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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-racking," Grout said, "because I came on stage and I didn'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 Um 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," said Grout. "So at that point I wasn'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 didn't understand them either."
She wasn'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, Canada, 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 Um Kulthoum, her attention turned eastward.
"Well her music is the best and her voice just spoke to me," said Grout 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 hasn'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, faced criticism when she voted for the American over an Arab group of contestants.
All-American with very 'Arab' voice may win 'Arabs Got Talent' - CNN.com
