The Voice France has launched its 14th season, and the long-running show continues to make waves and break barriers – most recently with another Lebanese contestant making an immediate impact.
Shana, whose full name is Shana Farjallah, quite literally turned heads with her debut appearance on Saturday’s episode, delivering a standout performance of You Keep Me Hangin’ On. In many ways, it was the perfect introduction.
The singer began the track – originally recorded by Motown group The Supremes in 1966 – a cappella, showing off her strong vocals before the beat kicked in and she took it up a notch. It didn’t take long for two of the four coaches, French pop stars Florent Pagny and Zaz, to turn their chairs, signalling their eagerness to mentor her through the competition.
“At 24, you already know how to do it in an adventure like this and you’ll begin to see all the little imperfections,” said Pagny. “Ultimately there's so much sensitivity in your voice. It makes me think ‘Ah yes, your palette is vast, and with that kind of talent there’s really something there'.”
Zaz added: “Shana, you have a sensitivity that is very, very raw and I want to hear more of that. And I really want to get you into [that space], because this fragility, you need to inhabit it."
It was Zaz’s easy-going charm – not to mention her blend of jazz and soul – that won over Shana, setting up a promising partnership that could go far this season. While the competition is still in its early stages, Shana’s performances have already resonated across Lebanon, where her name is trending on social media. In a recent interview with Lebanese newspaper An-Nahar, she expressed hope that her journey on The Voice would help shift public perceptions of her homeland.
“The most important thing for me as a Lebanese is that people in Lebanon know who I am, what I’ve done, and that they hear my music," she said. "I want to represent my country and show that we, as Lebanese, can succeed wherever we want."
Shana’s appearance on The Voice France marks a new milestone in her burgeoning career, which also has ties to Dubai. Born in Lebanon, she began her journey more than three years ago as an RnB singer, releasing a handful of English-language singles and, most recently, the album Identity Crisis. During that time, she also honed her live performance skills as part of the musical programme at The Theatre Dubai, co-founded by Lebanese-Armenian musician Guy Manoukian.
While her debut on The Voice France featured an English-language performance, there's a strong chance her repertoire will include Arabic songs as she progresses further in the competition.
“This is new for me, something I’ve never done before, but I decided to give it a try. I’ve come to feel that Arabic songs are more expressive than others,” she told An-Nahar. “They connect me more deeply with my family, my people, and the Middle East as a whole. I also discovered that my voice is very capable of expressing emotion in Arabic.”
Shanna is among a growing number of Middle Eastern artists competing in the French version of The Voice. Contestants are reportedly not required to be French citizens to enter. Instead, they must either reside in France or be able to travel there for the various stages of the programme.
Notable Lebanese participants in the past include singer Hiba Tawaji, who reached the semi-finals under the mentorship of Lebanese-French pop star Mika before launching a successful career, and Lara Bou Abdo, then 16, who made a strong impression with her performance of Fairuz’s Li Beirut in 2021.
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
SPECS
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World record transfers
1. Kylian Mbappe - to Real Madrid in 2017/18 - €180 million (Dh770.4m - if a deal goes through)
2. Paul Pogba - to Manchester United in 2016/17 - €105m
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10. James Rodriguez - to Real Madrid in 2014/15 - €75m
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Lexus LX700h specs
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Transmission: 10-speed auto
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On sale: Now
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SPEC SHEET
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Chip: Apple M1, 8-core CPU, 8-core GPU, 16-core Neural Engine
Memory: 64/256GB storage; 8GB RAM
Main camera: 12MP wide, f/1.8, Smart HDR
Video: 4K @ 25/25/30/60fps, full HD @ 25/30/60fps, slo-mo @ 120/240fps
Front camera: 12MP ultra-wide, f/2.4, Smart HDR, Centre Stage; full HD @ 25/30/60fps
Audio: Stereo speakers
Biometrics: Touch ID
I/O: USB-C, smart connector (for folio/keyboard)
Battery: Up to 10 hours on Wi-Fi; up to 9 hours on cellular
Finish: Space grey, starlight, pink, purple, blue
Price: Wi-Fi – Dh2,499 (64GB) / Dh3,099 (256GB); cellular – Dh3,099 (64GB) / Dh3,699 (256GB)
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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