Ethiopia’s pop star Tewodros Kassahun will perform his first concert in the lakeshore town Bahir Dar, the administrative capital of Amhara Region on Sunday. Teddy was granted permit to perform there, though several permit applications for concerts in Addis Ababa were rejected.

The star is scheduled to perform on January 21 at the town’s stadium, new songs from his last album, and other all-time favourites, his manager Getachew Manguday said. “We are extremely happy that the permit was granted with no bureaucratic hassles,” the manager said. The concert is expected to draw more than 40 000 people.

Tickets are on sale and are priced at 350 birr and 1,000 birr for VIP.

Teddy Afro’s Ethiopian New Year’s Eve concert, scheduled to be held at the Addis Ababa’s Millennium Hall and an album release party for the fifth album scheduled at the Hilton hotel were canclled on September 2017. An interview with the artist on state television was abruptly cancelled, after which the interviewer resigned. The streak of cancellations has been attributed to some of his politically vocal songs.

Teddy’s fifth album, Ethiopia, was the fastest-selling record in the country’s history, and topped Billboard’s world albums chart.

(photo Maheder Hailesleassie)