Before the lights of Coachella shone on his name and the awards began to grow, Mohamed Ramadan built his career on one idea: talent means nothing without hard work. His journey from Cairo to some of the world&rsquo;s biggest stages was not luck, but the result of discipline, ambition, and a strong connection with his audience.
Today, Ramadan is the first Egyptian to perform at Coachella and a winner of the African Fans&rsquo; Favorite Award, raising expectations of what Arab artists can achieve internationally.
Speaking with Gihan Abdallah on sister radio station Nogoum FM&rsquo;s &ldquo;Agmad 7&rdquo; on Thursday, 11 December, Ramadan explained the key moments that shaped his rise, the criticism that motivated him, and shared several major updates, including his role in the AFCON 2025 official song and his next big step; becoming the first Arab artist to perform at the Wireless Festival in 2026.
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Ramadan and Nogoum FM
&ldquo;I am always honoured to be here. Nogoum FM holds many memories for me and played a big role in shaping my artistic path,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo; On Singing and Acting &ldquo;Singing and acting are both forms of art. There is no play without music and no film without a soundtrack. People think I am impulsive, but I am actually very organised. I plan every artistic step carefully.&rdquo;
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Representing Egypt on the Global Stage
&ldquo;I present myself as an Egyptian artist because Egyptians impress everyone without being impressed,&rdquo; he said. While some Gulf artists focus on showing luxury, Ramadan prefers to represent Egypt simply and honestly. His rise was step-by-step, and he believes every success is shared with the audience who supported him from day one.
A Year Devoted to Music
After his breakthrough in Al Ostoura, Ramadan spent a full year studying singing. &ldquo;I noticed everyone was singing about love, so I asked why I shouldn&rsquo;t sing about the self instead,&rdquo; he explained. His fast-paced style reflects the energy of his generation, and he stressed that Egypt has always been a leader in artistic creativity.&nbsp;
The First Concert: A Risk That Paid Off
&ldquo;When I decided to make my first concert, I only had three songs,&rdquo; Ramadan said. With help from his team, he produced fourteen songs and a full show in just two weeks. The concert included outfit changes and even cars on stage, a preview of the large-scale style he would later take to Coachella, where he became the first Egyptian performer.
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From &ldquo;Number One&rdquo; to Global Recognition
Ramadan made it clear that he never gave himself the title &ldquo;Number One.&rdquo; &ldquo;It was the audience who called me that after the song,&rdquo; he said.
His influence now reaches Egypt, the Arab world, Africa, and beyond. He became the first Arab to receive the UAE Golden Visa, opened Riyadh Season twice, and won AFRIMA&rsquo;s African Fans&rsquo; Favorite Award in 2019.
Coachella and the Road to Wireless Festival 2026
&ldquo;At Coachella, I chose outfits that suited the festival&rsquo;s look. The criticism didn&rsquo;t bother me; success always comes with criticism,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;Coachella opened many doors, including becoming the first Arab artist to perform at the Wireless Festival in 2026.&rdquo;
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&ldquo;I could easily make another season of Gaafar El Omda and guarantee success, but I prefer new challenges,&rdquo; he said. His confidence and faith help him take risks abroad, always carrying Egypt and his fans with him.
Behind the Hits
Ramadan shared insights into his biggest tracks: &ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&bull;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;Ensay: &ldquo;Saad Lamjarred called me with the idea. That moment showed me I was on the right path.&rdquo; &ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&bull;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;Mafia: &ldquo;It was the hardest video I filmed because of the cold and heavy production, but it remains a favourite.&rdquo; &ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&bull;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;&ensp;Toxic and Ma&rsquo;ak Lel Sob7: each has its own style, and Ma&rsquo;ak Lel Sob7 was written and composed by Ramadan himself.
New Music Coming in 2026
He revealed a new romantic song with Amir Taima. &ldquo;It&rsquo;s about a man who loses someone he loves and regrets everything he missed. It will be released early next year,&rdquo; Ramadan said. He also promised more new music in 2026 with styles &ldquo;the audience has not heard from me before.&rdquo;
Learning from the Legends
Ramadan said he continues to learn from icons such as Adel Imam and Abdel Halim. &ldquo;I study their journeys and learn from their words,&rdquo; he said. He also recalled challenges, including performing at the AFCON opening in Ivory Coast where communication with players was limited.
What&rsquo;s Next for Mohamed Ramadan?
&ldquo;No matter what I achieve, I still feel like I am just starting,&rdquo; he said. &ldquo;My dream is to grow globally and become a reference point for Egyptians everywhere.&rdquo;
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Will Gaafar El Omda Return?
Ramadan prefers not to repeat past work. &ldquo;I avoid sequels because they are easy and not challenging,&rdquo; he said. The first season succeeded because audiences strongly connected with the character. The emotional scene where he finds his son was filmed in one take because &ldquo;I knew the character completely.&rdquo;
AFCON 2025 Official Song
For the second year in a row, Ramadan will perform the official song for the Africa Cup of Nations. &ldquo;I am proud to be chosen again for one of the most important tournaments in Africa,&rdquo; he said.
He previously performed the 2024 AFCON anthem Akwaaba with Magic System and Yemi Alade.
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The Story Continues
Part Two of Mohamed Ramadan&rsquo;s interview will air on Nogoum FM next Thursday, 18 December, at 7:00 PM on 100.6 FM. Fans can also watch on Nogoum FM TV via Nilesat (11900 vertical) for more exclusive stories, surprises, and milestones from The Global Icon.

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