Who would have thought major Arab stars had time to watch television talent contests? But it turns out there is a bunch out there who follow these shows from start to finish.
Take Saber Al Rebai for instance, who recently admitted that he was a Star Academy fan. The 46-year-old — considered one of Tunisia's biggest singing exports after bursting onto the scene in 2000 — admits he could not wait for the finale of this year's Star Academy, which saw Egyptian contestant Nesma walk away with the title.
At the finale, Al Rebai performed with Nesma and the other two finalists, Ahmad and Sarah, as well as belted out some of his biggest hits. He speaks to tabloid! about his experience.
You performed at last week's Star Academy 8 finale. What did you think of this season's contestants?
The students were great this year, very talented and they performed as if they were professionals in the field for years. I love the fact that because it is live there is a lot of interaction with the audience at the studio. It makes a big difference.
Nesma walked away with this year's Star Academy title. Before the announcement was made, who were you expecting to win?
In my opinion, the winner of this year's Star Academy was either Ahmad or Nesma. In terms of [third finalist] Sarah, there's no doubt she has a beautiful voice, but I enjoyed listening to the other two more.
Were you a fan of any of the other students who were eliminated?
Oumayma was wonderful, but I also liked Christine and Gilbert. There's something special about them.
If you could collaborate with one Star Academy student, who would it be?
I would choose Nesma, without hesitation. Her voice is beautiful.
What advice would you give anyone starting out a career in music?
The most important thing is not to rush, and take your time on everything. It is important to stay true to yourself and be careful of the choices you make. Consistency and hard work will lead to stardom.
Would you ever start your own production company in Tunisia to nurture young talent?
At the moment, this is something I am not planning, due to the current situation in the Arab world. At the end of the day, the number of record companies in the region is declining due to the economic situation, as well as the rise of illegal music sharing.
Speaking of record companies, are you planning on staying with Rotana for your upcoming album?
Yes, I plan on doing so. My new album will be out in September, after the holy month of Ramadan.
"Haifa did an amazing job in Dokkan Shehata. It's not easy acting in front of [director] Khalid Youssuf. But her character is nothing like my latest one in Kaf Al Amar."
Maya hospitalised
Things are not looking up for Maya Diab. Following the death of her music video director friend Yehia Sa'ade, the Lebanese singer has been hospitalised after breaking her leg in a major fall.
According to media reports, Diab was rushed to Beirut's Clemenceau Hospital, but it has not been revealed whether her leg needs to be operated.
Late last year, Diab witnessed the death of director Sa'ade while shooting her latest music video. The duo were shooting in Turkey when Sa'ade tripped on some cables, resulting in him being electrocuted.
So long Dakak
Syrian actor Hassan Dakak died earlier this week from a heart attack. The 56-year-old actor, known for his roles in the television series Bab Al Hara (The Village's Door) and Maraya (Mirror), was scheduled to appear in five shows this Ramadan — Al Zaeem (The Leader), Maraya 2011 (Mirror 2011), Rejal Al Ezz (Rich Men), Yawmeyat Modir Am 2 (Stories of a General Manager 2), and Adel Emam's Ferkat Naji Attalla (Naji Attalla's Band).
According to his spokesperson, Dakkak had completed filming for all five shows and producers will not cut any of his scenes as a tribute to the actor.
Gem of an ambassador
Jewellery brand Damas has announced that it has renewed its contract with Nancy Ajram to continue to be its official spokesperson for the Middle East and North Africa region. Ajram has been appointed as the ambassador of the new Farfasha, scheduled to launch later this year.
During a press conference held in Beirut, Ajram said: "It's an honour to be signing another contract with Damas, as I turned down numerous other offers to represent other brands."
She added that she will be wearing the new Farfasha line in her next music video.
