Ramy Essam
Ramy Essam
Genres: All, folk, egypt, rock, acoustic
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About Ramy Essam
Ramy Essam (Arabic: رامي عصام, pronounced [ˈɾɑːmi ʕeˈsˤɑːm]; born 1987) is an Egyptian musician. He is best known for his appearances in Tahrir Square, Cairo, during the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. He is a musician who became a symbol of resistance, using his guitar to amplify the calls for freedom and human dignity during the Arab Spring and continuing that fight on global stages today,. Ramy Essam was born in 1987 in Mansoura, Egypt. His song “Irhal”, which called on then-Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak to resign, gained widespread popularity among demonstrators. The song became internationally known through YouTube and is often referred to as the anthem of the revolution. In 2011, Time Out selected “Irhal” as the third-most world-changing song of all time. Essam primarily performs hard rock, making him one of the few rock musicians in Egypt. He also publicly expressed mourning for the martyrs of the revolution on Facebook. On 9 March 2011, when the Egyptian Army forcibly cleared Tahrir Square, Essam was arrested and tortured. In 2011–2012, Essam released his debut album, Manshourat, which emerged directly from the Egyptian Revolution of 2011. The album is a collection of protest songs documenting life, moments, chants, and emotions during the uprising in Tahrir Square, capturing both political energy and social narratives from that historic period. Released amid a wave of revolutionary creativity following the January 25 Revolution, Manshourat became one of the most significant records of protest music in modern Egyptian history. Notable tracks include “Irhal” (ارحل), “Taty Taty” (طاطي طاطي), and “El Gahsh W El Homar” (الجحش والحمار). In October 2014, Essam was offered a two-year safe-city residency by the Malmö Municipality in Sweden, becoming the first musician to receive such an offer, although two writers had been granted it previously. In addition to the residence permit, he was provided with accommodation. Essam described his situation as an artist in Egypt as “terrible” and expressed relief at the opportunity to relocate to Sweden to study music. He stated that it would be the first time he had the chance to formally study music, that he would continue making music, and that he would serve as an ambassador for the Egyptian Revolution. In 2014, Essam was featured on the compilation album Songs from a Stolen Spring, which paired Western musicians with artists from the Arab Spring. On the album, Essam’s track “Bread, Freedom” was merged with Mighty Sam McClain’s performance of “If I Can Dream.” In 2015, Essam released the album Mamnou‘ (ممنوع). He composed all the music himself and collaborated with several poets and lyricists, including Mohamed Ibrahim, Amjad El-Qahwagy, Derbala, and Galal El-Beheiry, as well as using lyrics by the late poet Ahmed Fouad Negm on the title track. The album includes songs such as “Mamnou‘” (ممنوع), “Foul Caviar” (فول كافيار), and “Kameen El Obour” (كمين العبور). The track “Foul Caviar” was also featured on Firebrand Records’ compilation A New World in Our Songs. In 2017, Essam released Resala Ela Magles El Amn (رسالة إلى مجلس الأمن), translated as A Letter to the UN Security Council. Released under Universal Music MENA, the rock album consists of 12 tracks and runs for approximately 45 minutes. Notable songs include “Segn Bel Alwan” (سجن بالألوان), “El Geel El Fosfaty” (الجيل الفسفاتي), and “Dabora We Short We Cap” (دبورة وشورت وكاب). In 2023, Essam released Metgharabin (متغربين). Translated as Outsiders, the album was released on July 21, 2023, and contains 12 tracks with a runtime of approximately 43 minutes. It blends rock with Egyptian folk influences, as well as experimental electronic and industrial elements. Metgharabin explores themes of exile, separation, belonging, censorship, and inner struggle, reflecting both personal and collective narratives of longing, identity, and resilience. Notable tracks include “Lagl Tentesri” (لأجل تنتصري), “3al Ahwa” (عالقهوة), and “Ana Wi Watani” (أنا ووطني). On January 25, 2025, Essam released the single “Ra7 Nelte2i” (راح نلتقي). The lyrics were written by the imprisoned poet Galal El-Beheiry.
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