Artist Hirut Bekele's daughter spoke about her mother

Hirut Bekele Funeral Ceremony. Artist Hirut Bekele's daughter spoke about her mother. Also, artists Girma Tefera and Mahmoud Ahmed remembered Hirut Bekele. Hirut Bekele is one of the few famous female Ethiopian musicians from the 1950s to 1990s.

Her transcendental music is very popular among the public and has laid the first stone for many female singers in Ethiopia. One of Hirut’s numerous music works is “Ethiopia”, which is known as a national anthem and is still sung by children and adults with patriotic feelings.

Hirut served in the music and theater department of the then Police Force for 35 years. In those 35 years, she played more than 200 works, of which more than 38 pieces of music were printed on clay.

She has played 14 cassette albums containing 10 songs each. It is learned that singer Hirut was also a mother of seven children. Her interest in music started at a young age. Hirut would sing around the house to her closest friends. 

Hearing her vocal ability, they would encourage her to take music more seriously and consider it a profession. Inspired by these comments, she decided to pursue music professionally. This proved difficult early on as being a musician had many negative connotations in Ethiopia. She had to be very discreet to make her dream a reality.

At the age of 16, Hirut went to an Army Force Orchestra for a vocal competition where she was selected on the spot. Her first song (in 1958), Ye-Hare Shererit, was a hit. At that time, the Police Orchestra was looking for a young talented female vocalist, and she happened to be exactly what they were looking for.