“The girl on the bike”, or “the bike singer” was the nickname that Egyptians gave to Ruby, after her first hit song ‘Leih beydary keda’, (Why Does He Hide Like This) where she appeared singing and dancing in a music video that the Egyptian public then deemed sexually provocative. As much as many people loved her performance in the video, Ruby was seen as too bold and caused an unforgettable hype, mainly among the older, considerably more conservative generation. Ruby, whose actual name is Rania Hussein Muhammad Tawfiq, shyly started her career as a model, and starred in multiple television commercials. She then landed a role in the legendary Youssef Chahine’s film ‘Sokout Hansawar’ (Silence, We are Shooting) in 2001. In 2003, her debut music video ‘Enta aref leih’ caused a fuss among public opinion because she appeared in a belly-dancing costume, which many thought was inappropriate. Although belly-dancing is one of the most popular, if not the most popular, dancing styles in Egypt, it was looked down upon in her case. Her major hit ‘Leih beydary keda’ hit screens in 2004, cementing her as the singer on the exercise…
