Arab Idol (season 2)

Ten dates were set for the auditions, which took place in 8 Arab countries (three audition dates in three different Egyptian cities).

• Luxor, Egypt, October 11, 2012
• Alexandria, Egypt, October 15, 2012
• Cairo, Egypt, October 19, 2012
• Casablanca, Morocco, October 28, 2012
• Tunis, Tunisia, November 2, 2012
• Amman, Jordan, November 8, 2012
• Erbil, Iraq, November 11, 2012
• Dubai, United Arab Emirates, November 15, 2012
• Beirut, Lebanon, November 19, 2012
• Doha, Qatar auditions were originally scheduled for November 15, 2012, but the city was excluded after the citizens of Qatar made a campaign on the internet to prevent the arrival of the show crew, in the excuse that the show doesn't align with the habits and traditions of the conservative Qatari community and the Islamic values.

After more than 15,000 auditions, the judges picked 95 to go onto the following round in Beirut, Lebanon. The second round of auditions consisted of three parts, the first of which saw candidates sing a song of their choice for 60 seconds in front of the panel in groups of 10. Only 61 made it through to the second part of the second round. In this part of the competition, candidates were split into 11 groups of 5 or 6, and had to perform iconic Arabic songs from movies and plays from the previous century. The repertoire consisted of the following songs :

For the girls:

• "Mali" (by Warda Al-Jazairia) from the movie "Sawt El Hob" (1973)
• "El Ward Gamil" (by Umm Kulthum) from the movie "Fatmah" (1947)
• "Rajain Ya Hawa" (by Fairuz), from the Rahbani Brothers's play "Loulou" (1974)
• "Ya Wad Ya Teel" (by Souad Hosni) from the movie "Khali Balak Min Zouzou" (1972)
• "Imta Hataaraf/ Layali El Ouns" (by Asmahan) from the movie "Gharam wa Intiqam" (1944)

For the guys:

• "Ya Msafer Wahdak" (by Mohammed Abdelwahab), from the movie "Mamno' El Hob" (1942)
• "Gana El Hawa" (by Abdelhalim Hafez), from the movie "Abi Foq El Shagara" (1969)
• "Gharibeyn Ou Layl" (by Ghassan Saliba), from the Rahbani Brothers' play "Saif 840" (1987)
• "Gabbar" (by Abdelhalim Hafez), from the movie "Maabodat El Gamahir" (1963)
• "Habeena" (by Farid El Atrash), from the movie "Nagham Fi Hayati" (1975)
• "Ana Elli Alayki Mishta'" (by Joseph Sakr), from Ziad Rahbani's play "Nazl El Sourour" (1974)

After further cuts, only 46 contenders remained, and moved onto the third and final part of the second round of auditions. The remaining competitors had to sing for their lives, of whom only 20 were to be chosen. However, this task proved to be too hard for the judges because of the great talent present. Thus, 27 contestants were hand-picked instead of 20 for the public vote, who had to choose only 12 of them to reach the final round of competitions.

The 27 contestants representing 10 Arab countries were revealed on April 6, 2013, and they are :

From Egypt: Karim Houssam (18), Sabrine El Nagily (20), Mirna Hisham (15), Ahmad Gamal (24), Haidy Moussa (19), Meriem Mohammad (16), Nourhane El Boghdadi (23)
From Morocco: Fatima-Zahra El Qortoubi (27), Salma Rachid (18), Omar El Idrissi (24), Jamal Abbad (25), Yousra Saouf (20)
From Tunisia: Mohammed Dughman (24), Zouhour El Shaari (23), and Mohammed Amer (26)
From Syria: Farah Youssef (21), Abdelkarim Hamdan (25)
From Iraq: Parwas Hussain (24), Oussama Naji (23), Mohannad Almarsoumi (27)
From Lebanon: Ziad Khouri (24), Wael Said (18)
From Saudi Arabia: Ibrahim Abdallah (25), Fares El Madani (27)
From Algeria: Saad Nizar (28)
From Bahrain: Hanane Reda (21)
From Palestine: Mohammed Assaf (23)

Week 1 (April 26, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Nawal El Kuwaitia

	Mohammed Assaf	Aala Hisb Oudad – Abdelhalim Hafez
	Salma Rachid	Lazraalak Bostan Worood – Fouad Ghazi
	Mohanad Almarsoumi	Bayn Edaya – Majid Al Muhandis
	Hanane Reda	Wa Hayati Aandek – Thekra
	Farah Youssef	Helm – Umm Kulthum
	Wael Said	Ma Aad Baddiyak – Melhem Zein
	Fares El Madani	Yaben Esshoug – Abadi Al Johar
	Ahmad Gamal	Younis – Mohammed Mounir
	Sabrine El Nagily	Kahil El Ain – Asma Lamnawar
	Parwas Hussein	Magadir – Talal Maddah
	Abdelkarim Hamdan	Salam Aaliha Ya Hawa – Melhem Barakat
	Yousra Saouf	El Amaken – Mohammed Abdo
	Ziad Khouri	Deggou El Mahabij – Fairouz

Week 2 (May 3, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Samira Said

	Farah Youssef	Habina wa Thabina – Mayada El Henawi
	Mohanad Almarsoumi	Law wa Lawl wa Lowa – Saadoun Jaber
	Salma Rachid	Aal Bal – Samira Said
	Abdelkarim Hamdan	Aala Rimsh Ayounha – Wadih El Safi
	Yousra Saouf	Elli Kan – Nancy Ajram
	Fares El Madani	Ma Aad Badri – Mohammed Abdo
	Hanane Reda	Ahebak Moot – Ahlam
	Ziad Khouri	Yalli Bi Jamalak – Saber Rebaï
	Mohammed Assaf	Ya Reit – Ragheb Alama
	Sabrine El Nagily	Elli Lamooni – Thekra
	Ahmad Gamal	Imta El Zaman – Mohammed Abdel Wahab
	Parwas Hussein	Nergiz – Tipa Duhok / Aal Ain Mouliyatin – Samira Tawfik

Week 3 (May 10, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Ramy Ayach

	Ahmad Gamal	Misheet Khalas – Wael Jassar
	Ziad Khouri	Ana Ya Tayr Dayaani Nasseebi – Fouad Salem
	Parwas Hussain	Shloonek Eini Shloonek – Salah Abdelghafour
	Salma Rachid	Li Saber Houdoud – Umm Kulthum
	Fares El Madani	Million Khater – Abdelmajeed Abdullah
	Mohammed Assaf	Gatalouni Oyoun Essoud – Wadih El Safi
	Mohanad Almarsoumi	Eni Khayartouki – Kadhem Al Saher
	Farah Youssef	La Ashad Hobak – Najwa Karam
	Yousra Saouf	In Raht Minek Ya Ain – Shadia
	Abdelkarim Hamdan	Ya Mal El Sham – Sabah Fakhri

Week 4 (May 17, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Nawal El-Zoughby

	Parwas Hussain	Ahebak – Samira Tawfik
	Yousra Saouf	Ana Albi Lek Meyal – Fayza Ahmed
	Ziad Khouri	Zaraanaha Galoub – Wadih El Safi
	Abdelkarim Hamdan	Elli Nisak Insak – Abdallah Al Rowaished
	Salma Rachid	Zay El Assal – Sabah
	Mohanad Almarsoumi	Inta Aala Bali – Iraqi folklore
	Ahmad Gamal	Rouh – Fadel Shaker
	Fares El Madani	Ouli Aamalak Eih – Mohammed Abdel Wahab
	Farah Youssef	Lagetak – Issam Rajji
	Mohammed Assaf	El Zina Labsat Khalkhalaha – Samir Yazbek

Week 5 (May 24, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Mohammed Mounir

	Salma Rachid	Ana Baasha'ak – Mayada El Henawi
	Mohanad Almarsoumi	Goul Ya Helo – Nazem Al Ghazali
	Parwas Hussein	Baeed Aanak – Umm Kulthum
	Abdelkarim Hamdan	Aal Tayer – Saber Rebaï
	Ziad Khouri	Wala Mara – Melhem Barakat
	Mohammed Assaf	Aanabi – Karem Mahmoud
	Farah Youssef	Ehsas Jdeed – Nancy Ajram
	Ahmad Gamal	Sawah – Abdelhalim Hafez

Week 6 (May 31, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Cheb Khaled

	Ziad Khouri	Lahjour Gassrak – George Wassouf
	Abdelkarim Hamdan	Aala Aagig – Sabah Fakhri
	Farah Youssef	Awedak – Souad Mohammed
	Ahmad Gamal	Albi Aasha'ha – Ragheb Alama
	Parwas Hussein	Ya Tayr Ya Tayer – Mohammed Mounir
	Mohammed Assaf	Wa Baad Kentom – Mohammed Abdo
	Salma Rachid	Katar Kheiry – Sherine

Week 7 (June 7, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Diana Haddad

	Farah Youssef	Ya Bidii El Ward – Asmahan
	Mohammed Assaf	Sawt El Heda – Assi El Helani
	Salma Rachid	Nawilak Aala Niya – Ahlam
	Parwas Hussein	Saalouni Ennas – Fairuz
	Ziad Khouri	Mamnounak Ana – Melhem Zein
	Ahmad Gamal	Wahiyatek Ya Habibi – Sayed Mekawy

Week 8 (June 14, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Sherine

	Farah Youssef	Eatazalt El Gharam – Majida El Roumi	El Oyoun Essoud – Warda Al-Jazairia
	Ahmad Gamal	Wahashtini Oyounak – Ahmad Saad	Amana Aalik – Karem Mahmoud
	Ziad Khouri	Ramshet Ain – Wadih El Safi	Garahona – George Wassouf
	Mohammed Assaf	Kol Da Kan Leih – Mohammed Abdel Wahab	Nemshi wa Nemshi – Saber Rebaï

Week 9 (June 21, 2013)
Guest/Mentor: Assi El Helani

	Ahmad Gamal	Ala Nar – Saber Rebaï	Fagdatek – Hussain Al Jasmi	Ahlef Bi Samaha wa Torabha – Abdelhalim Hafez
	Farah Youssef	Qodoud El Halabiya – Syrian folklore	Gallaw Tari – Abadi Al Johar	Baktob Ismek Ya Bladi – Joseph Azar
	Mohammed Assaf	Ya Ain Ala Saber – Wadih El Safi	Lena Allah – Mohammed Abdu	Aali El Kuffiyeh – Palestinian folklore