouda
Ghianna Ghantous
Shadi Dakwar
Nancy Hawa – disappeared before the group challenge; apparently she had voluntarily withdrawn.
Linda Zamil
Nadine Khatib
Said Tarabay
Bahrain
Abdallah Alkhelifi (from Yemen; but he told the judges he was from Saudi Arabia)
Badr Al Hassan
Lebanon
Mahmoud Othman (Syria)
Aamer Sidawi
Ibrahim Malouhi
Tamer Daher
Waleed Bechara
Rabih Rabal
Hussein al Masri
Rabii Zayyoud (Syria) (he was first eliminated, then qualified successfully after judge Nancy Ajram decided to give him a chance)
United Arab Emirates
Murshid Atta (Saudi Arabia) – had previously taken part in Arab Idol Season 2 and qualified. In Season 4, he qualified again, but had apparently disappeared before the group challenge.
Amani Mubarak (Saudi Arabia)
Ammar Mohammed (Yemen)
Umniah Hassan (Egypt)
Munad Abdo (Sudan)
Bandar Mougri (Saudi Arabia)
Egypt
Mohammed Moustafa
Amal Ibrahim (Jordan)
Dalia Saeed
Omar Hamdy
Israa Gamal
Mohammed Said
Samar Al Husseini
Erfan Mohammed
Ahmed Aljarrah
Second round
This round began with the 64 candidates' arrival to Beirut, Lebanon. Before settling down, the beginning of the group challenge was announced to the candidates by host Ahmad Fahmi. In pre-determined groups of four to six people, these small groups had to each perform a pre-determined song in front of the jury, immediately after which, performers deemed not good enough to continue were cut from the competition. The songs chosen for this round and the results are as follows.
For the female contestants:
Group 1
Group name: Safar Al-Angham (Travel of the Melodies)
Song choice: "Galaw habibak Missafer" by Thekra
Kaoutar Berrani (Morocco) (group leader) – Advanced
Yasmine Chellah (Morocco) – Advanced
Iman Foudaib (Morocco) – Advanced
Sakina Elhagamy (Morocco) – Advanced
Amani Mubarak (Saudi Arabia) – Advanced
This group comprised four Moroccans and a Saudi. They rendered the late Thekra Mohammed's hit song "Messafer". When their result was announced, judge Ahlam attempted to test the group members' patience by saying that "only one person" had advanced – and that person was "Safar Al-Angham", in other words, the whole group had advanced successfully. All five group members erupted into spontaneous applause.
Group 2
Song choice: "El Areeb minnak Baeed" by Najat El Saghira
Linda Zamil (Palestine) (group leader) – Advanced
Samar Al Husseini (Egypt) – Advanced
Rawan Aalyan (Palestine) – Advanced
Hajar Idelhaj (Morocco) – Eliminated. She could be seen in tears while judge Hassan El Shafei was halfway speaking to her.
Group 3
Song choice: "Samahtak" by Assala Nasri
Ikram Farraj (Morocco) (group leader) – Eliminated
Maysaa Aynas (Morocco) – Eliminated. At one point while she was singing, judge Nancy Ajram was shaking her head in disapproval.
Dalia Saeed (Egypt) – Advanced
Israa Gamal (Egypt) – Advanced
Rula Azar (Palestine) – Advanced
Group 4
Song choice: "Aala Bali" by Sherine Abdel Wahab
Aya Baghdadi (Algeria) (group leader) – Eliminated
Nisreen El Safi (Morocco) – Eliminated
Umniah Hassan (Egypt) – Eliminated
Amal Ibrahim (Jordan) – Eliminated
This team had a problem with the song that they chose. It turned out that the song, "Aala Bali" by Sherine Abdel Wahab, was not suited for their voices. This had a major impact on their performance and led to the elimination of all the members in this group.
Group 5
Group name: Jazairastin (Algeria and Palestine)
Song choice: "Ahou Dalli Sar" by Sayyid Darwich
Nadine Khatib (Palestine) (group leader) – Advanced
Ghianna Ghantous (Palestine) – Advanced
Kamelya Wared (Algeria) – Advanced
Amal Shaheen (Palestine) – Advanced
Manal Hadly (Algeria) – Advanced
This team was distinguished by not only the voices of the participants, but also the commonalities that brought them together. The participants were of either Palestinian or Algerian nationality, which inspired their group name, Jazairastin – a portmanteau of "Jazair" (Algeria) and "Falastin" (Palestine). Their creative rendition of Fairuz's "Ahou Dalli Sar" ensured survival of all the members of their team to advance to the next round.
For the male contestants:
Group 1
Group name: Altuyur (Bird)
Song choice: "Walla Ya Teir" by Fadel Shaker
Mohammed Moustafa (Egypt) (group leader) – Advanced
Mohammed Ben Saleh (Tunisia) – Advanced
Aamer Sidawi (Lebanon) – Eliminated
Rabii Zayyoud (Syria) – Advanced
Shadi Dakwar (Palestine) – Advanced
Mohammed Said (Egypt) – Advanced
Group 2
Song choice: "Sallamtak Bi Id Allah" by Kadim Al Sahir
Muhannad Jassem (Iraq) (group leader) – Eliminated
Hussein Al Masri (Lebanon) – Eliminated
Matti Sobo (Iraq) – Eliminated
Ayman Amin (Iraq) – Eliminated
Humam Ibrahim (Iraq) – Advanced
Muhannad Hussein (Jordan) – Advanced
Group 3
Song choice: "Zeina Lebset Khelkhalha" by Samir Yazbek
Mohammed Al Saleh (Algeria) (group leader) – Eliminated
Tamer Daher (Lebanon) – Advanced
Muhannad Al Khatib (Jordan) – Advanced
Asher Alwaleed (Iraq) – Eliminated
Waleed Bechara (Lebanon) – Advanced
Saeed Tarabih (Palestine) – Eliminated
Group 4
Group name: Jalsa (Meetup)
Song choice: "Ya Munyati", popular Yemeni song
Badr Al Hassan (Bahrain) (group leader) – Advanced
Abdallah Alkhelifi (Yemen) – Advanced
Bandar Mougri (Saudi Arabia) – Advanced
Ammar Mohammed (Yemen) – Advanced
Fouad Al-Hitar (Saudi Arabia) – Advanced
This group was composed entirely of Gulf citizens. Their rendition of a popular Yemeni song, completely captivated the jury – so much so that judges Hassan El Shafei and Ahlam gave them a standing ovation at the end. All members of this group qualified for the next stage successfully.
Group 5
Group name: Alkhultat Alsihria (Magic Mix)
Song choice: "Aannabi" by Karem Mahmoud
Munad Abdo (Sudan) (group leader) – Eliminated
Omar Hamdy (Egypt) – Eliminated
Nader Hammouda (Palestine) – Advanced
Ibrahim Malouhi (Lebanon)- Eliminated
Mohammed Alhawari (Jordan) – Eliminated
Mohammed Fergani (Algeria) – Advanced
This team comprised six members, each from a different Arab country – which inspired their group name Alkhultat Alsihria (Magic Mix). They performed a song "Annabi", but their magic mix unfortunately did not captivate the jury. Out of their six members, only two – Nader Hammouda and Mohammed Fergani – successfully advanced.
Group 6
Group name: Alwahda (Unity)
Song choice: "Khallas Tarak" by Saber Rebai
Rabih Rahal (Lebanon) (group leader) – Eliminated
Hussein Mohammed (Egypt) – Advanced
Bejan Jaza (Iraq) – Eliminated
Mohammed Hamza (Iraq) – Eliminated
Ahmed Aljarrah (Egypt) – Eliminated
Youssef Hamani (Algeria) – Eliminated
Comprising mostly Iraqis and Egyptians, this group was the most unfortunate of the male groups – largely due to the lack of harmony and chemistry between the group members during the performance of the song. The jury decided to allow only one member of this group, Hussein Mohammed of Egypt, to advance.
Group 7
Group name: Assalam (Peace)
Song choice: "Ya Salat El Zein" by Sayed Mekawy
Ameer Dandan (Palestine) (group leader) – Advanced
Kefah Rustam (Lebanon) – Advanced
Yacoub Shaheen (Palestine) – Advanced
Houssam Al Shoueikhi (Tunisia) – Advanced
Mahmoud Othman (Syria) – Advanced
Hamza Essaoui (Morocco) – Advanced
This team's rendition of a Sayed Mekawy piece, brought a rousing end to the group challenge, once again with a standing ovation from the judges, as well as all six members advancing successfully to the next round.
By the end of the group challenge, 40 contestants remained : 16 female contestants out of the original 23, and 24 male contestants out of 41. These 40 remaining competitors then had to pick one last song, from a list of 14, for their final individual challenge before the Top 24 is picked. This year, however, a maximum of six people could pick the same song, adding to the pressure competitors had to endure, as it was done on a first-come-first-served basis.
The 14 songs in the individual challenge, and the contestants who chose each song, are as follows:
"Ouli Aamalak Eih" by Mohammed Abdel Wahab
Israa Gamal (Egypt) – Advanced
Samar Al Husseini (Egypt) – Advanced
Mohammed Moustafa (Egypt) – Advanced
Mohammed Said (Egypt) – Advanced
Nader Hammouda (Palestine) – Advanced
"Ya Tira Tiri" by Sabah Fakhri
Houssam El Shouekhi (Tunisia) – Advanced. Judge Wael Kfoury actually joined in the singing at one point.
Rabii Zayyoud (Syria) – Advanced
Hussein Muhammad (Egypt) – Advanced
Mahmoud Othman (Syria) – Eliminated. His performance was especially shocking to judge Wael Kfoury.
"El Oyoun El Soud" by Warda Al Jazairiah
Dalia Saeed (Egypt) – Advanced
Rawan Aalyan (Palestine) – initially eliminated, but later Advanced after the jury decided to give her a second chance
Kaoutar Berrani (Morocco) – Advanced
Kamelya Wared (Algeria) – Advanced
"Laila bterjaa ya layl" by Fairuz
Nadine Khatib (Palestine) – Advanced
Yasmine Chellah (Morocco) – Eliminated
"Eiratni belchib" by Nazem Al-Ghazali
Houmam Ibrahim (Iraq) – Advanced
"Rasayel" by Mohammed Abdo
Fouad Al-Hitar (Saudi Arabia) – Eliminated. Judge Ahlam appeared shocked by his performance.
Bandar Mougri (Saudi Arabia) – Advanced
"Ahebbak law takun hader" by Talal Maddah
Badr Al Hassan (Bahrain) – Advanced
Abdallah Alkhelifi (Yemen)- Advanced
Amani Mubarak (Saudi Arabia) – Eliminated
Iman Foudaib (Morocco) – Eliminated
"Kama al Reisha" by Abu Bakr Salem
Ammar Mohammed (Yemen) – Advanced
"Eldayia" by Sabah
Amal Shaheen (Palestine) – Eliminated
"Emta Hataraf" by Asmahan
Mohammed Fergani (Algeria) – Eliminated
"Weli Law Yedroun" by Moeen Charif
Ameer Dandan (Palestine) – Advanced
Waleed Bechara (Lebanon) – Advanced
Tamer Daher (Lebanon) – Advanced
Rula Azar (Palestine) – Eliminated
Mohammed Ben Saleh (Tunisia) – Advanced
"Ma Dam Tuhibu" by Umm Kulthum
Ghianna Ghantous (Palestine) – Eliminated
"Sawah" by Abdel Halim Hafez
Shadi Dakwar (Palestine) – Advanced
Muhannad Al Khatib (Jordan) – Eliminated
Linda Zamil (Palestine) – Eliminated
Manal Hadli (Algeria) – Eliminated
Improvisations
Yacoub Shaheen (Palestine) – Advanced
Muhannad Hussein (Jordan) – Advanced
Hamza Essaoui (Morocco) – Eliminated
By the end of the individual challenge, and after the 24 competitors to advance was announced, the jury felt as though the previously eliminated candidate Rawan Aalyan deserved a second chance, and so, she was asked to come back, bringing the total number of semi-finalists to 25 (7 female and 18 male). These semi-finalists arise from 12 different Arab countries : 6 from Egypt, 6 from Palestine, 2 from Lebanon, 2 from Tunisia, 2 from Yemen, and 1 of each from Algeria, Bahrain, Iraq, Jordan, Morocco, Saudi Arabia and Syria. Each semi-finalist has their own voting number, varying from 1 to 25.
Semi-finals
The 8 contestants who received the most votes automatically advanced to the next round. The judges were able to each select two of the remaining contestants as wild cards. Each pair would sing and then the judge would decide whom to save, advancing them to the next round.
Wild Card
*After being initially eliminated, the judges unanimously decided to save Nadine Khatib and she became the 13th Finalist.
Contestant Progress
Finals
On finale night, February 25, 2017 Yacoub Shaheen from Palestine was crowned the winner of the fourth season of Arab Idol in a tough competition against Ameer Dandan from Palestine and Ammar Mohammed from Yemen . For the first time of Arab Idol history 2 of the last 3 contestants were Palestinian.
The finale night also had two very touching moments. The first was during the performance of the Hussain al Jassmi song "Hobilaha" (My love for her) by finalist Ammar Mohammed of Yemen, who broke down uncontrollably halfway while singing, and judge Ahlam had to come onto stage to console him.
The second was shortly before the crowning ceremony, when the 13 finalists, led by Yacoub Shaheen, Ammar Mohammed, and Ameer Dandan, got together on stage to sing a special song, "Cursed are the wars". Judge Nancy Ajram was seen in tears near the end of the song.
References
2016 Lebanese television seasons
2017 Lebanese television seasons
Idols (franchise)