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Aida Ashenafi, Bringing the Ethiopian Music Industry to New Heights(AllAfrica.com English Via Thomson Dialog NewsEdge) Sep 12, 2006 (Addis Fortune/All Africa Global Media via COMTEX) --Aida Ashenafi is a pioneer in the evolution of the Ethiopian music video industry. This Ethiopian-born, American-raised and educated woman has played a leading role in the production of the two Johnny Ragga music videos, Habeshawi and Kulfun Sichign, both of which have been nominated for Best Music Video in the Reggae Category in Africa and East Africa respectively. The results of the nominations will be aired on Channel "O", which is the network responsible for organising these awards. Aida, who came back to Ethiopia seven years ago, decided to get involved in the music video scene when she heard Johnny's music. She immediately realised that his work was the type of material that she not only related to, but that could easily cross over from the Ethiopian context to a larger, more international audience. She went with her instinct and decided to collaborate with Johnny. She not only became his manager and music producer, but also his music video director. Aida told Fortune that what made the work so special was that all 15 individuals engaged in the making of the videos brought their own expertise to the productions. Members of this group, including Aida, all have other jobs and businesses. Nevertheless, they dedicated their time and energy to these productions. "It was a labour of love," says Aida. "We never took money for it, we only did it for fun." The combination led to much local and continental exposure for the young musician. It also secured the Best Music Clip Award for Aida at the Ethiopian Music Awards. She explains that she does not want to take all the credit just because she was the Director, for she believes that the music videos came out as they did simply because of the dedication and the collaboration of all those involved. "Credit should be given where credit is due," she said. According to Aida, every aspect of the videos was thoroughly orchestrated, from the colours of Johnny's costumes, to the different sets, to the filming. She says that the costume designer, camera team and art design team were essential to having her idea materialise. Although the music video culture has grown in the seven years she has been back in Addis, she says that she honestly believes that the Johnny Ragga music videos made it to the Channel "O" nomination simply because they actually submitted their work to the contest. "I think that other Ethiopian music videos could've qualified, had they actually submitted their work," she told Fortune. She said that she even submitted the music videos to MTV, but unfortunately, they were not able to qualify because of their inability to pass MTV's technical standards. Aida told Fortune that the reason she appreciated Channel "O" so much was because they were intent on supporting African music videos and helping them to evolve. "They give a chance to creativity," she added. She says that Ethiopia is the only country in which music videos are made to be sold, while the reason for their production elsewhere is to help sell an album. She points out that a major problem faced in Addis Abeba is that when a music video DVD is released, no one wants to buy the original, but instead prefers to make copies. Therefore, whatever profit one might have originally thought of acquiring while funding the production of the DVD is lost. This was the reason their team thought it would make more sense to do it just for the art of it. Aida is co-founder and partner of Mango, a communications company co-shared with Feleke Deneke. The company deals in producing television, radio and corporate communications; creating logos, designing posters, billboards, producing branded t-shirts, hats, banners, creating media strategies, negotiating with media owners and other communications-based services. Aida, who is a BFA graduate of the Ithaca College in Film, Photography and Visual Arts, will be working with musicians Tibebu Workiye and Haile Roots. She recently directed a music video for one of the songs on the Bole to Harlem album, Ensaralen Gojo. Copyright 2006 Addis Fortune. Distributed by AllAfrica Global Media (allAfrica.com). |