A little over a month ago, I had the pleasure of attending a remarkable concert held at the National Confederation of Eritrean Workers. The event, which brought together ten vocalists chosen through a popular vote, showcased a range of emerging talent and proved to be an exciting experience. The atmosphere was electric as the singers, accompanied by the Rakuba Jazz Band, currently led by Hagos Teklezghi, captivated the audience.
This collaboration, however, is the result of a fascinating journey that began months earlier.
In May, a group of 24 young vocalists came together for a recital that marked the culmination of an intensive six-week vocal training course. These courses, led by the accomplished music instructor Barnabas Mebrahtu, were designed to hone the vocal skills of the participants and prepare them for the stage. The recital, held at the Eritrean Musicians Association, served as the closing ceremony for the course. Each vocalist took the stage to perform solo, offering an opportunity for both their individual talent and growth to shine.
The event was not only a showcase of young talent but also an example of professional music and video production in Eritrea. The recital was recorded and produced by Yonan Production, a prominent name in the country’s audio-visual industry. Founded in 2006, Yonan Production has earned a reputation for producing award-winning works across public and private sectors. Their expertise in capturing live performances ensured that the young singers’ efforts would reach a broader audience.
In partnership with EriLink, a popular Eritrea YouTube channel, the performances were shared with the public at home and abroad. The videos garnered significant attention and views, serving as an essential platform for promoting the voices of these young artists. The viewers were asked to vote on their favorite performers, and after collecting over 2000 votes, the 10 candidates were chosen.
EriLink’s mission, “Connecting the People,” aligns perfectly with the goal of sharing Eritrea’s culture with both local and international audiences, including the Eritrean diaspora. The channel showcases a wide range of content, from traditional performances to modern developments, and also produces original work to promote Eritrean art and culture on a global scale.
Historic and iconic Eritrean songs were chosen for the concert, and the vocalists performed them skillfully and with so much emotion that the audiences were roused to get up and join in a heartfelt dance. In my opinion, the stand-out performances were by Diana Michael, who sang Abeba Haile’s Abeyu adKi, and Sina Kibrom, who sang Erab eloma, also by Abeba Haile. Sina did not participate as part of the ten vocalists but as their backup singer along with her fellow choir member Henok Yebio – two talented members of the Asmara Choir with incredible potential.
By the end, it was evident that this concert was more than just an entertaining evening—it was the culmination of months of hard work, training, and collaboration between artists, instructors, and production teams, all coming together to nurture and celebrate the next generation of Eritrean musical talent.
Written by Sona Berhane