Ramy Essam, an Egyptian musician, earned the title “voice of the Egyptian revolution” for his involvement in the 2011 protests at Tahrir Square, leading to the removal of then-President Hosni Mubarak. Due to his association with the uprising, Essam is prohibited from performing in Egypt, and his passport has been revoked. His song “Irhal,” which means leave, was named one of the most influential songs in 2011. In recognition of his ongoing advocacy for Egyptian political voices while in exile in Sweden, Essam received the Václav Havel International Prize for Creative Dissent in 2019.