Farrah Yousef ( ar, فرح يوسف) (born July 20, 1989) is a
Syrian singer who was the first runner-up on the
second season of the television program ''
Arab Idol
''Arab Idol'' is an Arabic television show, based on the popular British show '' Pop Idol'' created by Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment and developed by Fremantle Media and recorded in Beirut, Lebanon. The first season premiered on 9 December ...
'' in 2013.
[Arab Idol finalists share what they've learnt in the competition](_blank)
Saeed Saeed June 19, 2013 The National
Biography
Early life and early career
Farrah Yousef was born on July 20, 1989 in
Tartus
)
, settlement_type = City
, image_skyline =
, imagesize =
, image_caption = Tartus corniche Port of Tartus • Tartus beach and boulevard Cathedral of Our Lady of Tortosa • Al-Assad Stadium&n ...
, a city on the Mediterranean coast of
Syria.
[MBC.net](_blank)
Her first performance on stage was at the age of seven at the
Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, where she sang "Sit Al Hbayib" in the presence of a large crowd of diplomats and the presence of
Sheikh Zayed's wife Sheikha Fatima. Farrah won the applause of the audience, and since then she has aspired to become an artist.
After graduation from high school, Farrah gained a scholarship to study medicine in Italy, where she gained experience in western styles of singing and learned to sing in English, French and Italian. In 2011 Yousef had the chance to perform the theme song of a Syrian series, "Wilada Mina Al Khassira".
In 2012 she performed the theme song for two series, "Bet Amer" and "Al Amemy".
''Arab Idol''
Following the success of the
first season of
Arab Idol
''Arab Idol'' is an Arabic television show, based on the popular British show '' Pop Idol'' created by Simon Fuller's 19 Entertainment and developed by Fremantle Media and recorded in Beirut, Lebanon. The first season premiered on 9 December ...
,
MBC launched the second season on March 8, 2013. Back in Syria, the
civil war
A civil war or intrastate war is a war between organized groups within the same state (or country).
The aim of one side may be to take control of the country or a region, to achieve independence for a region, or to change government policies ...
was affecting the whole country, resulting in Yousef being hesitant to audition. She was encouraged by her friends and family to achieve her dream. She said that watching the program inspired her to give it a try.
She almost failed to leave Syria as her car was caught in the middle of a shootout as she left Damascus to audition in Beirut.
Television viewers first saw Yousef during the audition episodes at the beginning of ''Arab Idol''s second season. The show's judges included
Ragheb Alama,
Nancy Ajram
Nancy Nabil Ajram ( ar, نانسي نبيل عجرم, born May 16, 1983) is a Lebanese singer, television personality and businesswoman. Dubbed by Spotify as the " Queen of Arab Pop". With the support of her father, she began performing as ...
,
Ahlam and Hassan El Shafei. Farrah performed "Ifrah Ya Albi" by
Umm Kulthum
Umm Kulthum ( ar, أم كلثوم, , also spelled ''Oum Kalthoum'' in English; born Fatima Ibrahim es-Sayyid el-Beltagi, ar, فاطمة إبراهيم السيد البلتاجي, Fāṭima ʾIbrāhīm es-Sayyid el-Beltāǧī, link=no; 31 Dece ...
and got accepted to the next round.
In Beirut, where the competition was held, outdoor cafes put up big screens and the sound of Yousef’s voice drifted down streets.
[Region's woes take center stage as refugee becomes Arab Idol](_blank)
Al Arabiya
Yousef said her performance mirrored the way she feels when singing on stage when she often thinks of her family. She has said that she feels a sense of responsibility to the audience and that there is always that deep happiness mixed with fear.
She says that she tries to make people love one another again using the healing power of music.
Yousef performed many kinds of music during the competition, including Arabic pop songs and Classic songs by great Arabic singers like Umm Kulthum,
Fairuz
Nouhad Wadie' Haddad ( ar, نهاد وديع حداد, ; born November 21, 1934), known as Fairuz ( ar, فيروز, ; also spelled Fairouz, Feyrouz or Fayrouz), is a Lebanese singer. She is considered by many as one of the leading vocalists a ...
,
Asmahan
Amal al-Atrash ( ar, آمال الأطرش ', North Levantine ; November 25, 1918 – July 14, 1944), and
Najwa Karam
Najwa Karam ( ar, نجوى كرم, , born 26 February 1966) is a Lebanese singer, songwriter, producer, fashion icon, one of the best selling recording artist in the middle east with more than 60 million records worldwide. Known as the "Sun of ...
, and also
Someone Like You by
Adele
Adele Laurie Blue Adkins (, ; born 5 May 1988), professionally known by the mononym Adele, is an English singer and songwriter. After graduating in arts from the BRIT School in 2006, Adele signed a rec ...
.
''Songs''
''Arab Idol'' performances
References
External links
Official Facebook page
{{DEFAULTSORT:Yousef, Farrah
1989 births
Living people
Singers who perform in Classical Arabic
Syrian Alawites
People from Tartus
21st-century Syrian women singers
Contestants from Arabic singing competitions