Yemane Ghebremichael (January 21, 1949 – November 5, 1997), known by his stage as Yemane Barya, was a prominent Eritrean songwriter, composer and singer. He became one of the most renowned Eritrean artists.

Biography

Yemane's songwriting strove to reflect what he perceived to be Eritrean experience during the Eritrean War of Independence. His songs were dotted with stories of love, journey, hope, migration, and liberation. In 1975, he was jailed for the perceived political interpretation of one of his songs. A few years after the declaration of the independence of Eritrea, Yemane moved to Asmara and continued to release albums that reflected the new era of hope and national prosperity, with a mixture of Eritrean melodies. He also sang about the people involved in the movement towards Eritrean independence and the sacrifices of that movement. Yemane's songs are distinct in the way that they feature a pattern with a recurring melancholic piece of melody. Yemane was also known as the 'Eritrean caretaker'. He died on November 5,1997 due to a sudden illness.

Popular songs and albums