american \girl next door\ wows lebanese talent show
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
Last Updated : GMT 09:03:51
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

American 'girl next door' wows Lebanese talent show

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today

Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today American 'girl next door' wows Lebanese talent show

London - AFP

Despite speaking little Arabic, Jennifer Grout, a 23-year-old singer from Boston, Massachusetts, has amazed viewers and judges of the Lebanese talent show Arabs Got Talent, making it to the final round. She tells FRANCE 24 about her experience. Jennifer Grout, a 23-year-old singer from Boston, Massachusetts, looks like the stereotypical girl next door. Yet she is anything but. Despite speaking little Arabic, she has amazed viewers and judges of the Lebanese talent show Arabs Got Talent, making it to the final round of the competition. Raised in a musical family, Grout grew up playing the violin and the piano as well as singing in a choir. She first began to pursue her passion for Arabic music in 2010 while at Canada’s McGill University, in Montreal. She begged her parents to buy her an oud (a lute-like instrument), and set about learning how to play and sing Arabic songs. A few months later, Grout stumbled across a Syrian restaurant in her neighbourhood where an oud player was performing live. Enchanted, she went in to listen. Before long, the musician asked her if she knew how to play. “I took the oud and started playing and singing an old muwashshah [an Arabic poetic genre] I'd heard on YouTube by a singer called Souad Mohammed. When I was finished, everyone was stunned! The owner came and gave me a kiss on my forehead and asked me if I'd been sent from heaven!” Grout told FRANCE 24. She began performing at the restaurant on a weekly basis. “I was so happy because I felt like I'd finally found a community that appreciated my work,” she said. Arabs Got Talent After university she packed her bags and headed to Morocco. From there, she went to Spain and then to France where she sang for money in the Paris metro (“I saw people doing it, so I figured why can't I?” she explained). She then travelled to Austria, before finally landing back in Morocco, where she has more or less settled since. Grout got the idea to sign up for Arabs Got Talent earlier this year after a friend sent her an application form, urging her to fill it out. “I honestly knew nothing about it, other than it must be similar to America's Got Talent, which I didn't ever contemplate applying to because I don't think my talent would have been appreciated or understood as much,” she said. Her first appearance on the show, which is in its third season, was somewhat daunting. Already unsure how her performance would be received by the judges and public, she also quickly realised that her inability to speak Arabic could be a problem. “I just thought, ‘Oh my God, I don't understand what they are saying, their comments and feedback!’ So I simply smiled and nodded,” Grout said. “But then the hosts came on stage with me and translated.” The competition’s judges were enthralled by her performance of beloved Egyptian singer Umm Kulthum’s “Baïd Annak” and voted unanimously to send her to the next round. Grout’s mastery of the Arabic accent in song has led some to question whether her all-American appearance is just an act. Viewers quickly took to social media to express their disbelief over her background. “I have absolutely no Arabic roots or ‘interesting’ Turkish ethnicities as I am rumoured to have,” she said. “I started learning Arabic music in 2010. You can ask any of my family members, old friends, etc... Before that point, I knew virtually nothing of the Arab world, except that Arabs invented couscous and belly dancing.” Since rising to fame on the show, Grout has at times been portrayed as a bridge between the US and Arabic cultures. While she was adamant that she plays for her own personal fulfillment, she also welcomed the idea that music could help break down barriers. “Over time, of course, I have seen what a simple passion has the power to do. It can open their minds! I find that idea really beautiful, and if people see me as a symbol of peace, I am more than honored to accept the role,” she said. The final round of Arabs Got Talent is due to take place in Lebanon’s capital Beirut on December 7. Grout, who was careful to praise the other competitors on the show, said she thinks she’s got just as good a shot at winning as anybody. “I'll leave that up to the people to decide. Regardless of the results, it has been a wonderful journey, a great opportunity and I have had much fun and exposure throughout,” she said.

almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday

Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

american \girl next door\ wows lebanese talent show american \girl next door\ wows lebanese talent show

 



Name *

E-mail *

Comment Title*

Comment *

: Characters Left

Mandatory *

Terms of use

Publishing Terms: Not to offend the author, or to persons or sanctities or attacking religions or divine self. And stay away from sectarian and racial incitement and insults.

I agree with the Terms of Use

Security Code*

american \girl next door\ wows lebanese talent show american \girl next door\ wows lebanese talent show

 



Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017

GMT 09:22 2018 Monday ,22 January

Skincare PR Performance Full Year 2017
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way

GMT 11:03 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

New hunt for flight MH370 gets under way
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Modern colorful bedroom renovation

GMT 10:57 2017 Thursday ,21 December

Modern colorful bedroom renovation
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president

GMT 13:56 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

Puigdemont candidate for Catalan president
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 10:47 2018 Wednesday ,24 January

Turkey detains dozens more

GMT 09:47 2018 Tuesday ,23 January

To 'eternal style' of late Alaia

GMT 17:12 2012 Wednesday ,16 May

LG unveils new user interface for ICS devices

GMT 15:03 2013 Thursday ,25 July

Belgium under heat wave

GMT 04:59 2015 Tuesday ,01 September

Qatar coral reef at risk from warming seas

GMT 21:51 2016 Friday ,14 October

3 frontier corps personnel killed in Quetta

GMT 14:42 2012 Saturday ,21 January

Bella Cruise debuts new main squeeze

GMT 13:52 2013 Tuesday ,26 March

Indian director talks about Himmatwala remake

GMT 22:26 2017 Sunday ,08 January

1 Turkish soldier, 37 Daesh militants killed

GMT 02:35 2014 Sunday ,29 June

Hilton Jaipur unveils new main restaurant

GMT 20:51 2015 Saturday ,10 January

Twofour54 will train Saudi journalists

GMT 21:47 2015 Tuesday ,20 January

Kuwait shuts newspaper critical of government

GMT 09:38 2013 Tuesday ,31 December

SRA discovers new plant species in UAE
Almaghrib Today, almaghrib today
 
 Almaghrib Today Facebook,almaghrib today facebook  Almaghrib Today Twitter,almaghrib today twitter Almaghrib Today Rss,almaghrib today rss  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube  Almaghrib Today Youtube,almaghrib today youtube

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

Maintained and developed by Arabs Today Group SAL.
All rights reserved to Arab Today Media Group 2021 ©

.almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday .almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday almaghribtoday almaghribtoday
almaghribtoday
بناية النخيل - رأس النبع _ خلف السفارة الفرنسية _بيروت - لبنان
almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday, Almaghribtoday