Saudi national Abdel Aziz Abdel Rahman won on Friday the sixth season of the Lebanese reality TV show Star Academy. Abdel Rahman got more than 50 percent of the viewers' votes, beating Basma from Morocco, Michel from Lebanon and Ibrahim from Kuwait. Based on a French TV show of the same name, Star Academy brings more than 20 contestants from around the Arab World under one roof. Inside the academy, as the contestants take classes in vocals, dance theater and even fitness, viewers get to watch their every move, inside or outside the classes. From its screen debut, the show has drawn as many strong supporters as fierce critics. The never-ending buzz around the show has continued to boost its ratings. Although the June 12 finale of the latest season lacked the usual fervor of previous seasons, season 6 managed to emerge triumphant, presenting truly exceptional talents and entertainment. Among the 20 contestants (12 men and eight women), three Egyptians had participated in the program this season. The first one to go home was the mirthful Mohamed Serag, the class clown of the Academy. His sense of humor and benevolent demeanor kept him in the academy for six weeks despite being voted out by the teachers five times, three of which the audience had voted him back in the competition and one of which the students did. The second Egyptian was Aya Abdel Raouf, who showed remarkable vocal talents and always ranked in the top five, giving the impression that had booked her place in the finals. In week nine, the teachers shocked everyone by voting her out. Neither the votes of the students nor the audience votes succeeded in bringing her back. The third Egyptian was Lara Scandar, the princess of the academy as she was referred to, who made thousands of Egyptians tune in to the show for the first time. Like her talent, her stories of growing up in an ultra-rich family drew many fans. The multilingual singer performed in different languages including English, French and Italian. Her inability to sing in Arabic drew heavy criticism. But her strong stage presence was undisputed. Scandar's stage duo and potential love interest Syrian Mohamed Bash also impressed. Expected to win, Bash was surprisingly voted out in the quarter finals. His on-stage chemistry with Scandar - whether as Cat Woman and Spider-Man singing "Four Minutes or as Barbie and Ken singing "Barbie Girl - and their close interaction off stage left viewer wondering if the two were a couple or just best friends. Throughout the season, the audience had to endure the trials and tribulations of Michel, known as Micho, and Tanya, the two Lebanese candidates. The Mohannad look-alike (a reference to the protagonist of the dubbed Turkish soap opera Noor) got his own soap opera inside the academy. Micho and Tanya were an instant couple but their relationship was not a smooth one; they fought and made up on a daily basis. Other candidates who stood out this season were finalist Ibrahim 'Ibro' from Kuwait, who was everyone's best friend. But when he was voted by his colleagues as their representative, he shifted his focus on organizing special dinners and competitions for the students. He slightly lost focus of why he is in the academy which was probably why he was voted out in the finals. Finalist Basma, who turned 18 during the show, also stood out. She worked hard on polishing her skills, as she went from a mere performer to songwriting and choreographing her own performances.
