DUBAI - Sweet melodies are soaring above the usual banging and crashing at building sites around Dubai as labourers prepare their vocal chords for their own version of "Pop Idol".
The singing contest for the thousands of people living in workers' camps in the Gulf emirate will stage its first auditions on July 3, local newspaper The National reported on Sunday.
Workers from five companies and living in more than 50 camps will take part in auditions for the third edition of Western Union Camp Ka Champ, whose title means "Champ from the Camp", according to the report.
"The contest was developed to give labour camp residents an opportunity to discover their singing talent," the paper said, citing organisers.
Dubai is home to million of workers, mainly from southeast Asia, who formed the backbone of the emirate's six-year real estate boom from 2002 to 2008.
Human rights groups have criticized the workers' low wages and the living conditions in their cramped camps.
Rupa Vinod, managing director of Right Track Advertising, which runs the contest, will tour the camps in the city's industrial zones, such as Jebel Ali and Al Quoz, to conduct auditions and shortlist candidates, the National said.
The best performers will be selected by a jury and through workers' votes sent via text messages, the paper said.
"When we started in 2007, we faced initial resistance from the camps. It was a challenge to get people to come forward and be part of this contest," Vinod said.
"However, each year the interest levels and response from the camps are increasing," she said.
Informally known as "Dubai Idol", the competition will run for eight weeks until September and the winners of the quarter-finals will make it to the semis in a show for an audience of more than 3,000 people.
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