Muluqèn Mèllèssè

Muluqèn Mèllèssè (born 1954) was an Ethiopian singer and drummer who later abandoned his music career to involve himself in the Pentecostal Church.

Melesse was born in Gojjiam province, Northern Ethiopia. When he was six, he moved to Addis Ababa with his uncle. In 1966, aged 12, he began his musical career singing at night clubs and in groups founded by night club owners, with his first song to be performed on stage, Enate Sitewoldgne Metchi Amakerchign.

His first song to be recorded was Hedetch Alu, which was recorded in 1972 by Girma Bèyènè (piano and arrangements), Tesfa Mariam Kidane (tenor sax), Tekle Adhanonm (guitar), Fekade Amde Meskel (bass), Tesfay Mekonnen (drums) and Mèllèssè himself. In 1975, he recorded his second song, Wetetie Mare and Ete Endenesh Gedawo, with ‘Equator Band’, and a year later in 1976 he recorded what was to be his last song, Ney Ney Wodaje.

While the remained of the band emigrated to the United States of America, Mèllèssè remained in Ethiopia to join the Pentecostal Church in the 1980s, having ended his musical career.
“In the early 1980 Muluken accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as his saviour and Lord. From his own testimony, he chose to follow Jesus Christ completely by leaving the world behind. Since then He served the Lord with all his heart.

Mèllèssè has been frequently approached by people asking if he would return to the music world but he prefers to be with the people of the Lord and minister to them.