BEIRUT: A 12-year-old girl from Lebanon with no musical training was declared the winner of the first season of MBC’s Arab talent competition, The Voice Kids Ahla Sawt.
Lynn Al Hayek was one of six youngsters who made it to the final round of the show and sang live from Beirut on Saturday night in front of a television audience of millions.
The finale was the culmination of 10 weeks of tears and laughter as dozens of children between the ages of 7 and 15 competed for the top prize.
The March 5 finale began with a special Arabic rendition of “We Are the World,” where children from S.O.S. took part in the heart-warming performance along with the top 6 contestants.
Al Hayek will receive a scholarship worth SR250,000 and the opportunity to record a single that will be produced by Platinum Records. The rest of the finalists received SR10,000 each, and every child who auditioned for the show — even those who were not chosen — went home with SR5,000 riyals, The National reported.
Al Hayek, whose mature vocals and enviable range defy her years, lives near the northern city of Tripoli and dreams of studying chemistry. She said that when she is not riding her bike and climbing trees, she is singing.
“I haven’t studied music, but the sound of the sea and the streets are music to me,” she says. “I like to go to my favorite spots near our home and just sing.
“I just can’t believe it at all, that I’m part of this. I used to dream I’d one day be on The Voice when I grew up, so I just had to audition when I heard about The Voice Kids. I never dreamed I would come this far.”
Al Hayek was coached by Iraqi superstar Kazem “The Caesar” Al Saher, who was also mentor to 11-year-old Mirna Hanna from Iraq.
“I learnt so much from Mr.Kazem,” Al Hayek said before her performance in the final. “I was so shy — he taught me how to be confident and show what I’ve got. I’m a new person now when I sing.”
Al Hayek performed two technically difficult songs in the final: Saudi Arabian performer Mohammed Abdo’s Aba’ad Kuntum and the late Tunisian singer Thikra’s Kol Eli Lamouny.
Lebanese girl wins MBC’s The Voice Kids
Lebanese girl wins MBC’s The Voice Kids
Egypt’s grand museum begins live restoration of King Khufu’s ancient boat
- The 4,600-year-old boat was built during the reign of King Khufu, the pharaoh who also commissioned the Great Pyramid of Giza
CAIRO: Egypt began a public live restoration of King Khufu’s ancient solar boat at the newly opened Grand Egyptian Museum on Tuesday, more than 4,000 years after the vessel was first built.
Egyptian conservators used a small crane to carefully lift a fragile, decayed plank into the Solar Boats Museum hall — the first of 1,650 wooden pieces that make up the ceremonial boat of the Old Kingdom pharaoh.
The 4,600-year-old boat was built during the reign of King Khufu, the pharaoh who also commissioned the Great Pyramid of Giza. The vessel was discovered in 1954 in a sealed pit near the pyramids, but its excavation did not begin until 2011 due to the fragile condition of the wood.
“You are witnessing today one of the most important restoration projects in the 21st century,” Egyptian Tourism Minister Sherif Fathy said.
“It is important for the museum, and it is important for humanity and the history and the heritage.”
The restoration will take place in full view of visitors to the Grand Egyptian Museum over the coming four years.
