This generation of musicians has been developing new musical styles and putting their names on masterpiece works of art that combine the sounds of Ethiopian music with contemporary western music.
Rophnan, K.A.S.S.M.A.S.E., and Yohana (A.K.A YoYo) are just a few musicians who have made their own distinctive sound that has won the hearts of many.
Through their music, each of them has achieved a particular milestone: Yohana released his album “Ereft” at the beginning of October, K.A.S.S.M.A.S.E. just released a remix of his hit song “Mela Mela” with Grammy-nominated Protoje, and Rophnan recently became the second Ethiopian to sign with an international record label.
These musicians, among many others, have not only made names for themselves in Ethiopia’s music industry, but they have also paved the way for up-and-coming musicians with distinctive musical styles to follow in their footsteps and spread their ideas and works.
Meedo Records is an Ethiopian-owned music label in Addis Ababa that has signed artists like K.A.S.S.M.A.S.S.E., UNO, and Jemberu.
It is a label that was established by Maranatha and Guta with the goal of giving artists a platform and creating high-quality music.
“We plan on adding any kind of artist with a unique sound to our team,” Maranatha, one of the cofounders, said. “We also try to give artists as many opportunities as we can, even if they don’t directly sign with Meedo.”
Meedo currently has six signed artists, three of whom have yet to launch.
As a pan-African label, they intend to collaborate with various artists from across Africa to unite the various sounds of African music. In fact, they are the production team behind the new K.A.S.S.M.A.S.S.E.-Protoje collaboration, which was released in October. They have also directed the video.
Meedo Records is evolving into an ideal platform for new musicians to share their distinct sounds with the rest of the world. It is working hard to establish itself as a household name in Ethiopia and Africa by creating a space where music is used to unite Africa and showcase the best of both worlds in their own sound. The platform allows artists who are inspired by the music they grew up listening to and the music they were introduced to in modern pop culture to merge.
Meedo is also beginning to form a strong connection with African music and sounds, which can help create a bond within the continent through music.
K.A.S.S.M.A.S.E. has already connected with a large number of his fans thanks to his distinct sound and style.
The fact that they were able to take his original sound and release it in its original form as a production team is a great example of what they can do for their team of musicians.
Ethiopian music has its own distinct melody and sound. For decades, it has evolved and changed as different artists infused their own creativity into their work. The new generation of musicians has combined traditional Ethiopian sounds with modern sounds from around the world.
Rophnan, for example, infused the Ethiopian sound with the beat and energy of house music. This blending and combining of language and culture in music has gained a large following.
Through his unique sound, K.A.S.S.M.A.S.E. has also been able to combine the two worlds of Ethiopian and Western sounds. Fans of the genre adore his blend of rap and Ethiopian sounds, as well as the cultural contexts he incorporates into his music and video clips.
As technology, access, and exposure to new sounds increase and connectivity increases, so does the growth and change of music in Ethiopia.
New artists have recently benefited from this by creating new music that is infused with culture. Meedo created a space for these musicians to add their own spin to the natural and beloved sounds of Ethiopian music.
This opens up a world of new musical possibilities.
“The new Mela Mela collaboration features a sample of a song that we listened to growing up,” Samrawit Endale, a 25-year-old music enthusiast, said.
Samrawit believes that even people younger who may not have known the song will hear it through this version, ensuring that the sound never dies and instead grows.
“Protoje is a well-known and well-liked international artist, and people will know of the sound if they seek to listen to this song because it features him.”
She commends the recording company for establishing a platform for international artists to collaborate with them as well as introducing international audiences to the sounds of Ethiopia.
“If we take music from Mali, I may not understand the language, but I still listen to the music because music has its own language,” she explained. “I believe that this pan-African scene will transcend language and be able to connect us all.”
