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New
York (TADIAS) — You may remember
our highlight of the Seattle-based Ethiopian-born artist
Yadesa Bojia who designed the current flag of the African Union. Yadesa
(popularly known as Yaddi), has released his first solo CD entitled Yaddi
Bojia Feat. Ire. The album’s eleven songs are all written and performed by
him.
“Music was my
first love,” Yaddi shares. “It always felt like I was destined to be a musician
of some kind, even from the early age of 4.” Through music, Yaddi said, he
feels “visible, boundry-less and carefree.” He added: “I have a voice to raise
my concerns, to speak, to praise, to celebrate, to mourn and to remember. Yet,
with all it’s values to me, I kept it on the back burner, it felt like the fire
that lit in me in early age would fade out in time yet, it only became more
powerful the older I got.”
Yaddi notes
that he was “re-introduced” to music in 2006 through a local reggae group
called the Crucialites. ”My friend and the band’s founder
Scott Mosher asked me to join the band as a back-up vocalist and I accepted,”
he said. “With the Crucialites, I performed in different venues and opened for
different known bands like, Morgan Heritage, Twinkle Brothers, Clinton Fearon
and Boogie brown Band and Winston “Flames” Jarrett.” In 2008, the group
released its first CD entitled Lion Ridge , Yaddi, however,
departed the group the following year to tend to family responsibilities.
“Two years
later, I ran into Iré Taylor, who I knew from the Boogie Brown Band and his
amazing work with the Culture band way back when the band released One
Stone,” Yaddi said. “I have to say, I was one of his admirers and it came
as a surprise to me when he expresses his willingness to work with me. I jumped
at the opportunity. Little did I know Iré was what I had been waiting for all
this years. Iré has such a talent for great music and we share the same musical
ideals – music as a tool for social change and music from the heart.”