Shatha Hassoun

Hassoun participated in the fourth season of Star Academy Arab World. Although she grew up in Morocco and had never visited Iraq by the time of the show, she nevertheless represented her father's nation in the competition.[9] She "eagerly took the mantle of Iraqiness in emotional renditions of classic songs about Iraq"[9] and became the focus of discourse in the media about national unity and pride among Iraqis.[9][10]

In 2007, Hassoun won Star Academy 4, making her the first female winner. Her performance of Lebanese singer Fairouz's song "Baghdad" earned her 54.8%[3] of the vote, which enabled her to reach the finals. Along with the four finalists, Hassoun won the competition by receiving 40 percent of the votes.[11] Around one out of every four Iraqis cast a vote for her.[9] According to media scholar Marwan Kraidy:

"Hassoun’s rushing on stage on learning of her victory, in a blue sequin dress under flying confetti, falling on her knees in tears, arms extended, holding a body-sized Iraqi flag, overcome by emotions, became an iconic image that consecrated her as a symbol of Iraq."[9]

She was also critiqued by other elements of Iraqi society who accused her of "indecency" and transgression of "honor" and religious norms for women.[9]

Soon after winning the competition, Hassoun released her first single entitled "Rooh." It was written and composed by Lebanese songwriter Nikola Saada Nikhla. It was the first song to ever debut at number one on Rotana's PEPSI Top 20 charts; it stayed at number for two weeks then peaking again at number one.

The second major song she released, "Asmallah Asmallah" or "Ebin Bladi", was written and composed by the Iraqi poet, Karim Al Iraqi as a gift to the Iraqi people and to the Iraqi national football team, which won the Asian Cup 2007. It has been suggested that this was "a sort of second national anthem" for Iraq. [9]

"Oushaq" was written and composed by the Lebanese singer Marwan Khoury.

Hassoun also revived several traditional Iraqi songs; "Allela 7elowa" and "Aleik As'al" as a duo with Ilham al-Madfai. She also released an Iraqi song, "Mza'elni", that was written by Amar Almarhon and composed by Mohand Mehsen, and "Lo alf mara," which was the first song composed by Melhem Barakat for a non-Lebanese artist. Hassoun has also worked with the Iraqi poet Karim Al Iraqi to produce new Iraqi songs (Al Iraqi similarly worked with the likes of Kadim Al Sahir). Hassoun has also collaborated with Salah Al-Sharnoby, Ramy Ayach, Assi El Helani, Abadi Aljawher and George Wassouf.

Apart from vocal performance, Hassoun has participated in an Iraqi-Syrian-Egyptian television series called Rasael Men Ragol Mayet ("Letters from a Dead Man") alongside Syrian actor Ghassan Masoud and many Iraqi actors. The series addresses various problems in Iraqi society between 1979 and 2005. Directed by Hassan Hosny, it was filmed in Syria and aired exclusive on Al-Baghdadia TV in the month of Ramadan 2008.

In late July 2009, Shatha 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. She 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.

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

She filmed her music video for the song "O'd 3rgoub" with the late Lebanese director Yehya Saade in Lebanon. The lyrics included "double-entendre...about love and betrayal." "Invoking ‘Arqoub, a legendary character infamous for his unfulfilled promises, Hassoun bemoans both her love affair with a U.S. soldier and the U.S. invasion of her war torn country."[9] The video proved controversial among Arab audiences.[9]

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

In 2010, she held a concert in Dubai alongside Fares Karam.

• Rasael Men Ragol Mayet (Letters from a Dead Man) – 2008