Growing up, East African representation in the music industry — specifically Ethiopian and Eritrean artists — was rare.
Apart from Abel Tesfaye, widely known as The Weeknd, artists across the Ethiopian-Eritrean diaspora don’t receive enough recognition for their talents.
Covering various genres, Habesha artists bring a new sound and perspective to the music scene, implementing both cultural instruments and more modern influences (Note: I will collectively refer to Ethiopians and Eritreans as “Habeshas,” a term we use in our community to describe the two groups as a single ethnicity).
I’ll be breaking down some of my favorite Habesha artists. If you’re tired of recycling the same songs and want to expand your music taste, look no further.
Alternative R&B — Berhana
With his sophomore album “Amén (The Nomad’s Dream),” Amain Berhane aka Berhana welcomes listeners with a “dreamy sonic embrace” of his Ethiopian roots. Berhana commented on the album in a 2023 interview with Nataal, saying, “The album has such a dreamlike quality because I think that is the thing you get to bring home with you wherever you go: your dreams.”
The project’s release was followed by a short film, which Berhana shot in Addis Ababa. It’s mesmerizing to hear Ethio-jazz melodies fused with alternative R&B sounds and witness how seamlessly they combine with his visuals of being split between Ethiopian and Western culture.
Once you start listening to Berhana, you’ll likely go down a rabbit hole of his discography like I did. I recommend the song “80s” off his 2016 self-titled EP and “Golden” off his 2019 album “HAN.”
Pop Rock — Alemeda
Rahema Shifa Alameda, known by her stage name Alemeda, is an Ethiopian-Sudanese artist. In a 2024 Interview with Rolling Stone, Alemeda describes her sheltered upbringing, growing up in a strict Muslim household. Despite this, she managed to sneak away and watch Disney shows like “Hannah Montana” and “Camp Rock,” which is how her love for pop punk grew. What she didn’t see when watching these shows was anyone who looked like her.
Her new EP “FK IT” features songs like “Already Dug Your Grave” and my personal favorite, “Below the Belt.” The EP’s font is a play on the Ge’ez script used in Amharic — the official language of Ethiopia.
Soul — RIMON
Rimon Bahere’s latest single “Make Money” is an homage to the foundations of past generations that have led her to success. She emphasizes that instead of investing in her hard-earned money, she’d rather buy new shoes. The music video represents our culture depicting RIMON surrounded by the women in her family– all dressed in traditional Habesha kemis’.
On a more serious note, her 2022 single “Build Me A House” centers around mental health. RIMON explains that she feels peace in discomfort as she opens up about the unstable parts of her upbringing, singing “I’ve known chaos all my life, so chaos is what I chase. My therapist told me ‘RIMON, you’ve got plenty love to give but now it’s time to take.’” With mental health being a taboo topic in the Habesha community, she was one of the first artists I recall vulnerably sharing their mental health struggles. It also just has a catchy sound if you’re someone who focuses on instrumentation and melodies.
Pop R&B — Chxrry22
Lydia Habtemariam, known by her stage name Chxrry22 (pronounced “Cherry”), signed with XO Records — co-founded by The Weeknd — as its first female talent. Her 2022 project “The Other Side” explores the duality of someone who can acknowledge her imperfections in decision-making while simultaneously owning them. She commented: “I’m both the victim and the villain, it just depends on the day. I’ll always make music about my stories on both sides.” This is a no-skip album, but if I had to pick a favorite, it would be “Do it Again,” in which Chxrry expresses her unapologetic decisions in romantic relationships. This album has a very sultry vibe and is perfect for a late-night drive.
Her most recent project “Siren,” takes a completely different approach sonically. Chxrry experiments with pop and her lyrics evoke much lighter feelings. When I’m getting ready to go out, this is my go-to. Particularly the second track, “Never Had This,” was my most-played song of 2023. Needless to say, I’m a Chxrry stan.
HipHop/Rap — Joony
Jonathan Negero started his career uploading music to SoundCloud. “I was into music very young. My parents played Ethiopian music around the crib, and it was good,” Joony said in a 2021 Interview with Office Magazine.
Eventually, his music caught the attention of Brent Faiyaz, who would sign him with PULSE Music Group.
I was first introduced to Joony after hearing him on Jordan Ward’s 2023 album, “Forward.” They collaborate on a track titled “IDC”.
The song that made me fall in love with Joony’s unique artistry was “Everything” off his 2022 “Pretty In Black (Deluxe)” album. For a final gem, I’ll leave you with his beautiful live performance of “I’m In Love”, another track off “Pretty In Black.”
