Where are they now? Careers of former Arabic talent show contestants over the years

Life after the thrill of victory and discovery hasn’t always been smooth sailing

Mohammed Assaf won Arab Idol in 2013. Reuters

TV talent shows have unearthed some of the biggest singing stars in the Arab world.

From Ragheb Alama in Studio El Fan in the early 1980s to Sherine Abdel Wahab in the inaugural season of Star Academy Arab World in 2004, generations of Arabic musicians and celebrities have used these programmes as career launch pads.

However, not every breakout artist is guaranteed a glittering career. For some, the star power fades quickly. Others are content as gigging musicians in their home countries.

With Arabs Got Talent set to return after a five-year hiatus, here are nine former contestants who used talent shows to boost their careers.

1. Mohammed Assaf

The Palestinian singer had the Arab world in the palm of his hands when he won the second season of Arab Idol. After making the journey from Palestine to Lebanon to audition – and being temporarily detained at the Egyptian border on the way – the former wedding singer from Gaza wowed the crowd with his inspirational story and dynamic voice as he performed Palestinian folk tracks as ballads.

His Arab Idol victory not only made headlines but inspired a 2015 biopic, The Idol, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival. Although his profile has faded over the years, Assaf has been busy recording and touring internationally. His latest project is a tribute show to the Egyptian crooner Mohammed Abdul Wahab.

2. Dounia Batma

The Moroccan singer is relaunching her music career 13 years after finishing second in the inaugural season of Arab Idol in 2011. While the show's profile led to her releasing a number of well-received Arabic and Moroccan pop songs, like Rayora and Omy Daeatly, her career took a back seat after she married Egyptian pop star and actor Tamer Hosny and they started a family.

Batma returned to the limelight last year with a string of songs and music videos, including El Hennana and Kachkoul Chaabi.

3. Mourad Bouriki

While the Moroccan singer became a hero in his homeland for winning the first season of The Voice: Ahla Sawt in 2012, it did not lead to regional fame.

The singer and composer has been busy performing in festivals across the kingdom, including this year's Tarab Ambassadors concert series in Casablanca. In a recent interview with Moroccan newspaper Aujourd'hui Le Maroc, he confirmed he had eight new “100 per cent Moroccan songs” planned for release soon.

4. Salah The Entertainer

Now performing under the name Salah or Spider Salah, the Moroccan hip-hop dancer's career hasn't skipped a beat since he won the fourth season of Arabs Got Talent in 2014.

He appeared last month at the 2024 Paris Olympics as an ambassador for the breakdancing competition and last year was a guest mentor in the television show Street Dance of China.

5. Carmen Soliman

The Egyptian singer was the first Arab Idol winner in 2011, but that is now a footnote in a career that has included the release songs from energetic Arabic pop to ballads and epic orchestral numbers. In addition to the release of her new single, Hana Hana, Soliman was chosen to sing the key song for the Arabic dubbed version of the 2020 Netflix animated film Over the Moon.

Last year, her face was projected on a digital billboard in New York's Times Square as part of her ambassador role for Spotify's Equal Arabia initiative.

6. Sima Dance Company

After winning the 2014 season of Arabs Got Talent, the Syrian dance company relocated to Dubai and have been teaching contemporary dance in Al Serkal Avenue. In 2019, they were commissioned by NYU Abu Dhabi Arts Centre to launch the show Ansaf. Inspired by the work of Canadian philosopher Alan Deneault, the show explores the relationship between consumerism and populism.

7. Dumooa Tahseen

The Iraqi singer made waves after winning the 2018 season of The Voice: Ahla Sawt partly because of her flamboyant mentor, the Emirati singer Ahlam. While Tahseen doesn't hold the same star power as former winners, she has had a steady stream of concerts and releases, including this year's Sawalif Qabl and Hobbak Warta.

8. The Mayyas

Talent show winners with a global profile, the Lebanese dance crew followed up their 2019 victory in Arabs Got Talent by winning America's Got Talent in 2022. That caught the eye of Beyonce and she shared a stage with them at the launch of Atlantis The Royal. In August, the dance crew performed in public for the first time in Lebanon, paying tribute to the culture and heritage of Beirut.

9. Nassif Zeytoun

The 2010 winner of Star Academy is close to being viewed as a top-tier talent. This is down to the sheer consistency of his material, including hit songs Mesh Aam Tezbat Maae and Habibi W Bass, and tours of Europe and North America.

The music video for his latest single Ya Sidi Ensa, a collaboration with Moroccan singer Mortadha Ftiti, has accumulated more than 10 million YouTube since its release on August 21.