THEODROS KASSAHUN /TEDY AFRO (ቴዲ አፍሮ)
Teddy Afro real name (Tewodros Kassahun) is an Ethiopian music sensation and one of the most successful singers and song writers from Ethiopia in recent times. Teddy's musical success has been credited to the powerful messages conveyed through his songs. From compassion to courage and from forgiveness to love, Teddy has been able to break artistic boundaries that
were previously untouched. He has been compared to Jamaican reggae legend Bob Marley, in part because of his ability to bring a political, spiritual, and rhythmic presence to his listeners. Teddy is also noted for his work with other young and inspiring artists throughout Ethiopia.
In 2001 Teddy Afro stepped into the limelight.
What Teddy has become since is something beyond what he would have ever
contemplated for himself. "Teddy Afro" was born on 14 July 1976 to
parents of artistic talent and fame. While his mother, Tilaye Arage, was well
known in Ethiopia for her professional dancing, his late father, Kassahun
Germamo, was a renowned and highly regarded Ethiopian songwriter. As stated by
Teddy Afro himself in his tribute song to his late father called Music - My
Life, Teddy’s father always resisted the idea of his son becoming a
musician.
However, Teddy trusted his own instincts and evolved into the single most popular pop-star Ethiopia has produced. Not only is he a vocalist that countless Ethiopians have come to adore, he also writes his own meaningful lyrics. His father did not live long enough see the effects of his son’s music on the lives of Ethiopians all over the world. But Teddy tells his deceased father in Music - My Life, “that he will continue to exist through the artistic works of his son.” He continues, “that his life is intrinsically intertwined with music and that he cannot live outside of it.”
In 2001, Teddy Afro released his second album,
Abugida, named after the Abugida Syllabify of the Ge'ez Language. Several
tracks quickly caught the ear of many listeners in Ethiopia -
"Halieselassie," a tribute to the late Emperor of Ethiopia Haile
Selassie I; "Haile, Haile," a single in honor of the Olympic long
distance champion
Haile Gebrselassie; and "Mona Lisa,"
a song about the measure of human beauty. His third album, Yasteseryal, was
released in 2005. The album sold more than a million copies within a few months
after its release, becoming the biggest selling Ethiopian music album to date.Teddy
and his band, Abogida, have toured the world bringing many of his sensational
songs live to his fans. From South Africa to North America, the Middle East and
Australia, he has traveled the world to entertain and convey messages of peace,
love, hope and unity in a language everyone can understand. To date Teddy Afro
has performed over 65 live concerts. He now has set his sights on a personal thank
you tour, TEDDY AFRO 2010 World Tour. He has so far performed recently in Addis
Ababa and in some European cities. The turn out so far has been huge. The
anticipation of the US leg, where many Ethiopian Diasporas reside has reached
high fever in anticipation.