Zeritu Kebede was born and raised in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia where she currently resides. At avery early age her parents LP records were her musical inspirations which opened a new world of music. Eventually, the school she went to became her first platform to perform and exhibit her talent. Her first public performances at her mid teens gave sign that Zeritu had a special talent which many admired. With the great passion for music she has, Zeritu always showed and proved her dedication in her musical career.

In the Ethiopian contemporary context Zeritu is what ETHIO-HIP in Ethiopia. Her self titled debut album, ‘ZERITU’ has won the hearts of many putting her among the very favorite artists in the country. Her lyrics that reflect the reality of many lives have given her acceptance of artistic maturity at a young age. In 2006 Zeritu went on a nation wide tour to prove what no artist has ever done before. Namely, performing in 10 cities around Ethiopia. This first of its kind domestic tour has acquired great admiration by both the overall public and particularly by artists. With her special musical characteristic, today Zeritu ranks among the top artist in Ethiopia. Working on her second album Zeritu is surely the future of Ethiopia music.

Yoseph Gebre is an Ethiopian singer, born on June 16, 1981, in Dilla, Ethiopia. Jossy was born to Woizero Zermechi Argaw and Ato Gebre Sherga. He attended elementary school at Mekane Yesus School in Dilla. After 6th grade Jossy moved to Adama and went to Nazreth Elementary and Junior School, then completed High School at Adama High School. Jossy has been interested in music since childhood. He participated in different art projects while in elementary school. In Adama high school he worked as a school journalist and DJ presenting shows on the school PA system (known as Adama MiniMedia) during breaks.

After completion of High School Jossy went into business following in the foot steps of his parents. During that time he spent his free time contributing pieces to different news papers and taking music lessons. While taking music lessons Jossy started networking with musicians. During this time he started exploring his potential as a vocalist. He released his first single titled “Kine” to the public via radio stations. The work was unexpectedly well received by the public.

Encouraged by this success, Jossy started pursuing a music career full time since 2004. His single titled “Enja Yene” was his first release complete with music video. In 2005, Jossy was nominated for the Kora All Africa Music Awards under the Most Promising Artist category. While all these were singles, he released his first album titled “Jossy”, containing 13 tracks, in 2006. The album featured the song titled “Metahuwa”.

In 2008, the music video titled “Bati be Jossy Mood” hit TV channel and online video sharing sites and immediately became a hit. This success was due to the combination of careful planning of its elements and proper and professional application of video effects and techniques. Jossy creates most of his songs himself. He currently tours different cities all over the world.

Tilahun Gessesse (also spelled Telahun Gesesse or Tlahoun Gèssèssè) (1940-2009) was an Ethiopian singer regarded as one of the most popular of his country’s “Golden Age” in the 1960s. During the 1960s he became famous throughout the country, nicknamed “The Voice”. He raised money for aid during the famines of the 1970s and 1980s and earned the affection of the nation, being awarded a doctorate by the University of Addis Ababa and also winning a lifetime achievement award from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust.

Tilahun was born to Mrs. Gete Gurmu and Mr. Ayyaano Guddata (Woliso Awrajja), on 29 September 1940. His given name was thus Dandana Ayano Gudata. When his mother remarried Gessesse Negussie, Tilahun was baptized and took his stepfather’s name as his second name. As time went by, his interest in music became increasingly clear, although his grandfather urged him to concentrate on his academic studies. The Ras Gobena School Principal Mr. Shedad (who was from Sudan), encouraged Tilahun’s interest in music and urged him to go to Sudan to pursue his music career. Although Tilahun did not go to Sudan, he took Mr. Shedad’s advice very seriously. When Weyzero Negatwa Kelkai, Ato Eyoel Yohanes and other artists from the Hager Fikir Theatre came to his school to perform, Tilahun took the opportunity to discuss his interest in music with Ato Eyoel. He was told to go to Addis Ababa if he wanted to pursue a career in the field.

Tilahun left school to go to Addis Ababa, a journey he began on foot without his grandfather’s consent. When his grandfather realized that Tilahun was no longer in Woliso, he informed Tilahun’s great-aunt in Tulu Bolo. After Tilahun traveled fifteen kilometers on foot, he was caught in Tulu Bolo and stayed overnight with his great-aunt Woizero Temene Bantu. The next day, he was forced to return back to his grandfather in Woliso. Since his interest in music lay deep in his heart, Tilahun chose not to stay at his grandfather’s house in Woliso. After staying only one night at his grandfather’s house, he again began his journey to Addis Ababa, this time hiding himself in the back of a loaded truck.

In Addis Ababa, Tilahun was first hired by the Hager Fikir Association, which is now known as Hager Fikir Theater. After a few years at the Hager Fikir Theater, he joined the Imperial Bodyguard Band where he became a leading star singer. During his time with the band, Tilahun ran afoul of the government after the attempted coup d’état of December 1960 by the Imperial Bodyguard. He was arrested and put in prison for a time.

Tilahun moved to the National Theater where his success continued. His tenor singing was regarded as the best Ethiopian pop voice of the 1960s. His popularity was such that he appeared three times in front of Emperor Haile Selassie I. During a visit, the Emperor advised him not to abuse his talent.

Recordings made by Tilahun during the 1970s and 1980s helped raise large sums of money to aid famine victims. The majority of his recordings were in Amharic, but he did also record in Oromo. He received an Honorary Doctorate Degree from Addis Ababa University, in appreciation of his contribution to Ethiopian music. He also received an award for his lifetime achievements from the Ethiopian Fine Art and Mass Media Prize Trust.

Tilahun Gessesse died on April 19, 2009 in Addis Ababa as he was being taken to hospital by his wife. He had just returned to Ethiopia from the United States. He had been in poor health for several years due to diabetes. “Tilahun stood out as an artist of great renown with his lifetime contributions to Ethiopia’s modern music, which he popularized across the world”, said Ethiopian Prime Minister Meles Zenawi. The Patriarch of the Ethiopian Orthodox Tewahedo Church, His Holiness Abune Paulos said “that whoever is said dead is he who leave[s] nothing worthwhile behind. Tilahun left numerous, though secular, legacies behind to survive the mortal body for generations to come.” United States Ambassador Donald Yamamoto stated that “Ethiopians owe a great deal to the late Tilahun Gessesse, who promoted Ethiopian music across the world.”

A candlelit vigil was held by friends and family in the garden of the National Theatre in Addis Ababa on the night of Wednesday 22 April. On Thursday April 23 2009 a state funeral was held. About one million Ethiopians, including government officials, and entertainers,[11] gathered in Mesquel Square, Addis Ababa and heard messages of condolence from the Prime Minister and President Girma Wolde-Giorgis. A funeral mass was held in Holy Trinity Cathedral Church. Messages of condolence from fans all over the world were posted on a memorial web site. In his later years he suffered from diabetes. He died on 19 April 2009 in Addis Adaba shortly after returning from America. Tilahun was honoured with a state funeral attended by tens of thousands of his fellow citizens.

Tsehay Yohannes was born in Ethiopia in 1961. At the tender age of two, Tsehay had already began to talk and subsequently showed his real talent when he learned to sing at the same age. He grew up near the ‘Kebur Zebegna’ camp where at the age of 14 his real talent blossomed, as he sang ‘Berta Zemede’. This song was a tribute to the unforgettable ‘Edeget Beheberet Zemecha’ which was aimed at eradicating illiteracy during the early 1976s. This song also continued to encourage other literacy drives during the 1970s including ‘Manbebena Mestaf’ and the ‘Meseret temehert ‘movement that many of us from that period surely remember.

These were important steps in Tsehay’s maturity as a musician as he used these movements as the stepping stones to his first album, ‘Tey Munit’ that was released in 1974 and his follow up ‘Finchetwa’ that was released the year after. During these early times Tsehay was renowned for his upbeat and high tempo song ‘YAZ YAZ, SAB SAM’ that proved highly popular amongst Ethiopians.

However he continued his infectious musical career by displaying his lyrical versatility with numerous motivational songs that demonstrated that he cared for his people and shared in their plight. This included ‘Tebale Ende’ and ‘Man endager’ that challenged the social and political stereotypes that existed in Ethiopia during the 1980s.

Tsehay has continued his successful career by also highlighting the variety of cultures within Ethiopia and his love for the diversity of his country. He also sings about the beauty and power of love as well as highlighting the important role that culture and tradition have in forming the social values and principles of many of his countrymen and women. Throughout his career he has continued to delight his fans and is sure to do the same with his latest album, ‘Sakilign’.

‘Sakilgne’ is set to astound fans of Tsehay with a new style of music, however his customary vocal ability should again remind them of why they love and adore him. His latest album, entitled ‘Sakligne’, has been in production for a number of years and it will excite fans with its blend of traditional and western musical principles.

Tewodros Taddesse is regarded as a role model by famous musicians of this time, including Tewodros Kassahun (Teddy Afro). His music has won him wide acclaim and acceptance, especially his last album, “Zimta” (silence) made with a modern musical composition by Abegazu Kibrework. He recently appeared on the collection album which artists in America made for HIV/AIDS education entitled “Ennoralen Gena” (we will survive) and on a Spiritual Song Video.

Tamrat Desta (born 1978) is an Ethiopian singer and vocalist. He was born in a small town called Tiqur Wuha, located between the two larger towns of Shashemene and Awasa, the second of three children, all boys. After few years, his family moved to Shashemene, and he again moved to Awasa where he finished high school. All three towns are approximately 250 kilometers south of the capital Addis Ababa.

In 1998, he moved to Dire Dawa, located 515 kilometers east of Addis Ababa, to live with his guardian and work at Cherqa Cherq Yekenet Buden where he received basic training as a vocalist and playing with a band. In 1999, he moved to Addis Ababa to pursue his music career. In 2004, he released his first album Anleyaym, for which he received wide acclaim. Most of the lyrics on this CD were written by Habtamu Bogale, and the melodies of six tracks were by Tamrat.

His real name is Tewodros Kassahun. Teddy Afro is an Ethiopian music sensation and one of the most successful singers and song writers from Ethiopia in recent times. Teddy’s musical success has been credited to the powerful messages conveyed through his songs. From compassion to courage and from forgiveness to love, Teddy has been able to break artistic boundaries that were previously untouched. He has been compared to Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley, in part because of his ability to bring a political, spiritual, and rhythmic presence to his listeners. Teddy is also noted for his work with other young and inspiring artists throughout Ethiopia.

In 2001 Teddy Afro stepped into the limelight. What Teddy has become since is something beyond what he would have ever contemplated for himself. “Teddy Afro” was born on 14 July 1976 to parents of artistic talent and fame. While his mother, Tilaye Arage, was well known in Ethiopia for her professional dancing, his late father, Kassahun Germamo, was a renowned and highly regarded Ethiopian songwriter. As stated by Teddy Afro himself in his tribute song to his late father called Music – My Life, Teddy’s father always resisted the idea of his son becoming a musician. However, Teddy trusted his own instincts and evolved into the single most popular pop-star Ethiopia has produced. Not only is he a vocalist that countless Ethiopians have come to adore, he also writes his own meaningful lyrics. His father did not live long enough see the effects of his son’s music on the lives of Ethiopians all over the world. But Teddy tells his deceased father in Music – My Life, “that he will continue to exist through the artistic works of his son.” He continues, “that his life is intrinsically intertwined with music and that he cannot live outside of it.”