BY MULUGETA GUDETA
Africa in general and Ethiopia in particular have a long history of musical development dating back to ancient times. According to available information on the history of African music, “Major and minor migrations of African peoples brought musical styles and instruments to new areas. The single and double iron bells, which probably originated in Kwa-speaking West Africa, spread to western Central Africa with Iron Age Bantu-speaking peoples and from there to Zimbabwe and the Zambezi River valley.”
When it comes to the history of Ethiopian music, the situation is pretty similar. According to the same source, “Some Ethiopian religious music has an ancient Christian element, traced to Yared, who lived during the reign of Emperor Gebre Meskel (Son of Kaleb of Aksumite Empire) in the 6th century. Yared was considered the father of Ethiopian-Eritrean traditional music as well as he composed chant or Zema and the use in liturgical music.
Modern secular Ethiopian music dates back to the 20th century and has grown faster than anyone anticipated thanks to positive developments in music technology as well as the influence of Western musical traditions and the growth in the business of recording and selling popular music.
“From the 1950s to the 1970s, Ethiopian popular musicians included Mahmoud Ahmed, Alemayehu Eshete, Hirut Bekele, Ali Birra, Ayalew Mesfin, Kiros Alemayehu, Muluken Melesse and Tilahun Gessesse, while popular folk musicians included Alemu Aga, Kassa Tessema, Ketema Makonnen, Asnaketch Worku, and Mary Armede. Perhaps the most influential musician of the period, however, was Ethio-jazz innovator Mulatu Astatke. Amha Records, Kaifa Records, and Philips-Ethiopia were prominent Ethiopian record labels during this era. Since 1997, Buda Musique’s Éthiopiques series has compiled many of these singles and albums on compact disc.”
During the 1980s, the Derg controlled Ethiopia, and emigration became almost impossible. Musicians during this period included Ethio Stars, Walias Band and Roha Band, though the singer Neway Debebe was most popular. He helped to popularize the use of seminna-werq (wax and gold, a poetic form of double entendre) in music (previously only used in qiné, or poetry) that often enabled singers to criticize the government without upsetting the censors.”
According to another information, “The most prominent internationally acclaimed Ethiopian singers are Aster Aweke, Alemayehu Eshete, Gigi, Teddy Afro, Tilahun Gessesse and Mahmoud Ahmed. Tilahun Gessesse was popular through 20th-century and nicknamed “The Voice” due to his prolong tenor vocal. In 2001, Teddy Afro debut his album Abugida and quickly become famous singer in his generation, nicknamed “Blatenaw” (English: The boy).
Some commentators also compare Teddy Afro with Tilahun Gessesse by musical style and patriotic sentiments. Through her performing with prominent Western jazz musicians such as Bill Laswell (who is also her husband) and Herbie Hancock, Gigi has brought Ethiopian music to popular attention, especially in the United States, where she now lives. Through her 1999 album Hagere and “Abebayehosh”, Aster Aweke is renowned for her voice that attracted broader audience.”
Throughout the last few decades, new and influential musicians have on national and Pan-African music including the Cora Award among others. “The 2021 All Africa Music Awards (also known as AFRIMA), were held on November 21st, at the Eko Convention Centre in Lagos, Nigeria.[1] This marked the fifth time in eight years that the venue is hosting the show. The show was hosted by South African actress Pearl Thusi, and British-Congolese comedian Eddie Kadi.[2]
The ceremony, under the theme ‘Still We Sing’, was broadcast on DSTV channel 198, GOTV 98, HIPTV, TVC, PlusTV Africa, AIT and AfroMusicPop among others. AFRIMA has taken place each year since 2014, except in 2020,[3] owing to the coronavirus pandemic.
Iba One from Mali, and Wizkid were the most awarded artists of the night with five and three awards respectively, followed by Kenya’s Nikita Kering. Beyoncé bagged the ‘Best Global Act’ award, as the D.R. Congo’s Koffi Olomide was gifted the “Legend Award”.”
This year’s All Africa Music Awards will take place next December. The award, otherwise known as AFRIMA is a prestigious cultural event that is held every year and brings to the attention of the global audience the talents and potentials of Africa as a center of international music and a dynamic hub of the music industry from which the entire world is expected to benefit. Africa has already made its presence felt in the music and cinema industries thanks to the talents of younger musicians and movie actors who have impressed audiences not only on the continent but also globally by attracting huge investments from big businesses and their commercial outlets.
One sign that AFRIMA is a huge event is the fact that it earned huge publicity well before the actual event and the African Union is involved in setting the venue and date of the actual event while the voting process is overseen by insiders of the artistic industry and established names in African music. According to the latest information, “the 2022 All Africa Music Awards will be held from 8-11 December 2022. It will feature a four-day fiesta of music, glitz, and glamour aimed at celebrating Africa. The 2022 All Africa Music Awards will be held from 8-11 December 2022. It will feature a four-day fiesta of music, glitz, and glamour aimed at celebrating Africa.” Public voting for the award is said to have already started.
Accordingly, seven of the best contemporary Ethiopian singers have been nominated for the award and audiences around the world are already invited to take part in the online voting process. The nominees are, “Addis Legesse, Betty G, Gutu Abera, Hewan Gebrewold, Jano Band, Lencho Gemechu, Maranata Tegegn, and Tedi Afro, are nominated in various categories.” Last year AFIRMA. According to Agence de Press Africaine (APA), a news website familiar with cultural developments on the continent of Africa.
“The International Executive Committee of AFIRMA selected a total of 382 nominations across 39 categories, to represent all five regions in Africa, as well as in the Diaspora. Leading the nominations on a regional basis this year is the Western African region, with 134 nominations, representing 35 percent; while the Eastern African region follows closely with 69 nominations, representing 18 percent.
The Southern African region races closely with 68 nominations, representing 17.8 percent; Central Africa pulls in its weight with 52 nominations, representing 13.6 percent; while the Northern African region follows closely with 49 nominations, representing 12.8 percent.
“Dominating the list with the most nominations, this year, is the South African maverick, Costa Titch, with six nominations for his 2021 smash hit, Big Flexa, in Song of the Year; Breakout Artiste of the Year; Best African Collaboration: Best Artiste, Duo or Group in African Electro; and Best Artiste, Duo or Group in Use of African Dance/Choreography.”
Winning continental or international music awards is not only a matter of personal or commercial success. It is also a powerful image building exercise that is useful in boosting the images of Africa as well as Ethiopia in the global arena where the continent’s name is usually tarnished by exaggerated news of famine and conflicts. In this sense, music awards have powerful political implications and can be used to revamp the belief in Africa’s brighter future.
The Ethiopian Herald October 13/2022
