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The First Arab Idol

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The First Arab Idol ARAB & PROUD ARMEN SOLIMAN THE FIRST ARAB IDOL She’s the 17 year-old Egyptian girl who’s stolen the heart of the Arab World to become the very first winner of the Arab Idol singing competition on MBC. In this exclusive interview with Carmen Soliman, eniGma’s James Purtill finds out how it really feels to be an Arab Idol, born and bred in Egypt… ake no mistake, she’s walked away from Arab Idol with a Platinum heartbreak to bring in the viewers. Soon Arab Idol Carmen Soliman is Records contract, a Pepsi endorsement and a was the talk of the town. When would it debut? ambitious. She may Chevrolet Corvette. Soliman is all potential. Just Who would make the top ten? As people got have the face of an you wait till she gets her driver’s license; you will frustrated with the lack of political change, they angel but she’s got hear this baby purr. got more excited at the prospect of an interac- the voice – and tive talent show. You could kick people off the steely determina- When the first advertisements started airing for air, with your mobile phone. Now that’s power. tion – of an idol. Arab Idol in July 2011, the timing seemed ques- She may be locked tionable. The Arab Spring was in full swing, the As it turned out, just to underline the whole in her bedroom dust had barely settled, and already they were Arab Spring-Arab Idol parallel, in case we had right now, cramming for high-school exams – but planning this glitzy talent contest. The billboards not gotten it yet, the first show would air on the don’tM be fooled: Soliman’s got another side. She’s leaned over the highways: the cursive font and Friday after the January 25th anniversary of the got talent, and it’s not just for the stage. chrome sheen already familiar from the US Egyptian revolution. And the top ten? There they show, American Idol. Then the rumour mill start- were – in a publicity mug-shot: four Egyptians, Our interview takes place just days after she wins ed to churn. We learned the show would work three Tunisians (who would have thought?), a Carmen may have the face of an angel but she’s got the voice – and steely determination – of an idol first place in MBC’s blockbuster show Arab Idol, similar to American Idol: ten young contestants Saudi Arabian, a Jordanian and... Dounia Batma, but already the 17-year-old seems to have learned from all over the Arab world would be selected the Moroccan. Dounia was just so pretty and the etiquette of the limelight... after many auditions. They would perform a lovely. From the opening notes of her cover of song on stage in front of the public and the ce- Youm Leik Wi Youm Aleik, at the debut show, she Smile. That’s the first rule. Smile a lot. Don’t lebrity judges; Ragheb Alama, Ahlam and Hassan was a favourite to take the tiara. Meanwhile, be mean to anyone. Love thy fellow contestants. El Shafei, every Friday. Then you vote for your Soliman went for the classic – Om Kolthoum. Be bright, passionate, proudly enthusiastic and favourite using SMS. The least popular would get She made it through the rounds, and sung her enthusiastically proud. It’s been a steep learn- kicked off. way to the final five. But during the first round in ing curve; this time last year Soliman was belting March she only scraped through, one place shy out covers at supermarket talent contests. Today Turns out, there’s nothing like the prospect of of being eliminated. And again, in the next 34 www.enigma-mag.com “Arab Idol taught me how to use my voice and talent, how to perform and use the stage” Images courtesy of MBC round, she was in the bottom two. It seemed the both in the same situation, we supported one young missus with the impish smile was on her another as well. We both wished each other way out. the best. Except something had changed when Soliman Now that the show is over, how has it stepped out for the semi-final a week later. You been adjusting back to your ‘normal’ could see it straight away. She had confidence; it life? lit her up like a lone spotlight. Later, the young My life is far from normal. It is entirely woman would say that she had started to imagine different. Before Arab Idol, I was your aver- she might win. It would be easy to dismiss this age teenager;. I’d hang out with my friends, as false-modesty, public relations air brushing – spend time with family, attend school and except she really had started to sing like a cham- private lessons for Thanawya Amma (High pion. And Dounia, who had never once been School General Certificate) etc. Now I’m close to elimination, was starting to fade. In the doing more shows and press interviews. final week, the media encouraged the two girls’ But I’ve also had to recently put everything rivalry. Rumours lashed the Twitter-sphere. And on hold to focus on my studies, because all of us viewers – who thought we held all the I have my final exams soon. Since Arab power, who had been ruining careers with a dab Idol, I’ve needed to spend time focusing of the thumb – suddenly found ourselves power- on my education because I have been less. Yes, in the dark, transfixed by the flickering distracted. So after exams, I will focus screen, we finally realised we had been conned. more on performing. In any case, who cares, it made great TV. Car- Yet personally, I haven’t changed. I’m men sang Om Kolthoum. She won. Dounia was still Carmen. I still treat my family and gracious, etcetera. And now the real fun began: friends the same way. I don’t see them the interviews.… as often now but I still talk to them as much as I can. Was there a particular moment when you realised you’d become a celebrity? How will you balance your educa- During Arab Idol, the other contestants and I tion with the demands of creating were pretty isolated. We were completely fo- an album and being in the spotlight? “I want my album to be modern but reminiscent of the past – when Arabic music was at its best” cused on competing and performing. I didn’t It’s super hard. My plan is to focus feel like a celebrity until I returned to Egypt. I completely on my music and become was surprised by how big this all was. a well-established singer. Nothing will delay my singing career. I’m Why did you enter the competition? even planning to apply to The Arab I’ve been singing since I was four years old. My Music Institute. mum always supported me and pushed me to do my best. She always recommended songs to sing, You now have a deal with Platinum she coached me and that helped my voice a lot. I records! When will your album be really appreciate what she has done for me over released? And aside from the album, the years. what other plans do you have? This summer I will start working on my I heard about Arab Idol from a friend. I checked first album. I’m hoping to sing with a lot out the announcement on MBC’s website and of dialects, including Egyptian, Khaleeji and told my mum I wanted to try out. She was super- Lebanese. I want my album to be modern but supportive and encouraging, so I applied. It was reminiscent of the past – when Arabic music a whim, really. I always dreamed of becoming a was at its best. I want it to express everything singer, so entering this competition was a way to I’m feeling right now so people can relate to it. make that happen. I don’t want them to forget it anytime soon. Elissa famously said on twitter that she I’ve participated in a lot of local competitions in voted for you, while Nancy Ajram noted Egypt, like at the Cairo Opera House, for exam- that you reminded her of herself when she ple. But Arab Idol was the only regional competi- first started. Hany Shaker also expressed tion I participated in. I learned a lot from it. My his admiration for your voice. These are family says my voice and performance improved just a few of the big-name stars who sup- ever since I participated in the show, and I do ported you;how did that feel? sing differently now. Arab Idol taught me how to I am grateful, blessed and honoured to have use my voice and talent, how to perform and use their support. I truly appreciate how they be- the stage. lieved in my talent and my potential in the entertainment world. I want to thank them so Arab audiences were determined to pit you much for their support. It has given me confi- against Dounia, creating an online rivalry. dence and assurance in myself. How did you both deal with that behind the scenes? Tell us what you think of this article! It didn’t affect us negatively whatsoever. It was Follow us on Twitter:@EnigmaMagazine a competition, of course, but since we were Like our page on Facebook: EnigmaMagazine 36 www.enigma-mag.com.
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