An American singer with no Arab heritage almost took the prize in Arabs Got Talent this weekend. 23-year-old Jennifer Grout from Massachusetts made it into the top 3 along with a Palestinian artist and a Syrian dance troupe.
Grout fell in love with Arab music while attending McGill University. "She sings from the heart. She loves the Arab music. She loves the rhythm, she loves the scales, the intonation. It's just incredible to hear it," her mother told ABC, according to the Huffington Post. Even though Grout loves Arab music she still only speaks a little Arabic.
Saturday night, Grout dressed in a flowing white gown and sang "Wahashtini" (I've Missed You) by Souad Mohamed. The judges praised her for her enthusiasm for Arabic music and her voice. However, the Syrian dance team Sima took the top prize with their interpretative dance symbolic of the conflict in Syria, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Arabs Got Talent organizers say you do not have to be Arab to compete. Grout currently lives in Morocco after receiving a one way ticket there as a graduation present.
Image courtesy of Twitter.