EYUEL MENGISTU – A BIOGRAPHY
Eyuel is an acclaimed Ethiopian composer, producer, arranger, instrumentalist, and educator. His work brings together traditional Ethiopian music and contemporary global influences.
Through “From the Field to the Stage,” his main project with YEMa, Eyuel helps bring endangered indigenous music to wider audiences in Ethiopia and around the world. The project combines field research, audio and visual recording, and live performance. Notable works include “Shombite” and “DereDicha”.
Eyuel composed and produced YEMa’s album “Yedega Sew”, bringing together artists from seven countries across three continents. The album won the “2025 Ellel Yale Habesha Award for Best Ethiopian Album of the Year”. It was followed by a French tour featuring more than 70 performances in 17 cities, and two major concerts in Ethiopia.
He also composed the award-winning score for the international film “Doqa”, earning the “GUMMA Award for Best Film Music Score of the Year”.
A dedicated researcher and advocate for cultural exchange, Eyuel took part in academic exchange programs at Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) in 2020 and the University of Limerick in Ireland in 2024, where he presented his research thesis.
A former Head of the Yared School of Music at Addis Ababa University, Eyuel continues to teach, create, and represent Ethiopian music internationally, including at the “2025 MaMa Music & Convention” in Paris.