About
Meklit is an Ethio-American vocalist, songwriter, composer and cultural activist, making music that sways between cultures and continents. Known for her electric stage presence and innovative take on Ethio-Jazz, Meklit has rocked stages on four continents and counting. She is a National Geographic Explorer, a TED Senior Fellow, Co-Founder of the Nile Project, and an 2019 Artist-in-Residence at both Harvard University and Yerba Buena Center for the Arts. She has received musical commissions from Lincoln Center and the MAP Fund, and is a featured singer in the UN Women theme song. Meklit’s TED Talk has been watched by more than 1.2 million people, and her music videos air daily on Ethiopian National Television. Meklit’s latest album, When the People Move, the Music Moves Too (Six Degrees Records) was named amongst the 100 Best Albums of 2017 by the Sunday Times UK, and one of the Best Soul Albums of 2017 by Bandcamp.
Quote
“For me, writing songs is a mix of discipline and mystery. The discipline is showing up to the studio every day. The mystery is the act of dreaming them up, the state of being where the songs come to you. Sometimes the good melodies just knock on the door and you have to catch them. I’ve always believed what Leonard Cohen articulated so well…’If I knew where the good songs came from, I’d go there more often’.”
– Meklit Hadero