He didn't win, but at least Zein Obaid tried. And that's much more than can be said for millions of unmotivated adults around the world.
At 12-years-old, the Syrian aspiring singer auditioned for the first edition of The Voice Kids Arabia and made it all the way to the final three on Saturday night.
While celebrity judges Lebanese superstar Nancy Ajram, Iraqi superstar Kazem el Saher and Egyptian singer Tamer Hosny showered Zein with compliments throughout the competition, cyber trolls ignored his spectacular vocals and shifted their focus on his physical appearance instead.
They made it their business to cyber bully this talented child for the sole reason of being overweight.
This cruel meme went viral and was soon circulating social media, Whatsapp groups and the Internet quicker than you can say "chicken."
It reads, "Don't vote for me, send me chicken instead," implying that because Zein is overweight, he would rather receive tons of chicken instead of virtual votes.
Why would anyone belittle a child who was brave enough to stand up on stage and sing in front of millions of people on national television?
Zein isn't superficial. He didn't think to lose weight before auditioning for the reality talent show. No. He got up, followed his dreams and became an inspiration to millions of kids around the Arab world.
These memes are cruel, unnecessary and disgraceful. If you shared one, think twice before doing it again.
Zein is 12 going on 13, he's soon hitting puberty and will be faced with a barrage of issues that teenagers must endure at that age. He doesn't need cyber bullying on top of everything else.
Zein, your parents, the judges and thousands of people were highly impressed by your raw talent and strong stage presence. Lebanese singer Lynn Hayek might have won this year, but Zein, you have a bright future ahead of you.
If you didn't hear Zein's voice yet, here's a video of his brilliant final performance on The Voice Kids Arabia.
By Arwad Khalifeh
