Gabriella Ghermandi takes inspiration from Ethiopia's ancient queens for Maqeda album release.

There’s always time to stop for lunch on an outing with family, right? Or take an evening stroll and admire all that nature provides us! Gabriella Ghermandi’s latest album highlights female figures as its focal point, prompting laughter when recalling Yegna (Ethiopian Spice Girls). Partially funded through British aid and sparking controversy here as it may be perceived by some to have wasted taxpayers’ funds, this all-female pop group caused immense irritation for many in Britain who believed taxpayer money should not go towards projects of that nature. Gabriella recalls with amusement her dissatisfaction at having to fund and engage in charity-backed pop group which tried to change narratives by way of music to empower girls and women through music – an all-female pop group funded partially via British aid which some believed wasteful of taxpayers money! Gabriella recalls with laughter the anger that came when British Aid funded female pop group Yegna; controversy ensued due to taxpayer funding which caused taxpayers money being wasted through taxpayer dollars spent. Gabriella recalls feeling slightly annoyed that some perceived as waste of taxpayer dollars spent by partly funded British Aid money being allocated towards supporting an all-female pop group which attempted similar goal (albeit with limited success), including partly funding by British aid dollars which provided funds through British taxpayer funds which some felt used up taxpayer funds from British taxpayers money for charity!). Gabriella recalls with laughter her feelings towards Ethiopian Spice Girls which came up through charity that some may say wasted taxpayer money being part funding them while being funded partly. Gabriella felt when all-fe her memories with laughter about how she feels when confronting similar situation from UK aid being funded while giving outsourced to this all-fe female group led by its funding; with British taxpayer money contributed towards funding of course with some who claimed waste from taxpayer money when funded from Britain to fund such an all female pop group called by British taxpayers too much controversy due its budget all this year’s anger about being asked once more asked by asking “d – they would come.’s charity!”. But some may despite all – which way. -in’d to put to blame with him… Ghermandi found herself bewildered when the assumption arose that Ethiopian women must be taught by external sources how to empower themselves – “They wanted us to learn? Ethiopia? With all its remarkable women?” Ghermandi tells BBC. “Who were these outsiders?” she questions. Ghermandi – an Ethiopian-Italian author, singer-producer and ethno-musicologist – used music as an expressive vehicle, “telling the world we have an extensive history full of strong women who had equal power with men”. To that end, she released Maqeda (Amharic for Queen Sheba), an album consisting of nine tracks inspired by this topic that will hopefully change attitudes around Ethiopia today and reveal some hidden histories that many would otherwise take for granted. Every song pays tribute to female figures, communities, rituals and musical styles from across Ethiopian culture. Although some would classify this album as Ethio-jazz, Ghermandi notes it encompasses so much more – at its heart is traditional Ethiopian music with prog, rock and punk influences present simultaneously. “Maqeda was lovingly created over four years by gathering Ethiopian and Italian musicians she has collaborated with since 2010 as part of Atse Tewodros Project – along with Senegalese guest musicians, beat-boxer, body music performers and beat-boxer. Ghermandi describes their collaboration as one in which “we wanted to digest the music,” noting that every musician took an integral part in creating arrangements because she “really wanted my two countries to become one”. Ghermandi spent her early years growing up alongside both parents, an Italian father and Ethiopian-Italian mother; recalling its international character during these early years in Addis Ababa. “Every place, every corner was alive with music and dance – I learned the rhythm that has become part of me!” says she. Additionally, on the same street where her mother owned clothing store was located a record store run by a Greek woman which played everything from Congolese tunes to Beatles hits. Ghermandi would frequently accompany her older brothers to nightclubs featuring African greats such as Fela Kuti or other musicians; tea dancing parties at an Italian expat club on Sundays provided yet more excitement for Ghermandi without formal training in music; even wedding and church ceremonies provided her with ample exposure to Ethiopian musical styles; travel was another constant in her childhood thanks to her father who, after leaving Italy for Eritrea (then an Italian colony), provided another source of education and culture immersion. In 1955 he moved to Ethiopia, meeting Ghermandi’s mother – 17 years younger – during a construction job that often involved going into remote locations where Ghermandi would visit him regularly for visits while working. She was only three months old when taken from Ethiopia’s Rift Valley region into Southern Ethiopia for care and safety. Her father wanted her to receive a “sound name”, or moytse, by the Oyda people in their region. For girls, an animal horn is used and any sound heard by both old and young woman waiting under trees in the forest becomes their moytse (sound name). Gabriella Ghermandi received her “sound name” when her father passed away in 1978 in Arba Minch. Mengistu Haile Mariam’s military dictatorship had come to dominate Ethiopia at that point and, due to that situation, as soon as she turned 18, she moved abroad – Italy was her choice of destination. Gabriella Ghermandi collaborated with singers from Dorze community as she created Set Nat (She is Female). Set Nat challenges the belief in Ethiopia that when women achieve something it’s because they are as brave as men. Ghermandi passionately states: “This saying used to tell me it wasn’t enough being female! Now, however, I want the world to know that being a woman is indeed more than enough!” “This song features a choir with an audibly rhythmic call-and-response section in 7/4 time signature. “This track represents Ethiopia in general – and brings back childhood memories for me”, she remarks. Another track, Kotilidda, honors Kunama people living nearby who follow matrilineal society ties that honor women over men – close to Eritrea and Sudan borders. It features the Avangala, an unusual two-stringed instrument similar to a bass guitar which is exclusive to Kunama tribe people and only played by them. “My goal was to marry Ethiopian traditional instruments with modern instruments as this region doesn’t promote its heritage enough outside its borders,” notes Ghermandi. She chose black-and-white photos of her relatives for album cover art. Ghermandi also wanted to demonstrate to Ethiopian artists how traditional instruments could still have meaningful interactions with contemporary ones despite being ancient or pre-colonial instruments themselves. “Saba tells of Sheba’s voyage on camel back from Sheba to Jerusalem to meet King Solomon.” At the conclusion of each song, a one-stringed fiddle known as the masinqo plays an ancient Hebrew melody to commemorate Ethiopia’s Jewish community’s belief that their forbearers trace back to those who followed Sheba back home from what is now Israel when she returned home with their sons. Ghermandi highlights similarities between that ancient, likely mythic journey and those made today by thousands of Ethiopians fleeing conflict, oppression drought poverty for new life elsewhere. Penny Dale is a freelance journalist, podcast producer and documentary-maker based out of London who produces Maqeda from Atse Tewodros Project for release through Galileo MC. 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