Shada Hassoun, Iraqi, has won the the Arab world's equivalent to American Idol. Held in Lebanon, the competition between 19 singers began in December, in a reality show somewhat like "Big Brother"
In this song Shada sings
"Baghdad Wal Chouarra," written by the famous Lebanese Rahbani brothers and originally popularized by the Lebanese singer Fairouz. The lyrics celebrate the long cultural history of the Iraqi capital, and point wistfully to the city’s past greatness.
Iraq Slogger
Shada's father is Iraqi and her mother is Moroccan.
Hassoun, the daughter of a Moroccan mother and an Iraqi father, has been backed by both Sunni and Shia communities and gave many Iraqis an opportunity to forget their own troubles. BBC
This is a video of the last four contestants, when Shada Yasoon was announced winner:
Iraqi girls cheering on their heroine:
©Time Magazine
For more on this story see:
Shada, pride of Iraq, wins hearts and minds of war-ravaged nation
March 31, 2007
San Francisco Chronicle