Shatha Hassoun

Shatha Amjad Al-Hassoun (Arabic: شذى أمجد الحسون; born 3 March 1981), better known as Shatha Hassoun (Arabic: شذى حسون), is a Moroccan-Iraqi singer, who rose to fame as the winner of the 4th season of the pan-Arab television talent show Star Academy Arab World, and an occasional actor. Hassoun was the first Arab woman to win the competition. She is a popular singer across the Arab world and has been referred to as the "daughter of Mesopotamia". Hassoun's father is a well-known Iraqi reporter from Hillah. Her mother is Moroccan and is a history teacher from Safi. Growing up, Hassoun divided her time between Morocco and France. She studied English Literature in Casablanca and continued her university studies in Tangier, where she joined the program of Hotel and Tourism Management. She then continued her studies in France, where she gained her master's degree. Her family, which includes her parents and one brother, resides in Morocco while she currently lives in Dubai. Hassoun has sung in many languages including Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Italian and German. Hassoun participated in the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World. Although she grew up in Morocco and had never visited Iraq by the time of the show, she nevertheless represented her father's nation in the competition. She "eagerly took the mantle of Iraqiness in emotional renditions of classic songs about Iraq" and became the focus of discourse in the media about national unity and pride among Iraqis. In 2007, Hassoun won Star Academy 4, making her the first female winner. Her performance of Lebanese singer Fairouz's song "Baghdad" earned her 54.8% of the vote, which enabled her to reach the finals. Along with the four finalists, Hassoun won the competition by receiving 40 percent of the votes. Around one out of every four Iraqis cast a vote for her. According to media scholar Marwan Kraidy:"Hassoun’s rushing on stage on learning of her victory, in a blue sequin dress under flying confetti, falling on her knees in tears, arms extended, holding a body-sized Iraqi flag, overcome by emotions, became an iconic image that consecrated her as a symbol of Iraq."She was also critiqued by other elements of Iraqi society who accused her of "indecency" and transgression of "honor" and religious norms for women. Soon after winning the competition, Hassoun released her first single entitled "Rooh." It was written and composed by Lebanese songwriter Nikola Saada Nikhla.