Dubai, UAE – 27 November 2023: Anghami Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGH), the leading music and entertainment audio platform in the MENA region, introduced Show Stopperz earlier this year at GEMS Dubai American Academy (DAA). The dynamic music talent show launched as a pilot program in May 2023, aims to nurture and support emerging artists among the younger generation in the Arab region, specifically students from Grades 9 to 12.
The talent show took place at the prestigious school’s auditorium with live auditions on May 12th, supported by the Anghami team serving as jury members, including Marian Bahader (VP Marketing), Kamil Khalil (Head of Production), Salam Kmeid (Head of Content Marketing), and Yara Kehdy (Marketing Executive). Each contestant’s performance was recorded and uploaded to the dedicated Show Stopperz page on Anghami, inviting public support through interactive voting. As part of its mission to engage with the Arab youth and support rising talents, Anghami announced this initiative aiming to generate a diverse pool of talented participants over a two-week period, driving smooth audition sign-ups in addition to an engaging social media element to encourage contestants to share their audition links on Anghami.
The initiative resonated profoundly with the audience, gathering 17 contestants who delivered 14 captivating performances spanning diverse musical genres. Winners of the talent show received valuable prizes, including the opportunity to record an exclusive Anghami Original, a complimentary vocal course in collaboration with Berklee Abu Dhabi, access to Anghami Studio sessions, and music production tools to nurture their musical journey.
Reflecting on the collaboration, David Holland, Director of Music at GEMS Dubai American Academy, highlighted the transformative experience the students underwent: “As a director of music, it’s my passion to empower our students through exposing them to real-world environments. The student-led collaboration between Anghami and GEMS Dubai American Academy was exactly that. Placed in a competitive yet supportive environment, our young adults were able to simulate the experience of a professional audition and hone the skills necessary to be successful on a professional stage. The investment in the winners will be felt for years to come and further supports this region’s investment in the arts. The Anghami team made this possible and I hope it’s the start of a lengthy and valuable relationship.”
Marian Bahader, VP of Marketing at Anghami, emphasized Anghami’s commitment to nurturing regional talents, stating: “Anghami is fully committed to the talents across the region. We’re always embarking on talent incubation initiatives that can give young aspiring artists the push and confidence they need to kick-start their musical dreams. Show Stopperz was a brilliant collaboration with the management team of GEMS Dubai American Academy and we definitely hope to see this initiative go to as many schools as possible across the region.”
Adding a personal touch to the narrative, Yara Kehdy, Content Marketing Executive & Event Organizer, shared her pride in witnessing the initiative come to life: “Witnessing this idea come to life was a source of great pride, aligning perfectly with Anghami’s manifesto of empowering individuals to ‘make their voices heard.’ As a singer myself, it was heartwarming to see these incredible young talents showcase their art through Show Stopperz, an experience I wish I’d had when I was younger. I’d like to extend my gratitude to Anghami’s incredible team as well as GEMS Dubai American Academy for collaborating on the first of hopefully many more.”
The grand finale took place on June 2nd, which marked a significant moment with two notable artists in the music industry as jury members – Jessica Wazen and Arqam, who played a crucial role in selecting the winners. The exceptional performances featured original songs composed by the contestants themselves, which showcased raw talent.
Anghami offers sincere gratitude to the talented participants, supportive faculty, esteemed judges, and the enthusiastic audience, whose involvement and encouragement made Show Stopperz an unforgettable initiative. The success has sparked the idea of expanding Show Stopperz into an inter-school competition, to nurture a dynamic environment for talented students across the UAE.
Those interested in hosting the next Show Stopperz at their school can submit requests here.
Here are the Show Stopperz winners and their statements:
- Maya Marie Bishara (Anghami Originals recording session)
- Talia Hilmi (Vocal Courses for a semester in collaboration with Berklee Abu Dhabi)
- Adam Farhat (Anghami Studio Session)
- Aya Fadlallah (Music production tools)
* All performances can be streamed exclusively on Anghami at: https://play.anghami.com/profile/127321750
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About Anghami Inc. (NASDAQ: ANGH) :
The first, most-established, and fastest-growing music technology platform in the Middle East and North Africa region, Anghami is the go-to destination for Arabic and International music, podcasts, and entertainment. With an extensive ecosystem of music, podcasts, events, and more, Anghami provides the tools for anyone to create, curate, and share their voice with the world.
Launched in 2012, Anghami was the first music-streaming platform in MENA to digitize the region’s music. Today, it has the largest catalogue comprising more than 100 million songs and licensed content from leading Arabic labels, independent artists, and global distributors, available for 120 million registered users. Anghami has established 40+ telco partnerships to facilitate subscriptions and customer acquisitions, in parallel to building long-term relationships with, and featuring music from, major music labels including Universal Music Group, Sony Music Entertainment, Warner Music Group, and the Merlin Network. Anghami is constantly licensing and producing new and original content. Headquartered in Abu Dhabi, Anghami has offices in Beirut, Dubai, Cairo, and Riyadh and operates in 16 countries across MENA.
To learn more about Anghami, please visit: https://anghami.com
Media Contact:
Marian Bahader
press@anghami.com
Investor Relations:
ir@anghami.com
