Asnaketch Worku

About Asnaketch Worku

Asnaketch Worku was a pioneering Ethiopian actress, krar player, and singer, often called the Billie Holiday of Ethiopia. The first woman to appear on the Ethiopian national stage, she accompanied her smoky, unflinching voice on the krar lyre, singing of love, loss, and desire with rare candor. Her recordings, gathered on Éthiopiques Vol. 16, preserve a fearless artist at the heart of the azmari tradition.