BY KFLEEYESUS ABEBE
Art refreshes, enlightens and provides different perspective to the minds of the audience. For the artist, it is a way of venting what is inside his/her mind. It could be their happiness, optimism, concern, regret or sorrow. Artistic pieces just forward reflections on life, incidents and convictions their audiences might relate to. As their works are the result of deep thinking, experiences, careful observation or experiments, they offer new science and social perspectives, motivate the discouraged, stregthen the weak and soothe the grieving.
Hollywood and the U.S music industry are proofs that art is a heavy power wielding influence on every aspect of people. It is not an exaggeration to claim there is no topic Hollywood hasn’t touched. History, science, politics and other aspects of Americans and the world including new phenomenons have been explored through these art works they must have acheived a lot.
An interesting clip in American series movie called Empire tells the power of art in changing lives from individuals who produce art contents to art consumers. In this movie, there is a music genious known as Lucious Lyon attempting to launch a music company that aimed at helping young talents to get resource, exposure and opportunities to record their label. The fictional character recalls his life journey and career growth as follows: “It was a music that played in my mind, kept me alive when I thought I was going get shot. It was the lyrics I dreamt about. It kept me warm when I was sleeping in the street. Music saved my life.” We also watch his efforts of advancing the industry and supporting emerging artists acknowledged by the then prime minister Barack Obama.
Although it is not comparable with the American entertainment industry, art has had tremendous contributions here in Ethiopia too. It has been there contributing to socioeconomic and political condition of the country. To begin with, it has changed lives of talented people. There are in fact artists who rose from street or humble family to become a super star. It is monumental runaway boy Tilahun Gessese becoming King of Ethiopian Music. Mahamud Ahmed too became King of Tizta music from a shoeshine boy. It is also a recent surprise that the humble farmer Dishtagina getting the interest of local and international audience.
As Ethiopia is embracing the digital world, young people are also getting opportunities to show their talents and change their lives. Online technologies like facebook, the YouTube and Tik Tok have supported talented people to kiss poverty goodbye. There are notable artists that became known by the help of these technologies. Not only music, film and other audio and video art contents, other art forms such as painting, sculpture, and literature have postively impacted so many lives. In addition to helping themselves, artists are also unleashing their talents to encourage others, to inspire generations and soothe the grieving.
Some of Ethiopian artists have already done impressive jobs exploiting their gifts to motivate, inspire and comfort the melanconic. To corroborate this point I must provide some examples and I would begin by Aster Aweke’s Ayzoshe/ Be strong. Aster brought the typical Ethiopian way of motivating the weak via music. She insists people to count their blessing and say rise up again.
Be still, Be still, Be still
If I get my self in trouble by accident
If I become thristy of water
Or, my body gets weaker
God, my creator won’t forsake me
Be strong Be strong (4x)
If job loss troubles you
Or sickeness compels you bedridden
When a dark cloud envelops the day
You have a family to reach you
Be strong Be strong (4x)
Please be strong
Teddy Afro’s Kelal yehonal/ it will be easy is also another encouraging song comforting to listen.
On the hills my legs don’t get frail
It is the tip of the mountain
It is love, my estate
It will be easy
Make unrelenting my patience
When he saw the cloud
He thought it gets dark
He said, it is all over
If we can see the little hope hidden from sight
Tomorrow could be another big day
It will be easy
It will be easy
Zerubabel Molla in his song Eskemeche/ “Until when” also encourages people to believe in themselves, to pursue their dreams, take action in their lives and live fulfilled life.
I shall go to reach where my heart is
I shall run to that
To the finish line
Get ready
Rise up
Fight to the last bit
Don’t ever give up
It is time to cherish your success
I shall procceed
I shall engage in the competitive world
I shall speed up seeing the award
Running, hurrying, hurrying
Until when you shy away?
When you have faith
Until when?
When there is God
Until when?
When you have power
Until when?When you have the potential
Until when?
When you have country
Until when?
When there is generation
Artists also campaign for different purposes like environment, education, socio economic development and others. They voice their concern and urge people to keep in mind the power of love, peace and togetherness. They have kept producing artistic contents with these subjects. At times they also send their blunt sociopolitical criticism. Like the music, the movie industry and other genres of art have also contributed their part. When the artists do this, it is also fair to assume government and other stakeholders recognize and support artists’ efforts. Like the fictional character in Empire expresses the challenge of art industry in this digital age is copy right infrigenment. “The internet is destroying musicians ability to make money because our work is downloaded for free online. So, it is now impossible for disinfranchised kids to overcome the way that I did. We are going to change all of that.”
Artists in Ethiopia haven’t still got deserving return. This might have been caused as Ethiopian society is still traditional and has stereotype against musicians and art in general. The other most prevalent problem artists are facing is Copyright infringement as laws are still not strong and ways of controlling copy rights have become tough due to complexities of new technologies. On top of this, Ethiopian artists have been divided and doing nothing about it upto this time.
They haven’t been organized and do not come up with smart ideas to control their royalities and maximize their profit. They have now seemed to have passed this time. Many artists are coming up with ways that protect their products, increase their profit and visibility. Sewasew, the latest collaboration of artists, Awtar and other digital music services are expected to secure benefits of artists. If concerned stakes also stand up together, art will sustain changing lives of perfomers and enlighten, embolden and comfort consumers of art products.
THE ETHIOPIAN HERALD SATURDAY 4 FEBRUARY 2023
