X Factor Arabia Latest Stunning Updates

X Factor is very close to ending its successful run, they names of the bands and performers is getting shorter by the week, and I think we have surpassed the half point. Every week, the show loses a band/artist. The Egyptian hip-hop R&B band seems to all but have secured winning the first season--if they do they might be the first band to win such a show in the Arab world

Every act is trying to win the title, each has a story to tell, and each wants that contract, but most of all winning the people and their votes. I feel Ibrahim Abdel Azim from Libya might be in the danger zone. Same goes for the Miraya band, they may also be in the same position.

I feel the Moroccan contestant, Mohammed El Rifi will go far, he is the treat that everyone loves, so mark my word he will be among the three finalists. The same goes for Hossam from Lebanon for starter the show is being filmed in Lebanon and I think he will be in for some time. If talent is the only way, the kid from Oman will be traveling far, the dude is a beast on stage--not a great choice.

Marwa had a good night, and the judges showered her with praises. She got better, but not sure if she has the vocal muscles to shine. Iman had a classical song to cover, I think she did well and owned the song--I loved how she took the song and made it work for her. Each judge loves his/her teams, but this is becoming harder to hide as the list narrows.

وملخص الاداء - العروض المباشرة 4 - vote promo The X Factor 2013


 Young Pharoz - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 4 - The X Factor 2013


ابراهيم عبد العظيم - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 4 - The X Factor 2013


فرقة مرايا - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 4 - The X Factor 2013


محمد الريفي - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 3 - The X Factor 2013


المنتصر بالله - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 4 - The X Factor 2013

The Best (Winners And Losers) On X Factor Arabia

I think X factor is getting to narrow their list of talented names. They are ready to show off their finest voices and show off. One of those is a guy with the name Ibrahim, he is Libyan and he is ready to make them proud--I like him. He makes good choices and shows a level of maturity when doing cover songs. He might be going home, Elissa and Wael were unkind to him. Hussein and Carole were supportive. He was hurt becasue Libya could not vote due to their issues with telecommunication.

ابراهيم - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


The other lady is Salwa whose talent is hard to miss. She seems to have the face for it, she is ready to entertain. Her covers of those English songs are something of a novelty, she has it figured out. She has the stage presence and gets in the act. She does the rock star persona very well, though her latest performance left something to be desired. She is also the youngest contestant and she is from Morocco.

سلوى أنلوف - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


Merayah, the band that knows what they want and have their own way of doing business. They are a boy band from Egypt who have the sweet and bad boy sides. I think they can do so much more than the soft song they performed. They are a crowd pleasing, but again they song did not allow them to show the happy side.

فرقة مرايا - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


He is the statement on the show and his name is Hussam, he has a strong voice, and a highly classy style. He has been singing fro some time since he was an 8 year old boy. I like this guy, he seems to have his quirks going right for him. He does the old man trapped in a young man's body so well. He is Lebanese and from the same area as Wael Kfoury.

حسام ترشيشي - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


Egypt gets her own lady on X Factor and her name is Marwa. She has that zen when she performer the oldies, she never races in her voice and she seems to need not to worry about her taking a breath. She comes across as comfortable and confident--thanks to growing in a music loving house\hold.

مروى أحمد - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


She is Moroccan and ready for prime time. She started singing in her school and has taken part of a singing show in Morocco. Now she is ready to perform something from Fayrouz. Iman is a strong contender. The judges seem to love her, she chose a song that everyone knows, so messing up in this song means she will go home--I feel she delivered it. She has the Wow factor!

إيمان كركيبو - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


The guy who does not seem to want to be there comes from Jordan. He knows himself and not shopping around for an opinion from pop stars. He has something to share with the world. I like him fro that, he does not sell his charisma, but he sells high quality songs, this is Adham and I think he is a solid voice and he may actually win. I think the judges have challenged him to bring the best in him.  He is very good and Jordan will vote him in and push his brand.

أدهم نابلسي - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


This is the most unique voice, he is a young Moroccan artist. I love his voice, he is very different and no one out there will be able to copy him. Think a unique George Wassouf, a voice that you cannot help but love even so you may not always understand it. The fans love this dude, and give him the votes. Certainly the boys love him. He is the candy of this show, he actually has divided the panle Elissa and Hussein are among his biggest cheerleaders.

محمد الريفي - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


The most talented band on the show, they are the creative force, they bring so much energy and charm , the band members are best of friends, there is so much chemistry. I love the Young Pharoz and something tell me, they are the number one band on the show and they are ready to smoke their competitors out. They are so smooth and Egypt has loved their style. The lady (Shahad) on this trio brings so much flavor in both English and Arabic. They put on a show each has their own talent that sells, but together they are something not to be overlooked.

Young Pharoz - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


Ali or Aly from Saudi Arabia, he is 20 years old and he loves his family so very much. He lacks the stage presence, he is good, but I do not think for the big league. He choses to stay withing the Gulf dialect and he is already a star. He does not know this, people love him, he just does not know how to show how much he loves them back

علي حامد - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


The Omani dude who is like a magician. I love this dude, he always thinks about the song is his last song, so he goes all in. The judges really like him and he is a crowd pleaser  he knows how to show love and appreciation. He does wonders when he holds the microphone. It's safe to say he will go far, because even people outside Oman\love him--he might be the second artists to be born in that country.  Another thing, he performs like he is a Western star focuses on the show part, and not just the song.
المنتصر بالله - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013


Another band with a very cool name, ninja is ready they come to us from the West, they have the hustle and flow thing going for them. They do rap, and each come with a story they have gone far with the Western bloc of the Arab world. They are all about energy and joy. They are fun to see them live, their fusion works to their advantage. I believe they are Tunisian. They took a challenge and turned a Lebanese dance song to their own style. Tunisians have to be really good to make it out and thoe guys are no different, they hit all the right notes.

Les Bledards Ninja - العروض المباشرة - الاسبوع 2 - The X Factor 2013

Rabih Agha Joins The Hamid El Shari Cult

Rabih Agha wanted to celebrate one of his favorite music legends, so he dedicated a song for his male crush. Hamid is a talent maker of Egyptian pop, for over 3 decades and he has been shaping the music industry  He is not done yet, his radio station and production company carry on the legacy by introducing new music talent to the masses.

I take issue with the song because, the moment any person thinks they have made it, they start falling down. I think Hamid El Shari has few more years to go, so this song should be played at his retirement get together and not his birthday party. Arab stars really appreciate their music arranger, or known here as the music producer. Those folks have the golden touches and can make a song sink or fly. Hamid was a pioneer in this industry no doubt.

Rabih is a young Lebanese artist who is in search for a big break. He is form a small town and his first public performance was at a friend's wedding when he was asked to sing...he did and he made people happy. He started doing local weddings, radio interviews and such at a young age. He went on to befriend Fadel Shaker and years later he studied music at a high institute.

Rabih AGha الفنان ربيع آغا يغني لحميد الشاعري - يا صانع نجوم

This One Goes To Your Sweet Sweet Soulmate

In 2000, I came to the States, back home I left many things I loved. Among those things, is the romance duet that came that year. It was one of those rare songs where the music is the perfect pick for the sweetest lyrics. Hamid El Shari had a big hit that year with his humorous "Ya Ghazaly" album.

Among that CD's great tracks is a romantic song between Hamid and a little known female voice Nelly Zidan. It sounds like an American 80s song. I remember liking his song, and the music. It's a song you play when you are alone thinking about the one you love.

The main song that was all over the place was the duet with Mostafa Amar, the music video was funny. But the song here is the real treat, it has the lasting power.

حميد الشاعري ونيللي زيدان -- خدني بين ايديك

I Know Who Killed Tunisian Songstress Zikrah ذكرى!

The official story, her husband was jealous killed her and shot himself on November 28, 2003.

Police reported domestic staff at the couple's home as saying that Ayman Al Swidi, an Egyptian businessman, used a submachine gun to fire the fatal shots at his wife, 42, during a marital dispute. Her body was found with 15 bullets in the chest and head, police said, after earlier saying that only four shots had been fired. Swidi also killed the singer's manager, Khadiga Salaheddin and his own advisor  Amr Hassan Sabri, during the fracas at their apartment in the chic Zamalek area of the Egyptian capital. Salaheddin and Sabri were themselves married.

But most people did not buy this story for one second. It's a bogus story and people with little knowledge believe this cute story an certainly understand a man can kill for love. However, there has been a number of conspiracy theories about the murder of the beloved diva Zikra.

Those theories are focused on a song she did right before she was murdered  An anti-Saudi regime song where she puts the country and its royal regime to shame for using Americans and others to protect the house of Allah. In the song she says, we can skip the hajj. It was an harsh criticism of the regime and its shameful politics.

Arab singers do not do these songs anymore  but now we have more info thanks to one journalist who have investigated the murder and the back-story. Hassan Abdel Fattah is among Egypt hardest working journalists and boldest perhaps. Hassan argues that Swidi has no trouble divorcing people as he has married few times before and he was never a violent person. According to Hassan, the Qaddafi written the controversial song which Zikra sang--the song dubs the King of Saudi Arabia as a retard and an idiot who is the song of a retard. The song aired in Libya and when a wind of it got to Saudi Arabia--they spring into action.

I do not know if this story is true, but I know the leaders of Saudi Arabia and Libya do not stand one another. Qaddafi had good relationships with most Arab singers. Plus Zikra is Tunisians--Libya's next door.   Also husbands killing their wives is so uncommon among Arab celebrities. All those things make the official story fishy.

Zikra (Cause of Death) Song

The Sound Of Nineties vs. Eighties Pop

1990 was not a year where computers were used to make music, not in the Arab world anyway. But the music they made back then was a product of old school mixing and electric musical instruments that sounded cool back then. Such music is still hip to my ears. You can tell the 80s and 90s music right away.

It sounded like a bunch of cars trying to make music using only their horns. I am trying to say that the 90s pop music sounds like a perfect candidate for laser light shows. The song below is a remake of an old song by the dude of folksy music in Egypt---Ahmed Adawiya. Ahmed was not considered cool until 20 years later when our taste has changed.

The new voice belongs to Mamdooh Darwish, the music has been arranged by the guy who made the ear of the 80s and 90s pop possible--Hamid El Shari

والله ولعب الهوا -- ممدوح درويش


أحمد عدوية - والله و لعب الهوا

Vintage Libyan Song By Mohamed Rasheed

There was once a vivid music scene in Libya, in fairness just like desert dwelling communities, music has always played a part of the folklore. Libya is no different. One of the pioneer in the Libyan music is the gentleman with the name Mohamed Rasheed.

I have tried to dig up info on this singer, but I have failed. I have included one of his most famous songs. Most Arabs would call this song part of Al Fan Al Seel which means authentic art. In the post Qaddafi world, more people are reconnecting with their heritage--the dictator did not like to make celebrities and hated to have any rivals in any field.

"The heart doesn't/won't forget you" is the title of the song. I suspect the song is form the 60s?

تراث ليبي .. محمد رشيد .. القلب ما ينساكم