Bereket Mengisteab

Bereket Mengisteab (; 1938 – 12 November 2025) was an Eritrean songwriter, composer and singer.

Life and career

Early life Bereket was born in 1938 in Hazega, an Eritrean village approximately northwest of Asmara, the nation's current capital. He spent his early life in the village farming, where he taught himself to play the krar and took part in musical events that were part of the local area's culture. He moved to Asmara for a few years, where his musical performances were limited to his friends.

Addis Ababa

In 1961, he moved to Addis Ababa and joined the Haile Selassie Theater Orchestra. He remained with the orchestra for over a decade and performed with them across Ethiopia, as well as in Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, at the 1966 Festival mondial des Arts Nègres in Senegal, and at the 1968 Summer Olympics in Mexico City. He recorded his first nine singles during this period, all for the Philips label. He left the orchestra in 1973, a year before Haile Selassie was deposed by the "Derg" led by Mengistu Haile Mariam. While living in Addis Ababa, Bereket and his wife ran a music shop. He formed his own group in Addis Ababa called Megaleh Guayla (Echo of the Dance). Bereket was one of several experienced artists who contributed to the ELF's sociocultural and political transformation, as well as to nationalist propaganda efforts.

Exile Like many other ELF fighters, Bereket went into exile in Saudi Arabia in 1979. He moved to Jeddah in 1979, where he remained for ten years. During his time in exile, he often performed in Saudi Arabia, Sudan, and Djibouti; he also made his North American debut in 1980. He recorded ten cassettes during his time in Jeddah.

Music In a 2009 interview, Bereket said he had recorded around 200 out of a total of 250 songs he had composed over the past fifty years.

Discography Albums Hagerey Afqire (c. 1978) Bitihti Gezana (Guitar Version)(c. 1979) Baburey (c. 1980) Libey-Vol. 5 (1984) Hagerey-Vol. 7 (1989) Tarik-Vol.8 (1990) Tsehay Tewelida-Vol. 9 (1991) Bshimkum-Vol. 10 (1992) Nehna Hager-Vol. 11 (1993) Alimna-Vol. 12 (1995) Hizbi Ertra-Vol. 13 (1999) Tsnat-Vol. 14 (2001) Hizbi Alem-Vol. 15 (2007) Balena-Vol. 21 (2011)

Compilation albums Bereket Mengisteab (1961-1974) Vol. 1-Embaba Adey (2003) Bereket Mengisteab (1961-1974) Vol. 2-Milena (2004) Bereket Mengisteab (1961-1974) Vol. 3-Meley (2005) Bereket Mengisteab (1961-1974) Vol. 4-Ufey Breri (2005)