19 Facts About Shatha Hassoun

Shatha Amjad Al-Hassoun, better known as Shatha Hassoun, 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.

Shatha Hassoun is a popular singer across the Arab world and has been referred to as the "daughter of Mesopotamia".

Shatha Hassoun's mother is Moroccan and is a history teacher from Safi.

Shatha Hassoun studied English Literature in Casablanca and continued her university studies in Tangier, where she joined the program of Hotel and Tourism Management.

Shatha Hassoun then continued her studies in France, where she gained her master's degree.

Shatha Hassoun has sung in many languages including Arabic, English, French, Spanish, Italian and German.

Shatha Hassoun participated in the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World.

Shatha Hassoun "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, Shatha Hassoun won Star Academy 4, making her the first female winner.

Shatha Hassoun was critiqued by other elements of Iraqi society who accused her of "indecency" and transgression of "honor" and religious norms for women.

Shatha Hassoun revived several traditional Iraqi songs; "Allela 7elowa" and "Aleik As'al" as a duo with Ilham al-Madfai.

Shatha Hassoun has worked with the Iraqi poet Karim Al Iraqi to produce new Iraqi songs.

Shatha Hassoun has collaborated with Salah Al-Sharnoby, Ramy Ayach, Assi El Helani, Abadi Aljawher and George Wassouf.

In late July 2009, Shatha Hassoun achieved her life dream and the dream of fans when she went to her country's capital Baghdad and sang there in two big charity concerts for the children of Iraq, the first one in Al-elowea club and second one in Hunting Club.

Shatha Hassoun held a press conference in Baghdad where she talked about her joy to be among the Iraqi and Arab singers who visited Baghdad despite the unstable security situation at that time.

Shatha Hassoun has worked on an album that plans to include songs in multiple Arabic dialects, including Iraqi, Lebanese, Gulf, Moroccan, and Egyptian.

Shatha Hassoun filmed her music video for the song "O'd 3rgoub" with the late Lebanese director Yehya Saade in Lebanon.

Shatha Hassoun has toured across North America, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, Kuwait, Sweden and Egypt.

Shatha Hassoun has appeared in two television advertisements for the Iraqi mobile company, Zain.