The Fourth Winner in Superstar:

The Fourth Winner in Superstar:

Rowaida Attieh

Rowaida Attieh is from Homos, Syria. She is twenty years old, a Cancer, and some of her hobbies are poetry writing and everything that has to do with singing. She says, “Although I used to sing previously, I applied to the show as an amateur, and I consider it the first step in my art career.”  

Rowaida has been married for two years, and her husband refused the idea of her going into the show business. However, he was later convinced of her beautiful voice and talent, and became her number one supporter.

At the age of five, Rowaida’s dream started. Her father helped her develop it later on at the age of nine. That’s why she decided to continue in this direction and dedicate this dream to his soul to rest in peace. With the colored children’s programs and black and white songs of Oum Kulthoum, Rowaida used to sit in amazement watching and listening to the great Artist Oum Kulthoum, Mohammad Abdul Wahab, Farid Atrash, Abdo Hamouli, and Zakiah Hamdan, and she was able to memorize “Howa Sahih Elhawa Ghallab” and “Inta Omri”. So, her father preferred that she studies art professionally. She studied the music notes and played the Oud at the age of seven. After his death, she had to put up with the family’s objection to her decision. However, she insisted to make her dream come true. So she got training for her voice and studied the principles of the music scale, “mowashahat”, “Kudoud” and became affiliated with several cultural centers.

Rowaida participated in Superstar after watching its English version and wished that it would be presented in the Arab world.

During a tour in Syria, she sang the songs of Oum Kulthoum and Assala Nasri and was the first of the Syrian winners after the success of the Algerian, Saber Shuweiref Hawari. She maintained that she worked very hard to appear with an image that would impress the audience during the second phase. She says, “I studied the principles of the music scale another time, and started to experience the sensuality of the lyrics more and more. I changed my physical appearance, and lost some weight.”

Below is an interview with Rowaida after winning 35.41% of the votes during the fourth episode of the second phase.

The results of this episode seemed to be obvious from the beginning, either through the opinions of the jury or from the public who loved your voice and nominated you for winning with a high percentage of votes, and the surprise was your inability to control yourself upon the announcement of your name…

For eleven years, I’ve been dreaming of this and wishing it would come true only to dedicate it to my late father who was my first discoverer and supporter…I had confidence in the public who nominated me, and I also thank all the participants in my episode who supported me throughout our stay together in Beirut.

The excitement of your husband is way beyond your excitement…

Thanks God… My husband, Houssam Hassan, is the greatest love of my life, and the constant supporter in every step I take in my art career.

You studied oriental singing, “mowashahat”, the principles of the music scale and Oud; and you prefer the classical Arab songs. But we hear today the term “the current expectations” and the fast beat that does not exceed five minutes are the most dominant…

The problem lies in the Arabic channels that promote this. What do we mean by “the youth song”. I am twenty years old and I listen to nobody except Oum Kulthoum, Mohammed Abdul Wahab, Fairouz, Wadih Essafi, and Farid Atrash… I can listen to Oum Kulthoum for more than fifteen hours nonstop and never get bored. If I were asked to start a project that goes along with what is common today in the music world, I would prefer not to continue in this direction.

But the issue is associated with the contract that you signed with “Music Master/ Warner” that would not produce an album that includes only one song of course..

No problem. There is a number of well-known artists like Zikra, Kadhim Assaher, Assala and Angham who are presenting classical Arabic songs in a modernized way, and I wish to follow their footsteps.

Why did you participate in Superstar?

Because it is an elevated show, and far from what we see today on other Arabic channels, with all due respect. Most importantly, it overlooked all nationalities and put them under the umbrella of the “Arab participant”. I’m glad for having participated because the show is number one in terms of viewers since its first episode to date.

With your success today, you will be part of the competition of the final phase, and you will compete with Nancy Zaabalawi being also from Syria…

I did not see it this way… Nancy is my friend and my competition with her would be honorable. I’m not afraid of her but of another participant whose name I won’t mention.

Merhi Serhal

Merhi Serhal is from the Lebanese South, twenty years old, and a Pisces. Among his hobbies are swimming, and he passionately loves art and playing the Oud. He completed his high school education and will pursue his university studies this year. He was born in and a resident of Kuwait. He sang for the first time in front of Artist Wadih Essafi when he was six years old. They proposed to be sponsored by the great Lebanese artist because he used to memorize his songs, and he was willing to sponsor him, but Merhi’s mother refused because she is so attached to her son after his father’s death.

At the age of nine, his elder brother started introducing him to people who are connected to the world of art, and he started performing in public concerts. He says, “I started to sing Oum Kulthoum’s and Abdul Wahab’s songs, the Lebanese “Mijana” and “Ataba”, and the Arab gulf style of music. At the age of eleven, I learned to play the Oud, and participated at 16 in the show “Amateurs on the Way” on the Kuwaiti T.V. I won first prize. However, I participated in Superstar after I saw its impressive promotions. I felt that it is able to make participants real stars with great speed.”

As for the results of voting up till today, Merhi maintains, “I can’t comment on this… people have different tastes, and they chose the ones who are closest to them, whose voices they liked.”

Below is a conversation with Serhal after winning 21.92% of the votes during the fourth episode of the second phase…

Did you expect to win in this way?

It was the audience’s decision. My family and friends supported me to continue along this path to make my dream come true.

Do you still wish to be sponsored by the great Artist Wadih Essafi?

Mr. Wadih is a great singer and we all seek his guidance…I wish to be granted this great opportunity to be in his safe hands and be guided by his words of wisdom and vast experience. I regularly contact his sons and I wish to meet him again. I was impressed by him, and loved him passionately, and adored his art.

Is this the reason that made you sing a song by Oum Kulthoum to detach yourself from his influence so as not to imitate his style of singing?

I do not agree with you regarding the issue of imitation… I sang with sensuality. But I saw that this issue is of great significance when I was able to sing because of what I learned from our great artist that I combined with the song of Oum Kulthoum.

Mrs. Tonia Merheb found that you didn’t put enough effort in improving your physical appearance, especially regarding the issue of weight. Are you going to take this remark into consideration during the third phase, or is it that the audience choice would keep you away from them, since the audience did not give much attention to this issue?

I think that looks are very important for the artist or participant who is going to represent the whole Arab world in this show, just like the voice. I’m going to double my efforts to be able to appear with a different image and a more decent appearance during the final phase.

Today, you signed a contract with “Music Master/Warner” to release either a single or a whole album in case of winning at the end. What is the singing style that you’re going to present?

There is the company’s viewpoint and mine. I’m also going to consult with my family and individuals who have a good art expertise. We must not forget the audience’s opinion…I will think deeply and accurately. I don’t think that I would make a decision easily because I like the classical Egyptian style and the urban style of music being from Lebanon. I can present the Arab gulf style by virtue of being a resident of Kuwait..

- The Third Finalist in Superstar: A Lebanese and a Syrian
- "Superstar", Second Phase, Second episode