First Saudi qualifies for ‘Million’s Poet’ finals

Abdul Majeed Al-Theyabi

RIYADH: A Saudi poet, Abdul Majeed Al-Theyabi, is making waves on the Arab literary scene, according to an online report.
Al-Theyabi is the first Saudi to qualify for the finals among thousands of participants in the “Million’s Poet” during the Riyadh leg of the competition.
“Million’s Poet,” which is in its seventh edition, is a prestigious poetry program in Abu Dhabi in the United Arab Emirates which offers approximately $1.3 million in prize money.
The report said, “Al-Theyabi went through all the stages of the contest—48, 24 and 15—until he reached the final of the loop and registered his name as the first poet of all nationalities to reach the finals.”
Since February 2014, more than 100 million viewers all over the world have turned on their television sets to watch the talent show.
“Million’s Poet,” is a unique talent show that’s revolutionizing a traditional art form for the modern era, mystifying Nabati poetry for a young Arab generation and reconnecting them with a heritage that stretches back more than five centuries.
The selection process is rigorous. Not only do they have to perform their unique compositions to the audition judging panel of respected academics and poets, but are also tested on their meter, rhyme and diction.
The show attracts audiences not just in the United Arab Emirates but also all over the world. The third edition had worldwide viewing figures of over 110 million, and the talent show has gone from strength to strength in the two years since it started. As the figures suggest, what seems a fairly unglamorous and niche activity — poetry recitation — is actually big business.