DUBAI: The popular YouTube show “AYA,” which focuses on fashion, beauty, self-improvement, and entrepreneurship, is set to make its TV debut with a new reality series called “Zeros to Heroes” (“Zeros ل Heroes”).
Dubai-based entertainment company AYA Media has begun production of the fully funded series, which follows four aspiring female influencers from the Middle East as they attempt to carve out a career in the influencer marketing industry.
Tala Beseisso from Palestine, Nour Almalky from Iraq, Sarah Issa from Lebanon, and Yasmine Zaid from Morocco, will compete in 12 different challenges every episode, covering topics from mindfulness and fitness to career development.
The winner of “AYA” (“As You Are”), produced by Delta Productions, will receive a business start-up kit to launch their fledgling entertainment career.
Andrew Maskall, CEO of Middle East Youth Media, the holding company behind AYA Media and “Zeros to Heroes,” said the show’s name represented its dynamic. “We chose four girls who are all starting out in this career path. We deliberately chose four diverse personalities; they are all very strong young women.”
Andrew Maskall is the CEO of Middle East Youth Media. (Supplied)
The show will be hosted by Iraqi-Belgium singer, songwriter, and vlogger Sandra Sahi – who has more than 870,000 YouTube subscribers and 625,000 Instagram followers – who will be the girls’ mentor.
“We chose Sandra because she is very relatable. She is very much on the same level with the contestants, although she is obviously a lot more experienced,” added Maskall.
Sahi said: “I’ve been an artist and a social media figure since I was 17 and the industry is still evolving. I’m much more than a mentor to the girls, I’m very much on a journey of self-discovery with them.”
Maskall said: “I think influencers are very, very powerful in this region, as indeed they are in the rest of the world. You see these impossibly beautiful women wearing impossibly expensive clothing and living a life which very few people can live – you know, good for them.
“But I think that young people, particularly Generation Z – that’s the generation who have grown up with social media – are looking for something more relatable. They want to be on the same level as the influencers.
“This is a much more relatable approach. ‘As You Are’ is about being yourself rather than, let’s say, ‘look at my perfect life’ approach,” he added.
Issa told Arab News that taking part in the show had helped her to become more confident in front of a camera.
“There have been many instances where we have filmed complete episodes without any makeup. It just teaches us to embrace and love our flaws,” she said.
Zaid said: “Working on this show has taught me what drive and commitment really means, and I’m learning from the incredible cast every day.”
Almalky said: “I love that we all get to be ourselves and share our thoughts on various topics so openly. I also love that through the show, I am lucky to have a platform that sends across an important message to young women in the region – to be themselves.”
Beseisso said: “We do have disagreements because we’re all unique individuals with different personality traits, but the key is to always listen to the other points of view and reach a middle ground where everyone is happy with the outcome. We’re all here to support and help be our best versions.”
The show is scheduled to air in April. “We are currently in preliminary discussions with a number of local and international organizations to take this fully funded production to as wide an audience as possible,” said Maskall.
