Yamlu Molla, producing Ethiopia’s Future Legends in the music industry
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Loading... - Dofi Maxwell
- 27 Jan 2023
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Yamlu Molla is a producer, performer, and songwriter. He has composed songs for Betty G, Zerubabel Molla, and Chelina, among other well-known Ethiopian artists, on hit albums.
He is actively producing recordings for up-and-coming musicians such as Micky Hasset, Amanuel Mussie, Dess, and many others, giving their distinct creative voices a platform. He released an album named “Elf” last year.
Yamlu is well-known for his ability to create music that crosses genres and sounds, frequently incorporating traditional instrument sounds. His studio is a soundproofed room where he records and produces his music, and it is adorned with musical instruments and album covers that hold special meaning for him.
In 2018, Yamlu and Betty G received Album of the Year at the Afrima All-Africa Music Awards, where he was praised for successfully combining Ethiopian and Western musical traditions.
Yamlu intends to release his second album through Sewasew Multimedia within the next 12 months. The Reporter’s Rebecca Tewodros visited him at his workshop to learn more about his craft. EXCERPTS:
The Reporter: How was Christmas for you when you were growing up? What traditions did you have with your family?
Yamlu Molla: In Ethiopia, the ideology around Christmas is centered around religious concepts and the birth of Jesus Christ, unlike the western Christmas that has become more about gift-giving within the family. So, growing up, I celebrated Christmas connected to the religious aspects with my family, and, like most Ethiopians, we go around visiting family or family members come over and we celebrate together.
I used to ask my parents if they bought me shoes or clothes a month before because you have expectations as a child. Because I was born and raised in Addis Ababa, I think I grew up mostly with a city lifestyle, and Christmas was an incredible time. I am very grateful for my family because, now as a parent, I can see how hard it is to fill that gap, and God knows how they managed to give us those kinds of happy memories.
How did you celebrate it back then as a 10-year-old, and how do you celebrate it now?
As a child, you go to church with family, and even though I wasn’t forced to wear Habesha clothes back then, I was still pushed to uphold the traditions of the holiday. After that, we return home and greet family members who come by to celebrate, and most of the time you go along with the program that your family sets for the holidays.
Now, I have a wife and kid, and I spend it with them. Most of the time, we spend the morning at home and then spend the rest of the day visiting family. We either go to her family or mine, and most of the holidays are spent visiting members of both families. At the same time, we are doing our best to create a great experience for my child as well. Read More…
