Star Academy (Arabia)

Star Academy
File:Star academy lebanon.jpg Star Academy title card
Presented by	Hilda Khalife
Country of origin	Lebanon
Production
Production locations	Adma, Keserwan, Lebanon
Running time	Varies
Original release
Network	LBC LBC Nagham
Release	December 5th 2003 – Present

Star Academy Middle East (also known as Star Academy LBC, and more correctly, Star Academy Middle East (Alakademia), as the majority of the candidates are not from Lebanon) is a pan-Arab televised talent show, which began in 2003 that features a group of young male and female candidates from all over the Arab world. The show instantly became a huge success and a must-watch event everyday for its fans, making it one of the most-watched shows in the Arab world, and much more popular than its rival Super Star ( the Pan-Arab version of Pop Idol). It is the Arabic adaptation of the French television show Star Academy produced by Netherlands company Endemol, based in the Spanish format called Operación Triunfo.

Overview

Based in Adma north of Beirut, Lebanon, the show is aired for 4 months on the Lebanese TV station LBC. It is hosted by Hilda Khalife. The show concept consists of an academy and candidates/students, where it is also a talent competition to introduce a new artist among the candidates. Talents are not restricted to singing only, but for acting and dancing as well.

It is divided into two formats: each day a program presents moments of the everyday life and training of the candidates (what they are called), and a prime show every Friday evening, which is live. In addition an affiliate TV station films them 24/7.

The concept of the show is training the students in several disciplines: singing, acting, vocalizing, theatre expression, dancing, and musical culture. Then, each week (on Tuesdays) the three weakest students are nominated. The nomination is done by the teaching staff after the candidates undergo an evaluation test the day before (Monday). At the end of the week (Friday), a special live show called the "Prime" is broadcasted. During the prime show, the candidates perform and sing either by themselves or with guest artists. The 3 nominated candidates' initial voting is through the public; done by either phone calls and/or text messages. The one with the highest percentage of votes returns back. The remaining two candidates are then voted on by their fellow candidates, and the one with the most votes remains. The remaining candidate then leaves the academy. When the candidates overall number reduces, the nomination by the professors comes down to two students. By this point, it's completely up to the public to vote who is in and who gets out, as the remaining candidates do not vote.

The show proved to be immensely popular, once attracting nearly 80% of the Lebanese adolescent population, and became one of the more popular shows throughout the Arab world. LBC, the network airing the show, reaped huge profits from the show (but have been unable to replicate the show's success with other reality based programming).

The show received intense criticism when it started off, which led some people to falsely believe that it would not succeed.

This debate also caused the indefinite postponing of the Middle Eastern edition of Big Brother, otherwise known as Big Brother - Al Raiss.

Seasons

Star Academy 1

Main article: Star Academy Lebanon Season 1

Star Academy 2

The Candidates are:

Amani Swisi from Tunisia, Hanan El-'Asfara from Morocco, Bashar El-Ghazawi from Jordan, Fahed El-Zayed from Kuwait, Bashar Qaisi from Iraq, Iman Mezher from Lebanon, Zizi Adel from Egypt, Joy Basous from Syria, Randa Hafeth from Egypt, Salma Ghazali from Algeria, Ahmad Salah El-Din from Bahrain, Hisham AbdulRahman from Saudi Arabia, Ahmad Hussein from Kuwait, Anas El-Ramli from Libya, Samer Dhoumet from Lebanon, Katia Haraka from Lebanon.

Hisham Abdul Rahman is the winner of LBC Star Academy 2 Season.

Star Academy 3

On the last prime of the third season of Star Academy Lebanon, The results came as follows

• Joseph Attieh (Lebanon) 55%
  
• Hani Hussein (Egypt) 30%
  
• Hanaa El Idrissi (Morocco) 15%
  

Joseph Attieh, who is a radio and TV production student received a trophy, $50,000 in cash and a brand new 2006 car. He was 19 years old and the first Lebanese who won the Title.

Rankings of the students who were part of the tour are:

• Joseph Attieh from Lebanon....(winner)
• Hani Hossein from Egypt........(2nd place)
• Hanaa El Idrisi from Morocco..(3rd place)
• Chayma Hilali from Tunisia.....(4th place)
• Fadi Andraos from Palestine..(5th place)
• Khalifa Salem from UAE........(6th place)
• Maya Nehmeh from Lebanon..(7th place)
• Rakiya Ibrahim from Egypt.....(10th place)
• Wajdi Lak Hal from Tunisia....(12th place)

Star Academy 4

It is the first time that a girl came in first, Shatha Hassoun was the first girl to take the title.
Her success was a juicy subject for worldwide press, and she was credited for uniting her country, Iraq, over a happy event despite war. This season feature the continued tradition of a strong Tunisian female talent, with Marwa being the only female and one of two students who have never be nominated, with the other student being Carlo.

The ranking of the finalists:

• Shatha Hassoun (Winner) (Iraq) 47%
• Marwa Ben Sghayer (2nd place) (Tunisia) 29%
• Mohammed Kammah (3rd place) (Egypt) 23%
• Carlo Nakhle (4th place) (Lebanon) 5%

The ranking of the other participants in the tour:

• Sally Ahmed (5th place)
• Ali Alsaad (6th place)
• Tina Yamout (7th place)
• Ahmed Dawod (8th place)
• Imed Jalouli (10th place)

Star Academy 5

The fifth season of Star Academy began on the 25th of January, 2008. There are several new changes in the academy that include a new swimming pool, a basketball court, a trampoline, a billiard table, a table-tennis table and a newly decorated building. New lessons were added this season including swimming lessons, basketball lessons and music lessons. Sixteen candidates, 8 boys (Nader - Saad - Bader - Adnane - Khaled - Ahmed - Fawaz - Omar) and 8 girls (Shahinaz , Mirhan , Diaa, Amel B, Amel M, Asmae, Imane, jessica) all are competing for the title this season.

The final prime of Star Academy 5, held on the 23rd of May, 2008, witnessed the crowning of Nader Quirat, the first Tunisian winner. The voting for the two finalists began on the 16th of May immediately after the 17th prime. The Final Results were as follows: Nader Quirat 34.44%(winner),Mohamed Qwaider 34.14% (second) Saad Ramadan 31.52%(Third). Nader Quirat is the first winner of the program to sing primarily in none arabic languages(english, french, spanish, italian etc.) but did sing in arabic on various occasions. This addition of the show was considered the closest final in star academy history and that any of the 3 finalists would have deserved to win the crown.

• Nader Quirat(Tunisia) (1st place)
• Mohamed Qwaider(Jordan) (2nd place)
• Saad Ramadan (Lebanon) (3rd place)
• Shahinaz Dia Eldin (Egypt)
• Mirhan Hussein (Egypt)
• Diaa El Tayebi (Morocco)
• Zaher Saleh (Palestine)
• Amel Boushousha (Algeria)

The Rest:

• Amel Mahalaoui (Tunisia)
• Badr Mansour (KSA)
• Adnan Al Karry (Syria)
• Asma Bassit (Morocco)
• Khaled Bou Sakhr (Kuwait)
• Imen Lamri (Tunisia)
• Ahmed Moustafa (Egypt)
• Fawaz Al Mil (Kuwait)
• Jessica Najem (Lebanon).
• Omar Amer (Iraq)