Yeshiemebet Dubale is on the verge of quitting music performs her music at the Seifu Show. Some of the well-known singers in Ethiopia rose to fame after debuting their singing skills in Burbuax. Shambel Belayneh, Elias Tebabal, and the famous sisters – Birtukan, Yeshimebet, and Enana Dubale are among these. Yirga Dubale, an iconic masinko player, raconteur, and poet, left a lasting musical legacy when he died from nerve damage last week aged 82.
Throughout his career, which spanned more than 60 years, Yirga strived to broaden the exposure of Amharic folk and patriotic music with an intensely communicative style. With the current lyricism that expresses solidarity with the poor, he actively preserved and promoted the Gondar’s Azmari tradition. Born in Koza Belesa of the Gondar region in May 1929, Yirga developed an interest in music at an early age.
His father, Likke Mekuas Dubale Negash was a celebrated music player who demonstrated to his son the deep pleasure of music. Yirga started playing maskino (a violin-like instrument) at the early age of ten. At twelve, he left his family and headed to Gondar town, beginning an itinerant life. Over the next few years, Yirga honed his skills and began to make a name for himself performing in cabarets and public places. In 1947 the young musician came to Addis Ababa and joined the Armed Force Band but he was disappointed by the low pay and went back to Gondar. However, he was caught and made to return. He once said in an interview that despite all this, he was well-liked by members of the army and the imperial regime.
