Afan Oromo Music has sizable audience in Ethiopia and around. It is even listened by people who don’t speak the language as it’s loved for its unique heart touching melody and authencity. From legendry singer Ali Birra, the Afan Oromo music sustained its popularity by singers like Kemer Yousuf, Nigussu Tamerat, Taddele Gemechu, Jambo Jote, Abush Zeleke, the late Haacaaluu Hundeessaa and others. The young Gutu Abera doesn’t just sustaining this tradition. Gutu adding new flavor to Afan Oromo music making it sylish, catchy and danceable.
Gutu’s debut single “Hawanawa” caught the interest of everyone from children to adults. Hawanawa which can be roughly translated to “I wish you to be mine” is also unique for its choreography. The Afro beats coupled with the costumes and the dance took everyone attention. Hawanawa became catchy word the music and the singer named.
Crafted in the style of music that was popularized in the 1960s when American pop was just taking the world by storm, Hawanawa features young men and women in big afros, form fitting trousers, and colorful tops dancing in styles that evoke bougie, but also many of the traditional Oromo dances such as Ragadaa and Shaggooyyee. As Gutu later told the BBC, the large soundstage the music features came from the fact that every sound included was recorded live and not synthesized using a computer. Gutu sings in his baritone over full, organic sounding instruments in a melody that mixes the songs of the Shewan highlands with a more modern repetition.
You are always in my thoughts
Pretty, charming, my nice looking lady
(the Shewa beauty)
I wish, I wish you to be mine”
After some months from “Hawanawa,” Gutu released the song “Amma Me” which again indulges listeners to celebration mood. The traditional Afan Oromo dance is fused with western dancing techniques, Afro beats and oldies costumes. The melody seems to remind good time in the past. Amma Mee has a similar style with Hawanawa. But it marked a clear transition into the types of ideas Gutu would be exploring with his music.
While Hawanawa was filled with happy, colorfully dressed young men and women dancing to the chorus of a man singing his heart out to the Shewan beauty, Amma Mee had a lot more symbolism hidden in every shot. The message, while with a clear romantic theme, is about dreams, specifically the dreams of musicians and the role music plays in our lives. How some of us, especially the likes of talented musicians like Gutu, feel it is the best way to express who they are. Amma Mee is still a very happy tune and is filled with the now characteristic Gutu-Mira soundstage of percussion, strings, and saxophones.
In mid-March Gutu released Deemii on his own YouTube channel. Deemii is distinct in its beat and message. Deemii goes back to the tradition but again the message are relevant to this day and the beat is a little different from customary Afan Oromo songs.
Deemii is a ballad and a very powerful one at that. Shot in the beautiful lowlands of the beautiful Karrayyu Oromo people, the music video features less crowded scenes where man (and indeed woman) meets nature. This goes very well with the message of the song which is about the challenges one faces in life when trying to move forward.
Going forward 2x
Have you got ready for the long run?
There is no going back
Going forward
Going forward
Have you got ready for the long run?
There is no going back
If progress is inevitable
we must stand by our goal
We have to cross the river AWASH
and the mountain – DIMTU
we must leave footprints on top of the high mountains
and in the middle of the deep seas
It may cost us a lot,
but it will never silence us
Go forward friend, do not look back 4x
Going forward (2x)
Have you got ready for the long run?
There is no going back
If advancing is not an option
Why are we hesitating then?
Let’s show up at their secret meetings
And hear what they’re talking about
Do not doubt the future
for it is unpredictable
Do not fear for your life
for God is trustworthy.
Whoever listened or watched this beautiful song and nice choreography expects the song to be appreciated much and draw recognition to the artist. Indeed, Gutu won Afrima awards in the category of Best Jazz Duo/Artist. After winning a prestigious continental award, the Ethiopian artist Gutu Abera made history. One of the most coveted awards on the African continent is the All Africa Music awards (Afrima), which has earned the nickname “the Grammys of Africa” some have referred.
Gutu’s latest music “ Anatu” is hot music you can move along whether you understand the language or not. It is insistent and modern in nature. The music shows that Afan Oromo music has got unique urban falvor. With this pace, Gutu is promising to take the Afan Oromo music and Ethiopian music further.
Like his music Gutu has fascinating story of upbringing and music start. Gutu Abera, a 29 year old born in the small town of Mandi in Wollega Oromia Region.
When he was 14 years old, Gutu moved to Norway where his parents lived as refugees. In the southwestern city of Bergen, Gutu started life anew. His love for music that started long before his move to Norway, took over his life quickly and he started singing at different venues where he met a slew of talented artists. He was graduated in Social Anthropology. In 2018 Gutu was interviewed by the BBC on his work to restart the famed Gadaa Band.
Many of his performances were covers of songs by famous Oromo artists such as Ali Birra, and he played a lot of those to some distinguished audiences such as the royal family of Norway and at some of the most popular festivals in the Scandinavian country. He has been playing Afan Oromo music all throughout Europe, including a special performance for the Norwegian King and Queen when he sang his heart out to a “bareedduu Shawaa”-the Shewa beauty -while live performing Hachalu’s song.
But Gutu had a lot more planned in his career and in early 2021. He started working with his wife who is Tamil-Norwegian artist Mira Thiruchelvam to produce his first ever song. He wrote the lyrics and melody of what would be one of Ethiopia’s biggest hits for 2021, produced it with the help of Mira, and had it published on Vision Entertainment and waited for what the reaction would be. The unique way he approached Afaan Oromo music, the way he held onto traditional Oromo poetry, while letting in all of that percussion and strings into the track won him accolades from all over the world. This spurred him on, for Gutu was not close to being done exploring this new style of his.
In his recent interview on Seifu Fantahun show Gutu said that he wanted to collaborate with other Ethiopian artists like Rophnan, Lenco Gemechu and Dawit Tsige. “There are many Ethiopian Artists that I want to work together. I hear a lot of Amharic Songs and I appreciate Abinet Agonafir.”
BY NAOL GIRMA
The Ethiopian Herald July 20/2023
