Yene Alem

Balkew Alemu started his musical career by competing in Ethiopian Idol in 1997 and 2004, when he made it to the finals. But far from being a gimmicky pop act, Alemu is blessed with a powerful voice that recalls that of Ethiopian greats like Mahmoud Ahmed. On 2022’s Yene Alemu producer Girum Mezmur harnesses Alemu’s timeless voice and works with  some of the best musicians in Addis’ contemporary music scene to create a record that is imbued with the spirit of Ethiopia’s Golden Age, but is also firmly of its time.