Tewodros Tedesse

Born and raised in Addis Ababa, Tewodros Tedesse was able to transcend age gaps and reach people from different age groups and is loved by a varied audience.

Having started music in a church choir, his big break came when he was invited to a wedding to sing Muluken Melesse’s ‘Wasa Megena'. This left a mark on his singing career.

When he started performing, he was doing cover songs of renowned artists. The feedback was encouraging for him, so his first album, ‘Lubanjaye’, easily broke the market. It did not take him that long to become a household name though. His consecutive albums ‘Eyekorekoregn’, ‘Sadulaye’ also became a huge success.

Many of his songs are like national anthems which are sang by people from different age groups, especially the song ‘Emeye Ethiopia’ was somehow unforgettable. He toured many countries, taking the stage with his unique, vivacious voice.

His fifth album, ‘Semeto Zzemale’, was also done before he left for the US, but the album was released after he arrived in Virginia. During his stay abroad, he performed in many places and also revealed in many interviews how life was not easy for him there.

Many music critics say his 1997 album, ‘Zimita’, was different from his previous ones as it was more influenced by jazz and also gave new sound to his fan.
Even though he started working on his album in 1998, the hurdles in his life got the better of him and he could not focus on his work. Returning to Ethiopia was a different phenomenon, he says. His fans, which have not seen him for the last 17 years, overwhelmed him by showing up at the airport and expressed their love by hugging and greeting him.

During his stay in Ethiopia, he performed in different venues before going back to the United States. In 2009, he established an independent studio. Now residing in the States, Tewodros performs in different venues in the States. Tewodros Tadesse, as the vice president of Yo Yo records, is aiming to represent Ethiopian music on the international stage.

His new album targets Ethiopians and the world music audience, who also have the taste for alternative music apart from the mainstream popular beats. After the album release, the artist has a plan to tour different parts of the world.