Following the huge success of the first season of Arab Idol, MBC launched the second season on 8 March 2013. The jury panel, composed of Ahlam, Ragheb Alama and Hassan El Shafei, is completed by Lebanese pop star Nancy Ajram. The top 27 was announced on 6 April 2013 and the first prime is scheduled for 19 April. 13 contestants should reach the final stage, compared with the first season where only 10 contestants were picked. On finale night, Mohammed Assaf from Palestine won the competition against Ahmad Gamal and Farah Youssef. There was an estimated 60 million votes. media and was welcomed with joy by Palestinians and the rest of the Arab world. This year was a premiere since it will be the first time that there is a non-Arab/non-Arabic speaker contestant (Parwas Hussain, from the Kurdish part of Iraq).
Auditions Ten dates were set for the auditions, which took place in 8 Arab countries (three audition dates in three different Egyptian cities).
Luxor, Egypt, October 11, 2012 Alexandria, Egypt, October 15, 2012 Cairo, Egypt, October 19, 2012 Casablanca, Morocco, October 28, 2012 Tunis, Tunisia, November 2, 2012 Amman, Jordan, November 8, 2012 Erbil, Iraq, November 11, 2012 Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 15, 2012 Beirut, Lebanon, November 19, 2012 Doha, Qatar auditions were originally scheduled for November 15, 2012, but the city was excluded after the citizens of Qatar made a campaign on the internet to prevent the arrival of the show crew, in the excuse that the show doesn't align with the habits and traditions of the conservative Qatari community and the Islamic values.
Second round
After more than 15,000 auditions, the judges picked 95 to go onto the following round in Beirut, Lebanon. The second round of auditions consisted of three parts, the first of which saw candidates sing a song of their choice for 60 seconds in front of the panel in groups of 10. Only 61 made it through to the second part of the second round. In this part of the competition, candidates were split into 11 groups of 5 or 6, and had to perform iconic Arabic songs from movies and plays from the previous century. The repertoire consisted of the following songs :
For the girls: "Mali" (by Warda Al-Jazairia) from the movie "Sawt El Hob" (1973) "El Ward Gamil" (by Umm Kulthum) from the movie "Fatmah" (1947) "Rajain Ya Hawa" (by Fairuz), from the Rahbani Brothers's play "Loulou" (1974) "Ya Wad Ya Teel" (by Souad Hosni) from the movie "Khali Balak Min Zouzou" (1972) "Imta Hataaraf/ Layali El Ouns" (by Asmahan) from the movie "Gharam wa Intiqam" (1944)
For the guys: "Ya Msafer Wahdak" (by Mohammed Abdelwahab), from the movie "Mamno' El Hob" (1942) "Gana El Hawa" (by Abdelhalim Hafez), from the movie "Abi Foq El Shagara" (1969) "Gharibeyn Ou Layl" (by Ghassan Saliba), from the Rahbani Brothers' play "Saif 840" (1987) "Gabbar" (by Abdelhalim Hafez), from the movie "Maabodat El Gamahir" (1963) "Habeena" (by Farid El Atrash), from the movie "Nagham Fi Hayati" (1975) "Ana Elli Alayki Mishta'" (by Joseph Sakr), from Ziad Rahbani's play "Nazl El Sourour" (1974)
After further cuts, only 46 contenders remained, and moved onto the third and final part of the second round of auditions. The remaining competitors had to sing for their lives, of whom only 20 were to be chosen. However, this task proved to be too hard for the judges because of the great talent present. Thus, 27 contestants were hand-picked instead of 20 for the public vote, who had to choose only 12 of them to reach the final round of competitions.
The 27 contestants representing 10 Arab countries were revealed on April 6, 2013, and they are :
From Egypt: Karim Houssam (18), Sabrine El Nagily (20), Mirna Hisham (15), Ahmad Gamal (24), Haidy Moussa (19), Meriem Mohammad (16), Nourhane El Boghdadi (23) From Morocco: Fatima-Zahra El Qortoubi (27), Salma Rachid (18), Omar El Idrissi (24), Jamal Abbad (25), Yousra Saouf (20) From Tunisia: Mohammed Dughman (24), Zouhour El Shaari (23), and Mohammed Amer (26) From Syria: Farah Youssef (21), Abdelkarim Hamdan (25) From Iraq: Parwas Hussain (24), Oussama Naji (23), Mohannad Almarsoumi (27) From Lebanon: Ziad Khouri (24), Wael Said (18) From Saudi Arabia: Ibrahim Abdallah (25), Fares El Madani (27) From Algeria: Saad Nizar (28) From Bahrain: Hanane Reda (21) From Palestine: Mohammed Assaf (23)
Semi-final
Top 15 Males Top 12 FemalesContestantSong ChoiceResultContestantSong ChoiceResult Ahmad GamalMawaoud – Abdel Halim Hafez Advanced Mirna Hisham Ma Taatazirsh – Sherine Oussama Naji Fog El Nakhl – Nazem Al Ghazali Yousra Saouf Oyoun El Alb – Nagat Al Saghira Wild Card Mohammed Ammar Yalli Taabna Sineen Fi Hawa – George WassoufZouhour El Shahri El Asami – ThekraWael Said Sayyajna Lebnan – Wadih El Safi Wild Card Heidi Moussa Lola Al Malama – Warda Al-Jazairia Omar El Idrissi Balash Tbousni – Mohammed Abdel Wahab Hanane Reda Galo Habaybak Msafer – Thekra Wild Card Karim Houssam Al Dounia alametni – Wael Jassar Sabrine El Nagily Arouh Limeen – Umm Kulthum Advanced Fares El MadaniYa Ghali Elathman – Mohammed Abdu Wild Card Parwas Hussain Kurdish version of Qaduka Almayas – Sabah Fakhri Advanced Saad Nizar C'est La Vie – Cheb Khaled Meriem Mohammed Yamma Alamar al Bab – Fayza Ahmed Mohammad Assaf Ya Sghiri – Melhem Zein Advanced Salma Rachid Zaman El Samt – Talal Maddah Wild Card Ibrahim Abdallah La Toudayekoun El Tarf – Mohammed Abdu Nourhane El Boghdadi Hayati – Assala Nasri Ziad KhouriYa'bni – Wadih El Safi, Khatarna Ala Balak – Tony Hanna Advanced Fatima El Qortoubi Byahsidouni Aleh- Nawal El Kuwaitia Mohammed Daghman Aaz El Habayeb – Saber RebaïFarah YoussefMadam Tihibb Bitinkr Leih – Umm Kulthum Advanced Abdelkarim Hamdan Qaduka Almayas – Sabah Fakhri Advanced Mohanad Almarsoumi Talaa Men Beit Abouha – Nazem Al Ghazali Advanced Jamal Abbad Ibaatli Jawab – Sabah Fakhri
Top 13 Elimination chart Female Male Wild Card Top 13 Winner SafeSafe FirstSafe LastEliminated Stage:FinalsWeek:Apr 19–20Apr 27May 4May 11May 18May 25Jun 1Jun 8Jun 15Jun 22PlaceContestantResult1 Mohammed Assaf Top 13 Winner Ahmad Gamal Top 13 Bottom 3Runner-up Farah Youssef Top 13Runner-up4 Ziad Khouri Top 13 Bottom 3 Bottom 3 Bottom 3Eliminated Salma Rachid Wild Card Bottom 4Eliminated Parwas Hussain Top 13 Bottom 4Eliminated7 Abdelkarim Hamdan Top 13 Bottom 3 Bottom 4 Bottom 3Eliminated8 Top 13 Bottom 4Eliminated Yousra Saouf Wild Card Bottom 3Eliminated Fares El Madani Wild Card Eliminated Sabrine El Nagily Top 13Bottom 3Eliminated Hanane Reda Wild CardBottom 2Eliminated 13 Wael Said Wild CardEliminated
References
Repertoire
Week 1 (April 26, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Nawal El Kuwaitia Mohammed Assaf Aala Hisb Oudad – Abdelhalim HafezSalma Rachid Lazraalak Bostan Worood – Fouad GhaziMohanad Almarsoumi Bayn Edaya – Majid Al MuhandisHanane Reda Wa Hayati Aandek – ThekraFarah Youssef Helm – Umm KulthumWael Said Ma Aad Baddiyak – Melhem ZeinFares El Madani Yaben Esshoug – Abadi Al JoharAhmad Gamal Younis – Mohammed MounirSabrine El Nagily Kahil El Ain – Asma LamnawarParwas Hussein Magadir – Talal MaddahAbdelkarim Hamdan Salam Aaliha Ya Hawa – Melhem BarakatYousra Saouf El Amaken – Mohammed AbdoZiad Khouri Deggou El Mahabij – Fairouz
Week 2 (May 3, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Samira Said Farah Youssef Habina wa Thabina – Mayada El HenawiMohanad Almarsoumi Law wa Lawl wa Lowa – Saadoun JaberSalma Rachid Aal Bal – Samira SaidAbdelkarim Hamdan Aala Rimsh Ayounha – Wadih El SafiYousra Saouf Elli Kan – Nancy AjramFares El Madani Ma Aad Badri – Mohammed AbdoHanane Reda Ahebak Moot – AhlamZiad Khouri Yalli Bi Jamalak – Saber RebaïMohammed Assaf Ya Reit – Ragheb AlamaSabrine El Nagily Elli Lamooni – ThekraAhmad Gamal Imta El Zaman – Mohammed Abdel WahabParwas Hussein Nergiz – Tipa Duhok / Aal Ain Mouliyatin – Samira Tawfik
Week 3 (May 10, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Ramy Ayach Ahmad Gamal Misheet Khalas – Wael JassarZiad Khouri Ana Ya Tayr Dayaani Nasseebi – Fouad SalemParwas Hussain Shloonek Eini Shloonek – Salah AbdelghafourSalma Rachid Li Saber Houdoud – Umm KulthumFares El Madani Million Khater – Abdelmajeed AbdullahMohammed Assaf Gatalouni Oyoun Essoud – Wadih El SafiMohanad Almarsoumi Eni Khayartouki – Kadhem Al SaherFarah Youssef La Ashad Hobak – Najwa KaramYousra Saouf In Raht Minek Ya Ain – ShadiaAbdelkarim Hamdan Ya Mal El Sham – Sabah Fakhri
Week 4 (May 17, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Nawal El-Zoughby Parwas Hussain Ahebak – Samira TawfikYousra Saouf Ana Albi Lek Meyal – Fayza AhmedZiad Khouri Zaraanaha Galoub – Wadih El SafiAbdelkarim Hamdan Elli Nisak Insak – Abdallah Al RowaishedSalma Rachid Zay El Assal – SabahMohanad Almarsoumi Inta Aala Bali – Iraqi folkloreAhmad Gamal Rouh – Fadel ShakerFares El Madani Ouli Aamalak Eih – Mohammed Abdel WahabFarah Youssef Lagetak – Issam RajjiMohammed Assaf El Zina Labsat Khalkhalaha – Samir Yazbek
Week 5 (May 24, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Mohammed Mounir Salma Rachid Ana Baasha'ak – Mayada El HenawiMohanad Almarsoumi Goul Ya Helo – Nazem Al GhazaliParwas Hussein Baeed Aanak – Umm KulthumAbdelkarim Hamdan Aal Tayer – Saber RebaïZiad Khouri Wala Mara – Melhem BarakatMohammed Assaf Aanabi – Karem MahmoudFarah Youssef Ehsas Jdeed – Nancy AjramAhmad Gamal Sawah – Abdelhalim Hafez
Week 6 (May 31, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Cheb Khaled Ziad Khouri Lahjour Gassrak – George WassoufAbdelkarim Hamdan Aala Aagig – Sabah FakhriFarah Youssef Awedak – Souad MohammedAhmad Gamal Albi Aasha'ha – Ragheb AlamaParwas Hussein Wa Baad Kentom – Mohammed AbdoMohammed Assaf Ya Tayr Ya Tayer – Mohammed MounirSalma Rachid Katar Kheiry – Sherine
Week 7 (June 7, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Diana Haddad Farah Youssef Ya Bidii El Ward – AsmahanMohammed Assaf Sawt El Heda – Assi El HelaniSalma Rachid Nawilak Aala Niya – AhlamParwas Hussein Saalouni Ennas – FairuzZiad Khouri Mamnounak Ana – Melhem ZeinAhmad Gamal Wahiyatek Ya Habibi – Sayed Mekawy
Week 8 (June 14, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Sherine Farah Youssef Eatazalt El Gharam – Majida El RoumiEl Oyoun Essoud – Warda Al-JazairiaAhmad Gamal Wahashtini Oyounak – Ahmad SaadAmana Aalik – Karem MahmoudZiad Khouri Ramshet Ain – Wadih El SafiGarahona – George WassoufMohammed Assaf Kol Da Kan Leih – Mohammed Abdel WahabNemshi wa Nemshi – Saber Rebaï
Week 9 (June 21, 2013) Guest/Mentor: Assi El Helani Ahmad Gamal Ala Nar – Saber RebaïFagdatek – Hussain Al JasmiAhlef Bi Samaha wa Torabha – Abdelhalim HafezFarah Youssef Qodoud El Halabiya – Syrian folkloreGallaw Tari – Abadi Al JoharBaktob Ismek Ya Bladi – Joseph AzarMohammed Assaf Ya Ain Ala Saber – Wadih El SafiLena Allah – Mohammed AbduAali El Kuffiyeh – Palestinian folklore