2 days ago
- Entertainment
- The National
Arab versions of The Voice return after six years: Meet the judges
Popular Arabic talent shows The Voice: Ahla Sawt and The Voice Kids: Ahla Sawt are returning to the screen.
Pan-Arab broadcaster MBC has announced a shake-up of both programmes, featuring new judging panels and a new shooting location in Jordan.
Both shows are regional spin-offs of the Dutch series The Voice, which went on to launch a blockbuster international franchise with more than 60 versions, including the US, UK, Australia and France. A broadcast date will be revealed soon.
For The Voice: Ahla Sawt, dedicated to adult contestants and returning after six years, the judging panel will consist of Egyptian pop star Ahmed Saad, Iraqi singer Rahma Riad and Syrian crooner Nassif Zeytoun.
Riad and Zeytoun both made their names in the 2010 series of Star Academy Arab World, where Zeytoun became the first Syrian contestant to clinch the title.
Both artists went on to launch successful careers that have endured for 15 years, and their shared history in a competitive format could prove valuable in mentoring new talent. The pairing may even rekindle a friendly rivalry that once played out on regional television screens.
The Voice Kids: Ahla Sawt, last aired in 2020, boasts its own share of star power with Syrian singer Al Shami on board as judge and mentor, alongside Saudi singer Dalia Mubarak and Egypt's Rami Sabry.
Both programmes will follow the familiar format, beginning with blind auditions in which judges select contestants based purely on their voice, before mentoring them through competitive duet and solo rounds. The overall winner will be chosen by public vote.
The shows have produced an array of winners who have forged their own career paths. Moroccan singer Hamza Lebyed, who won The Voice Kids: Ahla Sawt as an 14-year-old in 2018, remains a steady performer at music festivals across North Africa.
Tunisian singer Mehdi Ayachi, winner of the last The Voice season in 2019, continues to be a popular draw in his homeland and recently released the single Weld Arab.
Previously produced in Lebanon and Saudi Arabia, the latest season of both shows is being filmed concurrently at Olivewood Studios in Amman, Jordan.
Jordan's Royal Film Commission said the four-month shoot is the largest unscripted television production to take place in the kingdom. More than 100 Jordanian crew members are employed in various roles including cinematographers, sound engineers, lighting specialists and costume designers. Additional shoots are also planned at 10 locations across the country.
The commission's director, Mohannad Al-Bakri, described the production as 'highlighting our growing strength as a production destination and [helping] position Jordan as a hub for international film and television.'
