“Whether it’s nightlife, music, fashion or sport, Addis Ababa is steadily becoming an exciting cultural gem in the Horn and beyond,” says UK-based writer Rahel Aklilu on Rolling Stone Africa magazine.
With her article “Bloom: How Addis Ababa Became Fertile Ground For Ethiopia’s Creative Renaissance,” which illustrates how Addis Ababa became fertile ground for Ethiopia’s creative renaissance, Rahel asserts “all eyes are rightfully on the Mother Continent at present as African people continue to create, influence and dominate pop culture, fashion and music on the world stage —a long time coming, some might say.”
The second most populated country in Africa: Ethiopia, has yet to step into the spotlight as much as the others, she says.
Anticipating Ethiopia’s future destiny with optimism, Rahel offers a glimpse of development scenarios. “With a population of 123.4 million, 60% of whom are under the age of 25, Ethiopia’s future seems limitless as it begins to develop at an extraordinary pace, owing to a steady mix of rapid urbanisation, industrialisation and Chinese ‘investment’. Opening up to the world after a period of political and social turbulence since the downfall of the Derg military dictatorship in 1991, today, Ethiopia’s rich religious and political history, as one of the oldest Christian countries on the planet and Addis Ababa the designated HQ of the African Union, draws tourists and diplomats alike,” she hints.
Justifying why Addis Ababa has become a major hub of creativity and entertainment for the Ethiopian youths, she says “As access to the internet rapidly grows and cultures connect online, the youth are determined to cement Addis Ababa as a major hub of creativity and entertainment, blending their cultural heritage with the globalised, outward-looking approach that takes them beyond the insular unity of Ethiopia. Young Ethiopians aren’t waiting around for the world to take notice of them; instead, they’re building their own infrastructure, making noise on their own terms and languages, and commanding attention.”
The strategy is a combined, worldwide effort, with youth in the diaspora working with their counterparts to build awareness and share skill-sets. Whether it’s nightlife, music, fashion or sport, Addis is steadily becoming an exciting cultural gem in the Horn and beyond.
For Rahel the internet has contributed to make Ethiopian music, which was denied global access, due to language and internet barriers has now been accessible to the global music lovers. “Where Ethiopian music is most commonly associated with the Ethio-Jazz that originated in the 1950s, musicians such as Mulatu Astatke and Hailu Mergia have toured to international acclaim, while other local but popular music hasn’t translated as widely to global audiences—not least due to the fact that it’s almost exclusively in local languages (mainly Amharic or Oromo, both of which are the largest tribes in the country), whereas Ethio-Jazz largely relies on instrumentation, making it more palatable to global audiences. Figures like Abdu Kiar, Aster Aweke and Teddy Afro are superstars at home and in the diaspora, selling out shows in hotpots like the DMV area and California where there are concentrated communities.” The language barrier is also linked to the fact that Ethiopia uses its own alphabet, making it more inaccessible. Non-Ethiopians will find that singing along to lyrics they might not necessarily understand but know how to pronounce (i.e. the same way many non-Yoruba speakers do with Asake) is not possible. However, the new generation of Ethiopian artists and creatives—who have largely grown up with access to the internet and a more globalised outlook on things—are determined to share their culture and talent on equal footing, bridging the gap through collaborative DIY methods and focusing on building a strong foundation and infrastructure for creatives on home soil, using their love of culture and community to shape them.”
While there is a focus on quality and authenticity, the presence of high-scale productions by homegrown labels like Meedo Records and Bana Records, which are developing contemporary Ethiopian pop stars and, alongside them, executives across marketing, production and recording, have lifted the quality of Ethiopian music production to the level of global producers in the west.
“An entire independent ecosystem has developed, signalling a bright future for Ethiopia’s music industry. The young artists themselves blend the Ethiopian music they grew up on with the influences of pop, R&B and hip-hop they gained access to via the World Wide Web and by watching television. Ebne Hakim, whose debut album is exclusively in Amharic and is being released under Sony Music, and Kassmasse, who landed a Protoje feature last year, are part of the cultural shift that has helped Ethiopian music put its foot forward.”
She mentions a recording artist and co-founder of Bana Records, Blen Mekonnen, who, while explaining to RSA the balancing act that many are facing, said their mission is to celebrate Ethiopian culture while providing a platform for them to achieve global access by bridging the gap.
Addis, a political hub, brings a diverse crowd of diplomats and travellers who love a good night out. This is similar to other global cities, where there is nightlife for there is music, she said. Taking inspiration from Boiler Room-style event production, The Lab with YH—run by DJ, producer and promoter Yohannes Hadish—is just one example of young Ethiopian creatives taking matters into their own hands. “There was a need for an experimental, experiential space that allowed patrons to experiment in an immersive and exciting way,” says YH of setting up The Lab. “Over a year old now, it is fast becoming a fan favourite with over 1,500 attendees. Our blend of hip-hop, jazz and house music has a unique Addis spin on it, which is really putting us on the map right now,” the recording artist mentioned.
The efforts of Ethiopians at home and in the diaspora is another dimention Rahel sees as opportunities to depict the rich and beautiful culture of their nation.
“As well as Ethiopians based in Addis building the groundwork, diasporans have mobilised during key holiday periods, too, such as Boston-based marketer and promoter Jonathan Bekele, who runs World Afrika—an event which focuses on African music across the States. Bekele has thrown parties and events with artists such as Burna Boy, Odumodublvck and Uncle Waffles. World Afrika, like many second-generation immigrants, goes back home to Addis during the Christmas period; many Ethiopians go back to visit their families ahead of the Ethiopian New Year in early January.”
That benefits both the Ethiopian natives and tourists. There is an increase in number of Ethiopian heritage artists in Western music who are openly embracing their culture on the world stage.
“With World Afrika events in Addis continuing to sell out, the trajectory looks positive from Jonathan Bekele’s point of view. ‘Ethiopia is an untapped market with so much potential and infrastructure,’ he says. ‘Its history, beauty and thriving scene just hasn’t been showcased on a global scale as much as West Africa and the Southern parts of Africa, and much of it has to do with our language barrier,’”
In addition to music culture and nightlife, skate culture has grown exponentially in the city. “With many major streets closed on Sunday mornings, go to the historic (now-demolished) Piassa district and you’ll see an army of children and young people—ranging anywhere from the age of 4 to 25, of varying abilities—skating on the roads. For this, we have Ethiopia Skate to thank,” Rahel mentioned.
Founded in 2013, Ethiopia Skate has built four skateparks in total (two in Addis) across the country
Winding up her thoughts for the future of Ethiopia’s creative renaissance, Rahel wrote “As the rest of the world gradually sits up and pays attention, young Ethiopians on the ground will continue to curate, collaborate and carve the foundations of an ecosystem that allows them to share their creative talents with the world whilst maintaining and spreading the traditional Ethiopian values of community and craftsmanship. Instead of waiting for opportunities to be handed to them, they are creating their own.”