Aster Aweke is back: 'Andd Adreghen !'
By Fitsum G.
July 5, 2006
Few musical artists in Ethiopia could create such expectation, emotion, and sensation up on an announcement of a new release as would veteran Artist Aster Aweke, and this has been going on for the last couple of decades since she first attained prominence as a prime choice for Ethiopian musical fans. No wonder that this national musical icon is considered a phenomenal public favourite, capable of mobilizing lots of fans at a time, both at home and abroad, not excluding an international audience. Her appearance at the URTNA platform in Nairobi some years ago is memorable, when she gracefully flashed on the podium with Ethiopian traditional robes, singing the popular melody ‘Yene Welela’ (My honey). The number was escorted with a delightfully cast of colourful African dancers in an impressive choreography. ‘Kabu’, an Aster album that hit the Billboards Charts in the West is another episode to remember in her long career! During all those years, Aster has been presenting her melodies, almost always a tribute to love, and vibrant showmanship talent to a wide variety of audiences through out the world. And her concerts are reputed for being sold out and many have compared her to the Soul Queen Aretha Franklin, and the gorgeous Whitney Houston.Every time Aster's new album is announced, every fan rushes to have the first greedy taste of the new tunes, and disappointments are unheard of! This time, unusually, despite the virtual absence of any pre-publicity about the new release, it has already inundated the streets of Addis by peddlers of albums, with shops, bars, restaurants, pubs, and taxis in the city blowing her tunes. Inevitably, it is destined to knock on every one’s home, an indication that Aster’s albums do not need any promotion to sell. Her voice and style have become consecrated trade marks!
Since five years ago, the last time Aster released a new album titled Sikuar, sugar, fans have been waiting patiently for this new work; and I think it was worth the wait, even though a couple of years ago she had diluted their anxiety by releasing a remake of a collection of her old favourites, Aster’s Memories, Ye’Aster Tizitawoch, newly arranged. It resulted a best seller any way, confirming that fans never have enough of Aster’s sound. To many people I know, Aster is definitely the most popular and irreplaceable female artist here, so admired that even the likes of Gigi, and Zeritu, a newly emerging star, could not cope with the fame and reputation that she has managed to muster through decades of brilliance, (and more than twenty albums), as singer, composer, arranger, dancer, show girl and cultural ambassador of Ethiopia. She has definitely been a versatile inspiration to millions of fans of whom you find a lot trying to imitate her heats and style on ‘Ethiopian Idols’, a popular TV talent show currently underway.
How will the new Aster album 'Fikir', (love), be received? Well, like all pervious Aster albums, love is the dominant theme, the priority. The title says it. However, this time Aster has also wanted to indulge in conveying some very important public messages. (Some want to relate and credit such tendency to a Teddy Afro type influence). Any way, Aster sings about the need for Ethiopians’ unity despite diversity, disapproving of certain clannish inclinations, a recent phenomenon. ‘Andd Aderghen’, unite us, is the result. She values solidarity and compassion in ‘ayizoh’, take courage. She recommends tolerance, patience in ‘chal chal’, withstand. She warns that hurried relations could result in regrets in ‘netsa negn’ , I am free. She underlines a mother’s sacrifice in ‘emayae’, mommy. Tribute and homesickness of the motherland are expressed in the heated traditional beat called ‘Azezo’, Gondar, not very characteristic of Aster, in fact. But the dominating theme of the album is the usual relationship between a man and a woman and such idea is glorified in songs called 'fikir', love, 'yesew sew', missed lover, 'lishelimew', let me award him love, 'sewenetae', my body, 'yamral', he is so beautiful, and 'nefsae', my soul.
And characteristically, all 14 songs and lyrics in the album are Aster’s creation, except the lyrics of only two tunes. Simple poems, simple language, expressing clear and direct messages. Fast rhythms, both traditional beats as well as modern ones, and just two or three slow, cool melodies, such as ‘yikirta’, excuse me, give me back my heart, which reflects great emotion and sufferance. In a way, there seems to be a constant veil of sadness or melancholy that hovers in almost all of Aster’s new tunes, but the arrangement is also up to the quality of the melodies well executed by herself in tandem with the usual Abegazu Shiota. Just listen to the beat and harmony in the arrangement of ‘Netsa Negn’, ‘Chal Chal’, ‘Yamral’ and ‘Nefsae’, new breeze and new sounds, a departure from Aster’s past tunes.
As a rare phenomenon in our musical platform, the style is typically hers only, inimitable; and you sense it. All her emotions are expressed with great confidence and courage, never declining to be direct in her messages, never leaving space for doubts. That may be the reason why she does not feel the need to resort to professional writers of lyrics, perhaps capable of giving her more sophisticated verses. She seems to underline that love is simply the most important gift that God has given to humanity, and she continuous to glorify it in all her works. Any one who happens to attend her concerts can hardly escape being impressed by her show of confidence, passion and delight in the art. Her movements, her gestures, are full of vigour and energy, and her voice continues to ring as high or low as she needs it to be: gorgeous, melodious, and emotional. You notice no trace of the years that have passed by, her energy intact, matching her enthusiasm. She has a command on her audience as she does on her voice, breaking when she wants, linking when she prefers, with protracted highs, lows, sighs and screams.
Since Ethiopian Easter three months ago, musical fans here have been enjoying notably the releases of the reputed voices of Hamelmal Abate and Ephrem Tamiru, but there also has been the novelty of a young talent called Natnael Haile, Nati. All three have had their deserved share of success and acceptance by their respective audiences. Yet, Aster’s ‘Fikir’ seems to take the higher ground, creating a new wave of sensation, especially among the youths. Although people have found both Ephrem’s and Hamelmal’s album typical of their past colourful performances, styles and intonations, some have had the biting remark that at times, one can’t help having the impression that one is listening to a remake of their earlier works. Creativity has always been an issue in such works of art and this point could be debatable, but for the devoted fans, their standards are as high as ever, and presumably the market has given them credit. Nati on the other hand is a discovery, and apparently, is receiving unprecedented success for a beginner, perhaps also benefiting from his producer’s major publicity machine called Samson Advertising and the team of celebrated arrangers. And this has lured many ears!
Once again, Aster is about to rock the musical market here. Fasten your seatbelts! For the coming months, until perhaps a new colorful album overshadows it, (and expectations are high for the likes of Gossaye and Alex, possibly for the new Ethiopian year), Aster is bound to dominate the waves, undisturbed.