I do not think for one second that anyone has ever thought that a young lady from Kurdistan would be popular in the Arab world through a Reality TV show.
Parwas Hussein was the only Kurdish Iraqi Contestant that made it to MBC’s Arab Idol “Pop Idol Arabic version” when she does not speak Arabic fluently. She made to the quarter finals in Arab Idol and lost. “Tough to compete with other contestants with their strong voices in that stage”
Of course it was a clever thing from the Arab Idol producers and the MBC to accept Parwas , they did not have to accept someone who is not fluent in Arabic to become the Arab Idol but for sure politics play a role here. This year was the first time Arab Idol would include Kurdistan.
The young wife and mother made it and earned the love of the viewers all over the Arab world and she had to. Her voice is nice and young with beautiful young face. She had a cheerful charisma that made viewers like her despite the language and cultural barriers as well political conflicts.
Hussein made it regularly for the viewers in the Arab world to listen to Kurdish language and even to hear Kurdish songs in the beginning of the show. I do not think that she made to that stage with the votes of the Iraqis and Kurds only when I think about it.
Here was Prawas singing some Kurdish folk song while wearing a Kurdish traditional dress.
Another thing I liked about her during the show was her attempts to sing in Arabic. Of course I think it was bold thing from her to do. She even sang for Um Kulthum , a thing that not so many people can do in a live show.
I am not a reality TV show fan but I love how through this show Arabs knew that the Kurds are normal people and not villains and how Kurds watched the show and listened to the Arab songs to support their representative.
This is how things should be and how ethnic minorities should be invited to be included in the society. What I liked about P was how she celebrated her nation’s culture in pride in one of the most watched reality TV shows in the Arab world. We should not be afraid from including ethnic’s cultures in to our mainstream cultures whether our Arabic cultures or our nations’ cultures. I believe these sub cultures and ethnic cultures actually enriches our Arab/National culture and make it stronger with its diversity.
I do not know if the producers of MBC’s Arab Idol understand what they have done or not but they managed to break the ice for real through Kurdistan and the Arabs through Parwas Hussein. I just wish that after breaking the ice , there will be bridges to mend the gap made from a very long time ago. This is the true soft public diplomacy.
Amazingly from what I see the foreign media was focusing on Mohamed Assaf, the popular Arab Idol Contestant from Palestine and did not pay to attention to that young lady from Kurdistan.
Parwas Hussein did not lose , in fact I believe she won a lot of popularity whether in the Arab world or Iraq or Kurdistan. She also made something politicians failed and it is more significant than being the Arab idol.
Here is the official Parwas’ official FB page.
Parwas Hussein was the only Kurdish Iraqi Contestant that made it to MBC’s Arab Idol “Pop Idol Arabic version” when she does not speak Arabic fluently. She made to the quarter finals in Arab Idol and lost. “Tough to compete with other contestants with their strong voices in that stage”
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| Singing in Beirut while wearing Kurdish traditional dress |
Of course it was a clever thing from the Arab Idol producers and the MBC to accept Parwas , they did not have to accept someone who is not fluent in Arabic to become the Arab Idol but for sure politics play a role here. This year was the first time Arab Idol would include Kurdistan.
The young wife and mother made it and earned the love of the viewers all over the Arab world and she had to. Her voice is nice and young with beautiful young face. She had a cheerful charisma that made viewers like her despite the language and cultural barriers as well political conflicts.
Hussein made it regularly for the viewers in the Arab world to listen to Kurdish language and even to hear Kurdish songs in the beginning of the show. I do not think that she made to that stage with the votes of the Iraqis and Kurds only when I think about it.
Here was Prawas singing some Kurdish folk song while wearing a Kurdish traditional dress.
Singing in Kurdish
P sings a Thuma song
This is how things should be and how ethnic minorities should be invited to be included in the society. What I liked about P was how she celebrated her nation’s culture in pride in one of the most watched reality TV shows in the Arab world. We should not be afraid from including ethnic’s cultures in to our mainstream cultures whether our Arabic cultures or our nations’ cultures. I believe these sub cultures and ethnic cultures actually enriches our Arab/National culture and make it stronger with its diversity.
I do not know if the producers of MBC’s Arab Idol understand what they have done or not but they managed to break the ice for real through Kurdistan and the Arabs through Parwas Hussein. I just wish that after breaking the ice , there will be bridges to mend the gap made from a very long time ago. This is the true soft public diplomacy.
Amazingly from what I see the foreign media was focusing on Mohamed Assaf, the popular Arab Idol Contestant from Palestine and did not pay to attention to that young lady from Kurdistan.
Parwas Hussein did not lose , in fact I believe she won a lot of popularity whether in the Arab world or Iraq or Kurdistan. She also made something politicians failed and it is more significant than being the Arab idol.
Here is the official Parwas’ official FB page.
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