Yacoub Shaheen (; born 27 February 1994) is a Palestinian musician and singer. Born in Bethlehem, Shaheen grew up surrounded by music from an early age, and engaged in musical lessons from his youth. His early experiences in musical education would inspire him to pursue a career as a singer, performing at various festivals and winning competitions.
Shaheen is most well known for participating in the fourth season of Arab Idol, winning the contest in early 2017. His win catapulted him to popularity in his native Palestine, as well as among the Assyrian community in Bethlehem to which he belonged. He has since continued his career as a musician and singer.
Shaheen was born to an Assyrian Christian family on 27 February, 1994 in the city of Bethlehem; his parents were refugees from Jerusalem, and his father worked as a carpenter. He would spend his childhood in Bethlehem and began to develop a passion for music after discovering Arabic and Assyrian folk-pop music, and at the age of seven, he enrolled in the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music. He would learn several musical instruments, including the bozouki and clarinet, while he also developed his skills by participating in school and church choirs. Shaheen also studied interior design at the Palestine Polytechnic University, before eventually pursuing music full time.
During his 11th year in 2005, Shaheen participated in the Palestinian Muhawm program where he would win the title of "Star of Palestine". 7 years later, he would win first place in the Palestinian Talent Program, and the following year, he released his first song, "Human Spirit", composed by lyricist Elias Gres alongside himself. The song was recorded at RJ Productions in Bethlehem. Shaheen had also previously participated in music festivals, in Jordan, Italy, and Sweden.
In 2017, Shaheen won the TV program Arab Idol, becoming the second Palestinian to do so after Mohammed Assaf in 2013. He had almost dropped the competition altogether due to a cold. His win was attributed to his singing abilities and his mastery of the Arabic mawwal allowing him to rise very early into the competition, with judge Nancy Ajram noting that he was "charming, magical, and enchanting". During his performance, hundreds of citizens of Bethlehem, including the mayor Vera Baboun as well as Palestinian president Mahmoud Abbas gathered to watch the program live. Fans also set up a PayPal account to raise money for Shaheen, gathering $35,000 to help him win the contest. Many Palestinians celebrated the occasion of Shaheen's win by waving the Palestinian flag and emblems of the Syriac Orthodox Church, as well as playing some of the songs that he performed. Local youth tagged the sides of buildings with graffiti reading "Suryoyo" (Assyrian). After his victory, Shaheen performed Assaf's song "Dammi Falastini". His win triggered excitement among Assyrian communities in northern Iraq and the diaspora.
After Shaheen's win on Arab Idol, he was accompanied by the Awtar Band led by The Maestro Yacoub Al-Atrash in some Arab and international festivals. In 2021, he released a song in the Gulf Arabic dialect. Shaheen made his acting debut in the Lebanese film "A Big Lie" in 2023.
Shaheen grew up attending the Syriac Orthodox Church, and was a deacon at his local parish. In one of the Arab Idol episodes, he wrote a message that read "Seyfo 1915" to raise awareness of the Assyrian genocide, of which his grandparents were victims of. He is also a member of the Palestine Scout Association and the Syriac Orthodox Scout Club in Bethlehem, and is a fluent speaker of Turoyo.
According to Heleen Murre-van den Berg, Shaheen adheres to an Aramean identity. Verbal fights in the diaspora over Assyrian and Aramean nomenclatures resulted in Shaheen's identification with the Palestinian cause passed over, to the point where stories posited he was pressured into hiding his identity on television.
Shaheen has regularly participated in philanthropic activities, donating parts of his winnings to orphanages and regularly celebrating his birthday at them. After his win on Arab Idol, he visited Palestinian refugee camps in Lebanon, declaring solidarity for Palestinians everywhere. He also owns a fashion store in his native Bethlehem, and has two sisters. His father passed away in 2022, which he mourned in a post on Instagram. He became married in July 2023.