Interview Analysis by Michel Sadek, Staff Writer

October 7th, 2020

Where is the light? 

Barely managing to survive in 10,452 km2 of unemployment and bankruptcy, a vast majority of the Lebanese populace longs for the light at the end of a long tunnel. It’s been a journey of adversity and monotony, a darkness that’s eaten away at our bodies and minds. Hope is a prerequisite for change, but right now there isn’t really anything to be hopeful about. 

So it is time we ask: Where is the light? 

On the 19th of September, 18-year-old Lebanese performer, Nour Ardakani, was named the 16th member of world-renowned pop group, Now United. For those unfamiliar with the band, it is run by music mogul Simon Fuller, creator of American Idol and the man behind the Spice Girls. 

That day, Nour woke up as your average junior in college who sang for fun at local fundraisers. The very next morning, she was on a flight to Dubai to meet some of the world’s most gifted young performers, having gained over 200,000 Instagram followers and admirers from across the globe. 

Yes, her life changed in a moment, but Nour’s success is the product of years of paramount dedication and passion. 

“I started singing at a very early age,” she told The Phoenix Daily in an exclusive interview. “Singing was such a big part of my childhood, but I only started taking it seriously around 4 years ago, when I began taking singing lessons. As for the dancing component, I started off with ballet, then switched to gymnastics, and finally dance.”

With love for music running in her veins, it was only right that Nour seized the opportunity to take her passion to the next level. So with her “calm confidence” and phenomenal talent, Nour proved to Fuller and Now United scouts that she was the best candidate to represent the long-misunderstood MENA/North Africa region in their pop group. 

But that is all just ‘Nour the performer’. 

What makes this success story so special is not confined to Nour’s talent, but rather who she is as a person. A member of the Lebanese youth. An outspoken advocate on the cultural splendor of the country.  A prodigy “looking to put Lebanon on the world map.” 

It is this multidimensionality of Nour’s personality that makes the young star so special, a maturity and sense of duty we deem necessary to showcase to the intellectual world. 

“I think that Lebanon and the MENA region are constantly misportrayed by the media,” Nour emphasised in our discussion. “They are widely regarded as something that they are not, and I want to change that. I’m going to try my best to represent Lebanon the way Lebanon actually is, and not how the media showcases it.”

“And what about Lebanon would you like to show the world?”

“It’s beauty, its historical richness. I feel like I have the duty to shed light on everything that Lebanon comes with, its cultural diversity, traditions, family values… I want to put Lebanon back in the spotlight.” 

And after the 2020 rollercoaster, this spotlight is a much needed one to say the least. From riots and forest fires to a debt crisis and health pandemic, Lebanon has not been getting nearly as much attention as it should be on the global scale. According to ESCWA, 55% of the Lebanese population is trapped in poverty, and 70% are in need of financial assistance. Hundreds of hospitals have exceeded maximum capacity, and around 300,000 individuals have been displaced, now living without the fundamental accommodations. 

“Lebanon is going through a lot right now. Economically, socially, the Lebanese people are hurt. Especially after the [August 4th] explosion, we are hurt physically and emotionally, and what I want to do is bring back hope, in whatever way, shape, or form.”

Just weeks ago, this quest to bring back hope took the form of volunteering to clean up rubble in the aftermath of the Beirut explosion. 

Now, with access to a sizeable global platform, Nour can contribute to the much broader scope of making public the demands of the Lebanese people, in hopes of achieving social reform back home. 

“This opportunity allows me not only to represent my country and the region, but also Lebanon’s youth. I feel like I have a very big responsibility towards them, and will try my hardest to make sure I [exemplify their aspirations].” 

So for those who ask, “where is the light?”, I tell you the light is in people like Nour. 

A young star possessing both the gift and the mindset, Nour has a long way to go in terms of using her talents to help bring about positive change in our nation. The platform she has gained access to is precisely what she needs to nurture her potential, and effectively play her part in reinstilling hope in the hearts of the Lebanese people. 

On behalf of myself and the entire TPD team, we would like to wish Nour the best of luck in her endeavors, and have full confidence she will live up to her name, the نور  at the end of a dark tunnel. 

References: 

ESCWA warns: More than half of Lebanon's population trapped in poverty. (2020, August 19). Retrieved October 03, 2020, from https://www.unescwa.org/news/Lebanon-poverty-2020

Majzioub, A. (2020, October 03). Lebanon's Protests are Far from Over. Retrieved October 03, 2020, from https://www.hrw.org/news/2020/04/27/lebanons-protests-are-far-over