Nassif Zeytoun prefers The Voice to Star Academy

Nassif Zeytoun. Courtesy Star FM

Star Academy may have made him a star, but the reality's show 2010 winner Nassif Zeytoun reveals he prefers rival The Voice.

Speaking from the Mawazine Festival in Morocco, the 25-year-old Syrian singer said The Voice, which returns on MBC later in the year, is more challenging than CBC's Star Academy.

"As a singer I always love healthy competition," he said. "I just find that in The Voice, where people just judge on how you vocally perform as opposed to the way you look or your popularity, is something great and it really makes you work harder."

That said, Zeytoun has no regrets about entering — and eventually winning — Star Academy, stating that it was "an amazing experience".

“I am grateful,” he added.

He laughed off the idea of returning to television and competing in the next season of The Voice.

“I don’t think so,” he said. “My journey has already begun. I am on my way.”

Follow our Scene&Heard blog for all the latest news from the Mawazine Festival. For details, go to www.festivalmawazine.ma