Teddy Afro: From Abugida to Yasstesseriyal

His overnight masterpiece 'Tarik Tessera' (history is made), produced in the event of the 2004 Athens Olympics for the 10 000m race team a few years back, left a lot of Ethiopians in admiration for the star. Teddy was able to produce such a sensational work in one day, working round the clock, with music arranger Dawit Tilahun. If anyone had doubts about the natural, creative talent of Teddy, there was the concrete proof: a resounding success!

Teddy began his acquaintance with the large public with his debut album release (at least in chronological sense, if not creation) called Abugida. It was a real boom (re-printed seven times!), a breakthrough for Ethiopian contemporary music, in style and melody, including two reggae-style remakes of the songs of Ethiopian artists: Tilahun Gessesse and his son Minyahil. He managed to attract the attention of every music fan, for months, by dealing with historical myths (the late Emperor Haile Selassie, athlete Haile Gebrselassie, and Michaelangelo’s greatest artistic creation, Mona Lisa, as a parameter of beauty).

The theme of his album was so varied and colourful that people immediately embraced Teddy as their prodigal brother/peer/son. When his second album was released, everyone expected another masterpiece. But the album was shrouded in controversy; the producer was reluctant to release it. When it was finally released it was marketed as a new album, yet all pointers indicated it was his Abugida album now packaged as a new album. Such a release (that would have commanded or implied a new deal) put into bad light the good faith of the producer. For Teddy, more than a question of money, it was a question of integrity and fame. People could not expect that he make such an album as his second creation, when his first one was so sensational and people expected progress and not regression. There needed to be made a demarcation. Teddy was reported to have suggested buying out that release from the producer, and perhaps working on it more, in order to make it conform to his newly acquired standard, but there was reportedly no accord with the producer, and the album was released any way.

For a while, it appeared that Teddy was dragged with the producer into an involuntary row, more characteristic of lawyers and business tycoons. How could the phenomenal album Abugida be used as a vehicle of publicity for the sale of another album? In any case, people eagerly bought the ‘new album’, even though they eventually came to know that what looked like a regression was in fact the pace setter for the second work. And frankly, it was not that bad at all! It showed his potential, later confirmed. Teddy then peacefully focussed on subsequent projects. People understood the case, and that was what Teddy was most interested in.

Teddy’s posture and reputation as the undisputed new face of Ethiopian music continued to climb high up. Today, many agree that he is the most sought after artist in the market. His extended tour of North America (and meetings with many artists there) in 2012 made him very popular and his appearance fee grew significantly, perhaps a new record by Ethiopian standards!

What makes Teddy unique is not only his various reflexes with his voice, but also with his original creation of themes, subjects, issues, (for the lyrics) and all sorts of live, natural sound bites entrenched in his melodies. In fact, his 2005 album Yasstesseriyal is in this sense perhaps the most complete to date. A variety of tunes of different origins (modern and traditional) are incorporated in the album and the lyrics are really poetic, captivating, emotional and touching. Singing the tunes, he prays, and invites his audience to do the same, he exhorts with emotional appeals, he cries, he shows condemnation for what he believes is wrong and cursed, but at the same time magnifies love and tolerance. Referring to the sad plight of Ethiopia, he cries loud: “When shall the day break come? When shall darkness be overtaken by light?” In that album Teddy tackles issues of drought, HIV as well as hatred.

The album deals with love for the Lord and pardon, and that is what he recommends for all. He then maintains that love begets light, sight. His song ‘Lampadina’ (Lantern) for instance is the story of love brightening the sight of a blind person! “Love is such a magical power,” he sings. In the background you hear the sound of an excited public witnessing the miracle with an ovation. And for the negative side of love that can create jealousy or suspicion, Teddy’s remedy is trust. This is the main theme of the song called ‘Alamin Alena’ (‘My heart fails to trust you’).

More than a popular vocalist, Teddy Afro is a symbol of defiance of the rich and the powers that be and a populist activist, invoking inspiration among many of his young fans that are rather restless. He is very conscious of his association with events and personalities resented by popular views, while he is perceptive in listening to the pulse of the many.

A research paper by Kristin Skare Orgeret (PhD), associate professor at Oslo & Akershus University College in Norway, which analysed Teddy Afro’s last album in the context of political discourse, discovered that the singer is clever enough “in taking the stock of the nation’s pulse” and winning people’s hearts. In the paper, titled When Will the Daybreak Come? Popular Music and Political Processes in Ethiopia, the writer stated that, in a socially conscious manner, music can be used as a vehicle for conveying messages and may play a role in fragmenting and contesting political authority.

Originally published in May 2013 in the now-defunct weekly publication Addis Tribune.