HomeEntertainment (Page 15)

Entertainment

Mahlet fasil

 
Recent times have undoubtedly seen an increase in the number of concerts and musical shows given out in Addis Abeba. However, the city can still not pride itself in the wealth of recreational activities it offers for its residents. Outdoor musical festivals have typically been lacking. Selam Festival Addis (SFA) hopes to fill a gap in that regard. In its fourth edition this year, the festival stages outdoor concerts involving local and international artists.

Born in Ethiopia Meklit Hadero was raised in the US. She holds a BA in Political Science from Yale University but she is globally known as a singer/song writer. Meklit has released five studio albums, tours regularly and is currently signed to Six Degrees Records. She is a TED Senior Fellow and has served as an artist-in-residence at NYU, where she curated a performing arts series at the Lincoln Center Atrium. Meklit has completed musical commissions for the San Francisco Arts Commission, the Fund for Artists, Brava for Women in the Arts, and the De Young Museum. She has been a panelist and grants evaluator for the National Endowment for the Arts, and worked with Association of Performing Arts Presenters (APAP) to establish an artist fellows program. Meklit is the founder of the Arba Minch Collective, a member of the de Young Museum’s Inaugural Artist Council, one third of the Ethiopian Hip-Hop Space Opera trio CopperWire, Lead Artist for Yerba Buena Center for the Arts in Community Program, and former Co-Director of the Red Poppy Art House. She is currently working on a body of music steeped in Ethio-Jazz. Addis Standard interviewed Meklit on her works. Excerpts:

Born in Addis Abeba, Ethiopia, Berhanu Digaffe’s name is familiar to many Ethiopians who depend on his radio shows to learn the missing details about their loved artists. Berhanu started his career as an entertainment journalist when he first became the managing editor of Atena Newspaper, now defunct. He went on to become the editor-in-chief of Hollywood, another entertainment weekly. He became familiar to many Ethiopians when he was the host and producer of Debo TV Show. Berhanu then moved to become the host of Chewata entertainment program on 97.1 FM, the first FM station in Ethiopia. For the last seven years Berhanu is the managing director, program producer and host at Leza Radio Show on Sheger FM 102.1. Addis Standard interviewed Berhanu on his brainchild: Leza Radio Listeners’ Choice Award.Excerpts: