Biography
Who is Ruby?
Early life and real name
Ruby was born Rania Hussein Mohamed Tawfik in a working class neighborhood of Cairo on October 8, 1981. Her family roots trace back to Asyut Governorate in Upper Egypt. Growing up in Egypt, she started working as a model at the age of sixteen before appearing in television commercials.
She secured small roles in films, including a part in director Youssef Chahine's 2001 film Silence, We're Rolling. It was Chahine who gave her the stage name Ruby, moving away from her birth name Rania for her professional career.
How Ruby became famous
Ruby became famous with her debut single Enta Aref Leih in 2003, featuring a music video directed by Sherif Sabri and shot in Prague. The video became a huge hit on satellite music stations across the Middle East during the summer of 2003.
The release generated controversy among conservative media and politicians due to her costume. She followed this success with songs like Leih Beydary Kedah in 2004 and Yal Ramoush in 2008, while also starring in the film Saba' Wara'aat Kotcheena.
Acting and musical hiatus
After releasing her studio album Meshit Wara Ehsasi in 2007 and singles up to 2008, Ruby stopped releasing new music and giving concerts to focus entirely on acting. She appeared in several films and television series during this period.
In a 2016 television interview with Isaad Younis, she explained that she stepped away from live performances because she did not want to meet producer expectations for wedding shows and disliked the physical proximity of live audiences.
Return to music
Ruby officially returned to the music scene in 2021 with the single Hetta Tanya, which served as the lead track for her album of the same name. Producer Walid Mansour convinced her to make her musical comeback.
The song performed exceptionally well on YouTube, gathering more than 230 million views. Her musical style centers on danceability and the traditional Egyptian pop maqsum rhythm rather than the emotional tarab style.
Personal life and marriage
Ruby was married to Egyptian director and producer Sameh Abdulaziz. Aside from her professional career in entertainment, she participated in the 2011 Egyptian revolution on Tahrir Square.
She also faced rumors regarding a marriage to her manager Sherif Sabri, though both parties publicly denied the rumor.
Birthday and age
Ruby was born on October 8, 1981, which makes Ruby 45 years old today. That birthday falls under the Libra sign. Ruby shares the date with 58 other famous people.
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