Beirut ( CNN ) -- When all-American Jennifer Grout first stepped on stage to audition , nobody could have anticipated how this 23-year-old from Massachusetts would take the Middle East by storm . Now , she may very well win `` Arabs Got Talent , '' one of the biggest televised talent contests in the region . During her debut appearance , she looked so out of place that many thought she 'd flop altogether . `` It was nerve-wracking , '' Grout said , `` because I came on stage and I did n't understand . '' The show 's judges were questioning her in Arabic , and Grout had great difficulty following , making for some very awkward moments . But then she started strumming her oud , a traditional Arabic musical instrument , and the mood began to shift . She belted out a classic Arabic song . That 's when her life changed . The American novice had chosen to cover an Egyptian diva , legendary songstress Umm Kulthoum , so revered throughout the region that many Arabic singers would be too intimidated to make such an attempt . `` When I 'm performing , I 'm in a different element , '' Grout said . `` So at that point , I was n't scared . '' To everyone 's surprise , her rendition of the classic `` Baeed Annak ( Far From You ) '' was a huge hit . `` When I finished , everyone was just shocked , '' explained Grout . `` Actually , when the judges were giving their comments after my performance , I did n't understand them , either . '' She was n't the only one confused . Fans of the show wondered how a young foreigner who barely spoke Arabic could sing it so well . 'Her voice just spoke to me ' It was just three years ago when Grout , who 'd spent most of her life studying classical music and opera , first encountered another grand dame of Arabic music . She was studying at McGill University in Montreal at the time . `` I came across an article online about the famous Lebanese singer Fairouz , and I was just really mesmerized by her singing , '' she remembers . `` It was like nothing I had heard before . '' Once she discovered Umm Kulthoum , her attention turned eastward . `` Well , her music is the best , and her voice just spoke to me , '' Grout said admiringly . `` Her music is just so deep , and it touches my soul . '' She began studying Arabic and learning how to play the oud . After college , she moved to Morocco , where she learned local Berber music and began performing in Marrakesh 's Jemaa el Fnaa Square . Now , life is completely different . With her appearances on `` Arabs Got Talent , '' Grout 's become very popular -- but she has n't only made fans . Critics have slammed her , asking why an American should be allowed to compete on a reality show for Arabs . Her performance of Syrian singer Asmahan 's `` Ya Toyour ( Oh Birds ) '' got her through to the finals . Famous Lebanese singer Najwa Karam , one of the show 's judges and a supporter of Grout 's , faced criticism when she voted for the American over an Arab group of contestants . Break with tradition . Some have even suggested Grout , the first non-Arab contestant to compete on the show , is n't even really American , latching on to her very distinct accent in an attempt to prove it . She laughs off such claims . `` Ever since I was younger , I 've had a different way of speaking , '' she said . `` I remember when I was a kid growing up in Boston , my parents had a Vermont accent . I actually tried to pick up a Boston accent at one point because I thought it was cool . And then I came home , and my parents were like , 'why are you speaking like that ? ' `` Grout says she 's taking it all in her stride . `` I like my accent . I like the fact that it 's unique , and I think it 's narrow-minded to believe that just because you 're from a certain place , you have to speak a certain way . Because people learn and people change and people travel , and things about them change all the time . Why does that not include accents ? '' Grout has become a sensation by singing the most unexpected of songs . It 's not just that she chose traditional songs , it 's also that she broke with tradition when doing so . At a time when more and more Middle Eastern musicians are borrowing Western sounds and styles , this American decided to cross musical cultures and defy cultural expectations . `` I 'm really happy because this music is so special for me , but it does n't really get much acknowledgment in the West , '' she said . `` And I feel like I 'm bringing a new audience and almost giving the music the justice it deserves . '' The finals take place Saturday night in Beirut , broadcast live by the MBC network . The winner will be announced on the same night -- could it be the singer from Massachusetts ?
Jennifer Grout has won over many fans with her renditions of classic Arabic songs . She is through to the finals of Middle East TV reality show `` Arabs Got Talent '' and will be performing in Dubai on Saturday night `` When I finished , everyone was just shocked , '' she says of her debut performance .