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http://www.magharebia.com/cocoon/awi/xhtml1/en_GB/features/awi/features/2006/08/15/feature-02

Star Academy Maghreb auditions start

15/08/2006

Aspiring young singers are auditioning for the 14 coveted spots to sing before millions of television viewers on "Star Academy Maghreb", which begins airing in October.

By Jamel Arfaoui for Magharebia in Tunis – 15/08/06

[File] Star Academy Maghreb

Around 5,000 young Tunisians, 4,000 Moroccans and a similar number of Algerians have already auditioned for the first "Star Academy Maghreb". Auditions also will be held for Libyans and Maghreb residents of France in the coming days.

The 14 participants selected will move in late October to a luxurious villa in Tunis, where their home lives will be filmed daily. During this time, they will compete to win recording contracts and a huge cash prize.

Miriam Bazazi a communications officer for "Star Academy Maghreb", told reporters, "This idea has appealed to us for years. But what made us more determined to realise it has been the unfairness we felt towards Arab Maghreb participants in similar versions (of Star Academy) in Lebanon and France, where no Maghreb contestants won."

After the auditions, 30 participants from each country will be selected. They will be whittled to a group of 14, who will perform before a panel of professional artists and musicians from the Maghreb, who will eventually crown the winner.

Show organisers told Magharebia this "Star Academy" would differ from those of other countries because it will reflect local tastes. They also expressed hope that female contestants will be judged by their talents rather than their appearance.

Appearance likely will be a less important variable, as Algerian President Abdelaziz Bouteflika reportedly intervened last year to stop the transmission of remaining episodes of "Star Academy" from Lebanon because of the supposed immodest dress of female contestants.

Another Maghreb issue with the Lebanese "Star Academy" arose when a Saudi defeated a Tunisian in the final. Tunisians questioned the voting fairness and welcomed their compatriot home as a hero at Carthage Airport.