Sharjah World Music Festival Graced by Young Soulful Voices

Four young female vocal talents have been shortlisted for the final contest of the singing competition being held as part of the 5th Sharjah World Music Festival (SWMF 2018), presented by Sharjah Investment and Development Authority (Shurooq) in a strategic partnership with Sharjah Commerce and Tourism Development Authority (SCTDA) and Al Majaz Amphitheatre, and organised by Furat Qaddouri Music Centre.

The four contestants; Shahd Al Nabwani, Malak Hani, Reem Samir and Serly Petrosian were selected from among the 12 contestants who auditioned to qualify for the singing competition.

Organised by Furat Qaddouri Music Centre, the singing competition aims to showcase young musical talent and nurture a generation of creative singers, thereby contributing to enriching the region’s musical scene with inspirational and creative vocal talent.

The contest commenced with talented Salma Nizar who played piano, presenting a wonderful performance that signaled her possession of an outstanding talent. Next on the stage was Shahd Al Nabwani who enthralled the audience with a western melody, demonstrating her ability to high as well as low notes with control and ease; a quality that quickly earned her the jury’s admiration.

With his mellifluous tones and strong stage presence and confidence, Anas Darwish captivated the audience with the popular traditional Iraqi folksong song ‘Fouq Al Nakhil’ (Above the Palm Tree) by late Iraqi singer, Nazem Al Ghazalli. His ability to engage the audience in his performance was impressive, which received a special mention by the jury.

Next, Malak surprised the audience with a western song. Her performance was outstanding both in terms of her vocal quality and her stage presence. The young artist left both the judges and the audience in awe.

Malak was followed by Reem Samir who presented the song ‘Saalouni El Nas’ (People Asked Me) by iconic Lebanese singer, Fairuz. Through her sensational vocal ability, the young singer captivated the audience and received the jury’s high praise.

Serly Petrosian of Romania proved to be a remarkable stage act, followed by Alaa Al Rawi, who sang one of Nazem Al Ghazali’s most appreciated songs. The contest concluded with a piano set by young pianist, Tia Othman.   

One of the competition judges, Wasim Faris, said the panel evaluates the vocal talents of participants on academic grounds, taking into account the main elements of music including melody, rhythm, sound and performance. 

He commended the young participants on displaying an elevated level of stage confidence, saying that their comfort in performing before a sizeable audience played a significant role in enhancing the overall quality and appeal of their acts.  

Singer and music tutor Ona Aurelia, member of the jury, said that she was impressed by the beautiful voices and strong stage presence of the young talented competitors. She noted that the selection process was a tough job due to similarity of the contestants’ vocal abilities.

The weeklong festival has gathered a stellar line-up of highly acclaimed artists and musicians from 11 Arab and foreign countries, and comes to a close tomorrow (Friday) evening with Arabic night by Kuwaiti artist, Abdallah Rowaished and Emirati singing sensation, Balqees, at the Al Majaz Amphitheare. Another concert at the Flag Island Amphitheatre will be presented by Lebanese singer, Ghada Shbeir, and Rasha Rizk from Syria.

By organising this first of its kind festival, Furat Qaddouri Music Centre seeks to boost the cultural and art presence of Sharjah and the UAE on the global arena, introduce the world’s various musical cultures to the UAE community and add a new gem to the emirate’s rich portfolio of tourist, art and culture attractions. Concert tickets for SWMF 2018 are available online at: www.ticketmaster.ae and can also be purchased at customer service counters at Al Qasba Theatre, The Flag Island Amphitheatre, Al Majaz Amphitheatre and Al Majaz Waterfront.