Mikaya Behailu

Mikaya Behailu
Mikaya Behailu photoshoot
Background information
Born	(1977-05-30)30 May 1977 Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Origin	Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Died	24 December 2013(2013-12-24) (aged 36) Black Lion Hospital, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Genres	Ethiopian music
Years active	1990s–2013
Labels	Nahom Records

Mikaya Behailu (Amharic: ሚካያ በሃይሉ; 30 May 1977 – 24 December 2013) was an Ethiopian singer who gained prominence for her 2007 album Shemametew. She was nominee of the 2009 Kora Music Award in Nigeria.

On 24 December 2013, Mikaya died at Black Lion Hospital from complication of systematic lupus. In 2018, her second album Gize Binegudim posthumously released by Minew Shewa Records.

Life and career

Mikaya Behailu was born on May 30, 1977, in Addis Ababa. She grew up with a love for both literature and music, excelling at Bethlehem and Abyot Kirs schools. She later earned a degree in literature from Addis Ababa University in 2004, but her passion for singing couldn’t be held back. Before entering the music world, Mikaya taught at schools like School of Tomorrow and Addis International, always sharing her love for learning.

Her debut album, Shemametew, released in 2007, and she was even nominated for the Kora Music Award in 2009. She was working on her second album and pursuing a Master’s degree at Addis Ababa University.

Death

In September 2013, Mikaya was diagnosed with systemic lupus, a chronic autoimmune disease. On 24 December 2013, Mikaya, on the way to Black Lion Hospital in Addis Ababa, died on arrival a few hours before midnight. She was working to launch a talk show that focused on women. The final album, Gize Binegudim, has 12 tracks written by herself. It was posthumously released in January 2018 and available on iTunes and CD Baby. The original CD was brought from distributors.

Discography

Title	Year	Label
Shemametew	2007	Nahom Records
Gize Binegudim	2018	Minew Shewa Records