Aster Aweke
Encyclopedia
Aster Aweke is an Ethiopia
n singer who lives in the United States. She is sometimes referred to as Ethiopia’s Aretha Franklin.
Aweke was born in 1961 in Gondar
, Ethiopia
, and was raised in the capital city of Addis Ababa
. Her father was a senior civil servant in the Imperial government.
By the age of 13 she was determined to become a musician, and started her career at Hager Fikir Theatre
in Addis Ababa
.
By her late teens, she was singing in Addis Ababa
clubs and hotels with such bands as the Continental Band, Hotel D'Afrique Band, Shebele Band, and the Ibex Band before they became the internationally known Roha Band.
Aweke's distinct style has been influenced by other Ethiopian singers such as Bizunesh Bekele.
Launching a solo career, she was encouraged by musical entrepreneur Ali Tango, who financed and released five cassettes and two singles of her music. By 1981, she had become disillusioned by Ethiopia's oppressive political climate following the death of iconic leader Haile Selassie and relocated to the United States. Temporarily settling in the Bay Area of California with plans to pursue an education; within two years, she settled in Washington, D.C., one of the largest Ethiopian expat communities in the country.
Here she became increasingly popular within the Ethiopian community, performing in restaurants and clubs.
She also remains popular in Ethiopia
; in 1997 she performed in Addis Ababa for a crowd of over 50,000 people. More recently, on the 9th of May 2009, Aster performed in front of a crowd of 10,000 during the Peace through Unity, Unity through Music concert in Addis Ababa at the Millennium Hall, alongside other Ethiopian artists Gossaye and Pras (of the Fugees).
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
n singer who lives in the United States. She is sometimes referred to as Ethiopia’s Aretha Franklin.
Aweke was born in 1961 in Gondar
Gondar
Gondar or Gonder is a city in Ethiopia, which was once the old imperial capital and capital of the historic Begemder Province. As a result, the old province of Begemder is sometimes referred to as Gondar...
, Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
, and was raised in the capital city of Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
. Her father was a senior civil servant in the Imperial government.
By the age of 13 she was determined to become a musician, and started her career at Hager Fikir Theatre
Hager Fikir Theatre
The Hager Fikir Theatre in Addis Ababa is not only the theatre with the greatest tradition in Ethiopia but also the oldest indigenous theatre in Africa. It stands for more than 70 years of cultural life in Addis Ababa. It is a playhouse where modern Ethiopian music and drama were born and nurtured...
in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
.
By her late teens, she was singing in Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa
Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia...
clubs and hotels with such bands as the Continental Band, Hotel D'Afrique Band, Shebele Band, and the Ibex Band before they became the internationally known Roha Band.
Aweke's distinct style has been influenced by other Ethiopian singers such as Bizunesh Bekele.
Launching a solo career, she was encouraged by musical entrepreneur Ali Tango, who financed and released five cassettes and two singles of her music. By 1981, she had become disillusioned by Ethiopia's oppressive political climate following the death of iconic leader Haile Selassie and relocated to the United States. Temporarily settling in the Bay Area of California with plans to pursue an education; within two years, she settled in Washington, D.C., one of the largest Ethiopian expat communities in the country.
Here she became increasingly popular within the Ethiopian community, performing in restaurants and clubs.
She also remains popular in Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
; in 1997 she performed in Addis Ababa for a crowd of over 50,000 people. More recently, on the 9th of May 2009, Aster performed in front of a crowd of 10,000 during the Peace through Unity, Unity through Music concert in Addis Ababa at the Millennium Hall, alongside other Ethiopian artists Gossaye and Pras (of the Fugees).
Discography
- Ethiopian Groove - The Golden Seventies, Paris, 1994, Buda Musique (contains three of her very first recordings)
- 1989 Aster (ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/CBS RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
) - 1991 Kabu (ColumbiaColumbia RecordsColumbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
/SME RecordsSony Music EntertainmentSony Music Entertainment ' is the second-largest global recorded music company of the "big four" record companies and is controlled by Sony Corporation of America, the United States subsidiary of Japan's Sony Corporation....
) - 1993 Ebo (Barkhanns)
- 1997 Live in London (Barkhanns)
- 1999 Hagere (Kabu Records)
- 2002 Sugar (Kabu Records)
- 2004 Asters Ballads (Kabu Records)
- 2006 Fikir
- 2010 "Checheho" (Kabu Records)