The news out of the Middle East has been uniformly depressing recently so I'm giving myself a break with some news about the Arab Idol sensation Mohammed Assaf. He has become an instant star and household name throughout the Arab world with many Arabs watching him on MBC or LBCI from Beirut via satellite and over the internet. He is so popular that even westernmedia are taking notice.
His journey to the Arab Idol auditions in Cairo begins with a two-day delay at the Gaza/Egypt border, being late for the auditions, having to scale the hotel walls where the auditions are being held, finding out he missed getting a place and then a fellow Palestinian giving up his place in the auditions so that Mohammad can perform for the judges. This is his audition:
Singing without accompaniment, he wows the judges with the beauty of his voice and his range. The first judge says that he has heard many voices these last few days and he soon forgets them but that Mohammed's voice is one that he will remember and that Mohammed is a 'big yes' (said in English) for entry to the competition. We've got a hint already of just how Mohammed is going to affect the audience and judges of Arab Idol.