18-year-old Nour Ardakani from Beirut is about to embark on a journey of a lifetime and represent Lebanon as the newest member of the world-famous global pop group, Now United.
Formed in 2017 by Americal Idol creator Simon Fuller, Now United brought together talents from all around the world united by the supranational love for music, dancing, and fun.
The group has over 100 million fans worldwide across social media and was recently nominated as Best Group in the MTV Video Music Awards.
After many months of searching for its newest member among thousands from the MENA region, 13 hopefuls were invited to join in a virtual audition.
It boiled down to two talented ladies and Nour got the pick!
“I think you are absolutely wonderful and I think you are perfect to join the group,” said Fuller to Nour as he invited her on board.
Simon Fuller, who is also known for having formed and managed the Spice Girls, says Nour is a remarkable performer with natural talent.
“In Nour, I have found a remarkable young performer. She has natural talent and is a wonderful pure singer with gentle emotion and warmth.”
However, he was especially struck by her personality while performing.
“She has a calm confidence, and maturity and intelligence far in advance of her age,” he says. “She comes from an extraordinary part of the world, rich in history, culture, and the arts. Nour is the perfect choice and she will make the region and Lebanon very proud,” he praised her (and Lebanon).
Now United is formed from talents representing 15 different countries, namely Mexico, Brazil, South Korea, Russia, China, UK, India, Philippines, US, Germany, Finland, Japan, Canada, Senegal, and Australia.
Now, Lebanon has joined the list with Nour as the 16th country, which will represent not only Lebanon but the MENA region.
On that note, Tamer El Rafie, a MENA’s Vice President at PepsiCo that has been supporting the international growth of the group since 2018, issued:
“Now United represents everything we’re proud of in the Middle East – unity, diversity, and creativity. We’re thrilled for Nour as she joins the group and showcases her talent to a global audience.”
