BY KFLEEYESUS ABEBE
Modern music in Ethiopia has gone a century-long process producing beautiful songs and introducing talents across the country. Though its production is commendable, the industry has not been organized as it should be. For a start, its promotion was disorganized and unstudied. In recent years however this seems to be changing as artists are releasing their albums taking seasons into account, doing preparation and using everything at their disposal to let the audiences know about their albums releases.
Album releases in US and Europe are usually done in times there are no holidays as holiydays preoccupy people and holiday musics also takes the stage. The Ethiopian album release seasons in contrary wait for festive seasons. “Enkutatsh”/ Ethiopian New Year, “Genna”/ Ethiopian Christmas, “Timket”/ Ethiopian epiphany and “Fasika”/ Easter are now preferred and accoustomed for album releases.
Accordingly, this Timket is flooded by music albums of young artists like Melat Kelemework to legendries Aster Aweke and Girma Tefera. Melat Kelemework, Dibekulu Tafesse and Kidus Belete are already famous singers but their debut albums are expected to take their career to another level. The response is already positive as it is a talk of social media. Fans are unreservedly expressing their appreciation to these musicains.
They are recommending songs to their loved ones, friends and anyone they know. As a listener myself I found many of them to be spectacular in their lyrics, melody compostitions and the messages they conveyed. For instance, Melat’s album is a great breakthrough as the album is beautiful and unexpected for me. The Songs “Leyelegn”/ I am crazy and “And Hager” One Country are the songs I liked very much from this album.
“And Hager”/ One Country
My mother is a country
And my country is a mother too
My country is a mother to me too
To be created on earth
To be a human is a luck (2x)
It is double honor and victory
“Leyelegn”/ Got Crazy
Leave alone the gathering of people,
You can live with animals of wild
You can live taming them
With peace, love and harmony
Kind heart, lightened
He is filled with
Your face tells your goodness
Ehe ehe
I got crazy
When I get closer to you
Got crazy
After I know you much
My heart that loved you got crazier
Dibekulu Tafesse is a member of Jano Band and has made some fabulous songs with the band. In his debut album “Yetu Gar Neh”, he attempted to showcase his talent at fullest. The album posed a philosophical question “ Where are you at?” and Dibekulu said he has been asking himself his progress and wanted fans to ask the same question themselves and strive to change in their lives.
“Since a slogan “Yetu gar neh/where are you at” posted in the studio, I been asking myself where am I. I am sharing this with my audience. Where does my album stand? What about me? Musically, individually how I am? As nation where are we? We have to ask this question ourselves any time to carry on our progress. We can be at the wrong path but if we ask this question there is a chance to correct ourselves.”
The lyrics are written by legendry music writer Yelma Gebreab. They are powerful and timely. For instance, the way he described the power of peace is very visual in mind of the listner.
When the scent of good plants blown
When good and beautiful stories are seen
When birds fly in its sky
before the eyes of the world
they were jewels of our peace
When the clean air attracts tourists
When the scene of wild animals allures
But, why they denied peace to this continent?
They didn’t want good be sown
Let peace prevail in Africa
Let’s glow with love
How many times growth pass us?!
We shall put a stop on jealosy
When we become a disdain to others
To find a lucky day
Other songs of Dibekulu like “Yelebe Zema”/ Song of my heart also preachs unity, peace and love. The melody, the style and the potential of the vocalist also made this album popular now.
Girma Teferra is a notable music figure. He began taking the footstep of his father, Teferra Kassa who was a music giant. Girma has so far refubrished his fathers song and with considerable popular acclamation. His other singles were also loved by listeners for him to create a wide fan base. Acording to composers and other people involved in the making of Girma’s new album “Gin Yet Hager?” But, to which country? (Where should I go?”) say it is done with due preparation. Guitarist and music composer Abegaz Kibrework appreciated Girma’s dedication for the album to be an outstanding work.
“I have particpated in production and composing of Girma Teferra’s album. This works show Girma’s deep love to music. He has been very dedicated to this work. I am happy to be part of this great work.”
Yared Tefera, one of the greatest Ethiopian saxophone player, exalts Girma’s talent and care to make his works superb.
“Girma is naturally gifted vocalist. We see that he has inherited his mellifluous voice from his father. He is an accomplished singer. When the remaking of his father’s music, he has done it impressively and without affecting the taste of the original work. Whenever songs are remade we tend to say it is better the previous way. But Girma’s reproduction is developed and its original beauty isn’t affected.
Several figures including Mahmoud Ahemd, Abegaz Kibrework, Yared Tefera and others have particpated in writing songs, playing instruments and handling arrangements. Girma said he was talking about the progress of his album with the late Madingo Afework. Madingo was encouraging him and giving constructive comments. Therefore, Girma dedicated this album to his colleague Madingo Afework, an emerging start who was cut brief.
“Gin Yet Hager?” But, to which country?
It is not your cute face, not your beauty
My heart melted by your personality
I chose to retreat somewhere
Than having hard time seeing you
I distance my self from you
But, to which country? (2x)
Another album released recently is an Oromigna album by Kidus Belete. I can’t say more since it is in a langauge I don’t undersatnd much. However, I have heard great medlody from this album too. It is said that “music is a universal language of mankind.” Indeed you can witness this by listening to this album.
Aster Aweke’s album is very anticpated since the artists have already proven her unmatched talent. She has 24 albums before, performed in big continental stages, featured in many new outlets as “queen of Ethiopian solo music.” Her 25th album is expected to capture the hearts of the country.
While the release of the albums are coming like a flood, another good development from the industry is the coming of Sewasew which is a music app similar to spotify. In fact, it has made deals with spotify. Accordingly, musicians are likely to get deserving return from their works.
As a result this season is a buffet of music to music lovers. All the music apps and singers saying; “You want it some more.
Well it is open
Bon appétit
The Ethiopian Herald January 26/2023
