Abdel Halim Hafez's image as the handsome boy next door captured Arab hearts at the start of his career in the '50s. His magnificent interpretations in music and cinema coupled with his deeply tender and flawless vocals cemented his musical fame and earned him the moniker the Dark-skinned Nightingale. His hugely popular songs such as "El Hawa Hawaya" are played daily on all Arabic radio stations. As one of the icons of classical Arabic music, his early death in 1977 left millions in mourning.