American becomes unlikely new star on Arabs Got Talent

[muriel_volestrangler]

When singing songs by Umm Kalthoum, the legendary Egyptian diva, Jennifer Grout can easily deceive even the best-trained ears.

She's an American with no Arab roots, who speaks only a few words of Arabic, and yet her singing barely betrays her identity.

To make the challenge even harder, Jennifer has also performed on stage while playing the oud, a stringed instrument similar to the lute.

Grout masters the vocals and the lyrics of sophisticated Arabic songs with such ease that she has made it to the finals of Arabs Got Talent in Beirut on Saturday.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-25263304

[JimboBillyBubbaBob]

1. Wow,

that was cool!

[MH1]

2. That's pretty cool ... I need to get out more.

I didn't know there was an "Arabs Got Talent" but of course there is.

She has a beautiful voice and I loved the way the female judge reacted. She particularly seemed prepared to be very critical but was wowed.

[Surya Gayatri]

3. Thanks for bringing this over to DU, m_v. She has the perfect voice

for classical Arabic singing. If you've ever heard any of Umm Kalthoum's recordings, she's a dead ringer! Astonishing...

Classical Arabic has a poetry of exquisite beauty and here's an American reviving the classical form!

[MADem]

4. Simon Cowell's got that franchise DOWN. She's talented--a Susan Boyle for Lebanon, only

younger ... and with a better voice, actually....

[TorchTheWitch]

5. This one just blew me away. Just glorious...

I wish I knew what the judges were saying.

[kcr]

6. I wanted to know what they were saying, too.

I wish I could watch the finals