There is no gainsaying the fact that most Ethiopians know the Ethiopian vocalist Yeshimebet Dubale like the palm of their hand. Most of them love the vocalist with all their hearts seeing that her songs have the power of winning the hearts and minds of anyone in the twinkling of an eye and melting everybody’s heart at the drop of a hat. Above and beyond, whenever people listen to the vocalist’s voice they get like an electric shock feeling that runs through their entire body in a little while.
In fact, some people in our country do not attach significance to Ethiopian vocalists and shower them with due respect giving credit for their contribution. Sadly, they do not understand their value and what they mean to the country. At this point in time, some veteran vocalists of the country lead a hand to mouth life, while other lead a life which is above the dead and below the living.
Last Tuesday I came across Kajsa Haidl who came from Sweden with a view to searching for the renowned Ethiopian vocalist Yeshimebet Dubale. I was taken by surprise in this regard. I could not really believe my eyes. I was fully immersed in the situation. Quite a lot of things really kept on flickering through my mind over and over again. Flipping back to the gist, Kajsa Haidl worked as Swedish music journalist. She came to Ethiopia for first research trip to find the story behind Yeshimebet Dubale.
She is also a student. She studies film making and journalism. In point of fact, the project of Yeshimebet Dubale is part of her degree. Her background is in music journalism. She has been in music journalism for ten years. A few years ago, she was interviewing one of Swedish pop musician and she told her that she was tired of her own music and started searching for new inspiration and found Ethiopian music scenes. She came across one particular Ethiopian vocalist Yeshimebet Dubale through YouTube.
She was just goggling around. Kajsa Haidl said, “The pop star was absolutely amazed by Yeshimebet Dubale’s voice. When I did the interview with the pop singer she told me to go home and listen to Yeshimebet Dubale’s songs. She told me that the music was one of the most incredible songs she has ever heard in her life. Then, I went home and embarked on searching for Yeshimebet Dubale’s name.
In due course, I found her music and ever since then I have been a big fan of her because her voice is very unique.” She added, she had never heard anything like it before. It went straight into her heart. Even though she did not have inkling on what Yeshimebet was singing about she felt like while it went straight into her heart. Consequently, that is the reason actually how she found out about Yeshimebet Dubale.
For many years she had been trying to find information about her in Sweden but in vain given the vocalist was not famous in Sweden. This being the case, she made up her mind to come to Ethiopia and find as much information about the singer. She kept on saying, “So far I have been here for four days. I have already found a lot of information pertaining to the singer, her families and other related aspects. In due course, I learnt that Yeshimebet Dubale lives in the USA.
As a matter of fact, I found out a lot of things. This is the first research trip. So, I make an effort to do as much interview with producers and songwriters of the vocalist. At this moment in time, I am trying to meet as many people as possible who are close to Yeshimebet Dubale and can tell me things about her. And then I will go home with the material and make a shorter film asking for money to be able to do the film. As a matter of fact, my final goal with the whole project is actually to connect the Swedish pop singer and Yeshimebet Dubale.”
She went on saying, “I have endeavored to find out the vocalist’s works in a wide spectrum of the capital. But it is impossible to find the music of Yeshimebet Dubale. That is really mysterious. Most of the music shops and studios in the capital that used to record the music are shut down. It is really a great struggle to find places where the vocalist’s songs had been recorded. I have been trying to find out her telephone number. I still have not got it.
So, the film is going to be all about the search of Yeshimebet Dubale. The Ethiopian Herald approached one of the fans of Yeshimebet Dubale named Nigusu Maru. He said, “The vocalist means a lot to me. I really love the works of the vocalist with all my heart. When I was a teenager, I was in the habit of listening to her songs. Day in and day out, I listen to her songs. No one could detach me from her songs. One fine day, I fell madly in love with somebody.
I did not even know how to express my love at that point in time. From that day on, I kept on listening to Yeshimebet Dubale’s songs.” He continued: “At that specific point, whenever I listened to her songs, I came across a feeling that I could not express in words. I did not know what I had to do.
Her songs were constantly aggravating my love. I was really madly in love despite I did not know the way out. However, after many years I got married the girl I loved and embarked on living under the same roof as husband and wife. At this moment in time, we have got three children. ” “Whenever I listened to her songs, I really burst into laughter,” he wrapped up.
The Ethiopian Herald Sunday Edition, May19/ 2019
BY ADDISALEM MULAT
