Moroccan singer Karima Gouit Yussri Mustafa - Casablanca Moroccan singer Karima Gouit admitted in an interview with Arabstoday that she always dreamed of fame. Growing up she said she loved performing and impersonating teachers and friends. “I really loved Whitney Houston and I was devastated when she passed away,” she said. The single Star Academy contestant said she looked for nobility, generosity and respect in her ideal man.   When asked if acting had stolen her away from singing or the other way around, she laughed and said: “I have been stolen away by both acting and singing. I had played the Virgin Mary and Cleopatra’s sister and had been offered a role in TV series “Zeinatul Haya” before I joined Star Academy.” Arabstoday: How did the shift from acting to singing take place then? Karima Gouit: I stumbled into Star Academy by chance. I wanted to be a presenter since the show first aired and that too happened by chance. I was filming Zeinatul Hayah and my friends suggested I should participate in the show, which I did successfully. Even though I wasn’t there for long, the experience allowed me to meet new people. AT: What do you think about your time on the show? Who would you say are your friends in the academy? KG: My time on Star Academy was very good and made me popular. We studied singing, and acting and I got to meet students from all over the Arab world. I still have a good relationship with my academy colleagues to this very day. AT: The claim that participants are merely acting has long been made against reality TV. What do you think?  KG: I don’t agree with this claim. You can’t fool the audience day in and day out. I prefer spontaneity and the most important thing is that every student should respect their where they come from and represent that well. AT: Are you indebted to Star Academy? KG: Not to a huge extent, but the show did give me fame quickly, which I would otherwise have to cultivate over a long period of time. These programs help introduce young talents to an audience. AT: Most Star Academy participants turn to acting or other fields. Is that the artist’s fault or the program’s? KG: It’s sometimes the artist and other times it’s the show. But personally I believe in destiny. We chose the path we want and God fulfils what is written for us. And I have kept up my positive image since the program introduced me to the Arab audience. The first offer I received after I took part in the show was an acting job and I didn’t hesitate before accepting it. AT: You were in the 120-episode series Zeinatul Haya, was it exhausting? KG: It was quite exhausting, of course, because doing 120 episodes is just not easy. It had contributions from directors of various schools, and thank God filming conditions were good. AT: How were you offered a role in “9 Gameit el Dowal?” KG: I received a phone call from the production company in Egypt and they suggested that I should play a Moroccan girl whose father (played by star Khaled Saleh) is married to women of various nationalities. The series was very successful in Egypt. AT: How was the filming process, with all the different accents and artistic backgrounds? KG: It was scary, especially since the first scene I had to do was a very powerful one with the great Khaled Saleh who helped with my fear and anxiety.. AT: What was it like working with Khaled Saleh? KG: Honestly, he’s an outstanding actor and very humble too. He was a great help to all of us. It was a very rich experience and I am proud of it. AT: Has your work taken you away from your university studies in economics? KG: Indeed it has distracted me from continuing with my second year in university because my time is taken up by filming and that is now taking precedent over my studies. I will never give it up entirely, though. Knowing a bit of economics has been a great help in managing my career. AT: Have you considered doing a Moroccan song? KG: I would honestly love to perform a Moroccan song that the Arab audience would enjoy. AT: Who encouraged you to enter the artistic professions? KG: My late mother encouraged me a great deal, may she rest in peace, and used to attend shoots with me. AT: Did you inherit your love of art? KG: Maybe I did. My grandmother loved to sing and knew all these classical songs. I was raised on old-fashioned, voice-focused songs. AT: What do you remember of your childhood dreams? KG: I always remember dreaming of becoming a famous artist, especially as I was pretty talented as a child and hoped to use these talents. I also good at doing impressions of guests and teachers. AT: What singers do you appreciate most? KG: I really loved American pop star Whitney Houston and was devastated when she died. AT: What qualities to you require in a man? KG:  Nobility of character, generosity and respect for my art and my femininity AT: What’s next for you? KG: I released a song called “Taam el-Hoda,” with lyrics by Mustafa Bakri and music by Mustafa Amin, produced by Ibrahim Mohammed. I’m currently considering various singing and acting offers.