At a time when women were forbidden to perform publicly as singers, Umm Kulthum began her career disguised as a boy. Even today, 20 years after her death, she is revered as the most significant Arab singer. The portrayal not only highlights the impressive rise of Umm Kulthum and the importance of music in the Arab world, but also the era of social liberalization, growing national consciousness, and changes in the political situation in Egypt.