Ethiocolor is a neo-traditional Ethiopian ensemble of the most accomplished musicians and dancers from the country. This 12-member touring group includes four dancers, two singers, kebero (traditional drums), a masinqo (one-stringed bowed fiddle), a krar (six-stringed lyre), and a bass krar. 

Nourished by diverse Ethiopian music and dance traditions and cross-cultural exchange, Ethiocolor presents energetic, free-spirited sounds and movements that are at once culturally specific and internationally resonant. Founded in 2009 by Melaku Belay, Ethiopia’s leading dancer and cultural ambassador, Ethiocolor is based at the renowned Fendika Cultural Center in Addis Ababa, where the band routinely shares the stage with traditional Azmaris and Jazz musicians. From this dynamic musical home, Fendika absorbs multiple influences and builds partnerships with international musicians such as the Ex (Dutch punk band), Large Unit (Norwegian Jazz band), Kurage Band (Japanese Jazz fusion band), and K-Sanchis (Swiss Ethio-Jazz band). Fendika tours Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa, and Asia. Ethiocolor CDs include Ethiocolor (2014), Birabiro (2016), EthioBraz (2019), with Large Unit, and Gojo, with K-Sanchis (2023). 

Besides performing, Ethiocolor offers workshops on Ethiopian culture, dance, and music. Director Melaku Belay received a 2015 French Medal for the Arts, a 2020 Prince Claus Award, a 2022 TED Fellowship, a 2023 Star of Italy medal, and the 2024 inaugural EU Schuman Award for Human Rights. Lead singer Nardos/Wude Tesfaw is the central character in Stand Up, My Beauty!, a 2021 European film exploring music and gender in Ethiopia. Ethiocolor is chosen to represent Ethiopia in a 2023 USA tour funded by the US State Department. 

Invoking ancestral blessings and contemporary experiences, Ethiocolor shows how Ethiopian music and dance have evolved to transcend time and space. The group’s artistry and ensemble spirit remind audiences everywhere of our shared human desire and capacity for peace, love, joy and justice.