Before Arab Idol there was Munshid Al Sharjah.
The Sharjah TV talent contest returns for its seventh season on Sunday with the goal of finding the next Nasheed star from the Muslim world.
Nasheed – an Islamic-inspired music genre that mainly consists of a cappella Arabic vocals accompanied by percussion – may not receive the high profile attention that Arab pop does, but it has the potential to reach a wider audience, regionally and internationally, due to the spiritual and wholesome nature of the lyrics and artists.
The programme has been scouting talent from across the Muslim world, with auditions held as far as Bosnia and Herzegovina, Chad and Malaysia.
"We are excited to encourage deep and meaningful lyrics and melodies that are in harmony with our traditions and culture," says the Sharjah TV manager Mohammed Khalaf. "We are determined to continue with the success of Munshid Al Sharjah, which has made a breakthrough in the art of rich and impressive chanting over the last six editions."
The format
It is a talent show, so there is the usual format of a live studio audience and a judging panel of music-industry experts.
This season’s arbiters are the renowned Tunisian singer Lotfi Bouchnak, Egyptian crooner Mohamed Tharwat, Syrian composer Assim Al Bunni and Emirati singer Osama Al Safi.
Sunday’s opening episode will introduce the 14 contestants from different countries – an eclectic list from countries including Algeria, Macedonia, Saudi Arabia and Yemen – who made it through an audition process that began in September.
They will undergo a vocal boot camp during the week – shown in daily episodes – to prepare for their live performances each Friday. These will be broadcast live from the Al Majaz Ampitheatre, where the panel and the TV audience – who can text their votes – will decide who goes through to the next round, and who goes home.
Awaiting the winner, who will be crowned Munshid Al Sharjah, is regional fame – which often translates to successful tours and albums.
Back to school
A new feature this season is the addition of vocal trainers to help contestants deliver the best possible live performance each week – and who better to do the job than Mustafa Hamdoun? The Syrian Nasheed artist, who lives in Sharjah, was the fourth-season winner and has built a steady career since then with tours across the Arab world.
Despite the minimal nature of Nasheed songs, Hamdoun describes the genre as highly technical, with key skills including breath control and vocal delivery.
“I also teach choral groups in the UAE and Nasheeds require the same work,” he says. “It is not just about getting up and there and singing in melody, it is also how you present it on stage.”
The UAE hopeful
It’s the fourth time lucky for Ibrahim Hassa. The Emirati made it through the audition process to become the sole UAE finalist in the competition – an experience he describes as “intense and very difficult”.
He was perhaps more ready than others for the ordeal, having failed to make the cut in the previous three seasons. “I am not too disappointed by those other experiences,” he says. “It just goes to show you how competitive this programme really is. It is really number one in the Islamic world when it comes to showcasing what Nasheed is really all about.”
Hassa says that changing people’s perceptions about the possibilities of Nasheed is driving him this season. The Dubai Municipality engineer says that Nasheed has often been regarded as purely devotional songs. Instead, they can also discuss a wide variety of issues effecting society.
“As well as Nasheeds discussing the nature of God and the Prophet Mohammed, there are also Nasheeds talking about the dangers of smoking,” he says. “The topics that we can sing about in Nasheeds are very wide and that is important because that will always keep it relevant.”
A welcome change
For judge Bouchnak, the programme is more than simply entertainment. He says it provides a healthy alternative in the region’s turbulent times.
“What’s happening in the world right now is disastrous,” he says. “A lot of it is down to people forgetting their spirituality, something that we have in common with each other.
“A programme such as this provides a reminder – even if it is small – about our spiritual nature and some of the beautiful things we can do with our God-given talent.”
• Munshid Al Sharjah begins tonight on Sharjah TV with daily behind-the-scenes episodes at 9.30pm. Tickets are available from www.ticketmaster.ae and cost Dh20. For more details go to www.smc.ae
[ sasaeed@thenational.ae ]
