Fady Maalouf

Born in Zahlé, Lebanon, on April 20, 1979, Fady Maalouf spent the greater part of his upbringing in a homeland scarred by prolonged conflict. The pop singer who would later base himself in Germany first captured widespread attention in 2008 as a finalist on Deutschland Sucht den Superstar. He ultimately placed second behind Thomas Godoj, the winner of the program’s fifth season. After relocating to Hamburg in 2006 during another flare-up of violence in Lebanon, Maalouf quickly auditioned for that same season of the show. Selected as a contestant, he reached the finale, where he performed Wham!’s “Careless Whisper,” Patrick Swayze’s “She’s Like the Wind,” and his own composition “Blessed,” before finishing behind Godoj. The runner-up finish earned him a contract with Sony BMG, which issued his debut full-length album, Blessed, in 2008. Both the album and its title track became major successes, each reaching number two on the German charts while also registering strong showings in Austria and Switzerland.