CAIRO: Egyptian singer Ramy Essam has been declared the winner of the 2011 Freemuse Award for his work as the “singer of the revolution,” during the protests that toppled former President Hosni Mubarak in February. Essam's song “Irhal,” or “Leave,” became very popular during the days of the revolution. The artist is now working on an album inspired by the protests. “Ramy Essam continues a long tradition of protest singers who have become symbols of civil rights movements and through their music express frustrations and hope in song rather than speech. In 2009 Pete Seeger received the Freemuse Award. Like Seeger, Ramy has shown that one musician with a single instrument can make a difference,” said Marie Korpe, the Executive Director of Freemuse. Essam, who worked for two years to make it big in the music industry before his overnight success, was happy to hear the news. “I was extremely happy when I got the news. I really respect this prize because it calls for freedom of expression in music, protecting musicians and advocating free art that is not subjected to any restrictions. At the same time I was proud because I would be able to achieve something for Egypt,” Essam said, upon receiving the news. “Ramy Essam played an important role during the Egyptian revolution and suffered severe beatings and torture as a consequence. He personifies the powerful role that music played in the Arab Spring,” said the Freemuse committee. Essam will receive the award at a ceremony in Stockholm, Sweden on November 21. BM
