The Story

Since time immemorial, the Oromo have used the melody of song to vocalize their identity. In times of sorrow, we sing. In times of struggle, we sing. In times of joy, we sing. And as an expression of our love for who we are and our collective strive to free Oromiyaa, we sing even louder.

The Oromo music industry has grown mightily in this digital era: more artists, more songs, more creativity, and more engagement.

Unfortunately, there is a problem.

Although artists have recently begun to upload their music to popular streaming services like Spotify and Apple Music, much of our past music and upcoming singers are left behind. Even if all of our music was eventually available, your favourite artist's song can often be removed without warning. I'm sure you have noticed this and felt that feeling of loss.

The prime example is Galaanaa Gaaromsaa's 2019 album "Baallii." The celebrated album was made available on music streaming sites like Spotify, but are nowhere to be seen now! Today, only a single one of his songs, published as part of an Oromo music compilation, is on Spotify.

Where did it all go? Who knows.

But what we do know is this: YouTube is the only place where we can go to watch anything Oromo-related. Oromo music videos, dramas, comedies, news, late-night shows, and more. It is all there.

However, when it comes to listening to music in my car or playing music on a speaker at an event, YouTube doesn't cut it. Imagine all the data, battery life, and our own energy we waste by playing YouTube videos (not audio) for hours. And don't remind us about how YouTube videos don't play while your phone is closed.

It's nobody's fault, but it's our problem:

For the diaspora, listening to Oromo music has been in part restricted to the home, the place where your Smart TV plays YouTube using your internet. Once you step outside, you lose full convenient access to our collective voice.

For those in Oromiyaa, where the internet is less accessible, your connection to our collective voice is often restricted to the few songs you downloaded to your Tecno phone at the Internet café. That is all you take back home; in the countryside or city.

The Solution

Our name, Sagalee Oromo Music App, is such because it strives to be the collection of Oromo voices far and wide. Sagalee is an Afaan Oromoo word that translates as "voice" or "sound" depending on the context. So then to say Sagalee Oromoo is to say "the voice of the Oromo," not "the sound of the Oromo." A sound can be unclear, vague, and maybe disjointed.

A voice is different. A voice has purpose, passion, and is a personification of someone. Hence, our motto champions the creation of "the collective voice of Oromiyaa." It is a tribute to the purpose, passion, and personification of Oromiyaa that every Oromo artist embodies in some shape or form.

Instead of having our voices be an incoherent sound due to global platforms being too big to care about us, why not nurture our own collective voice that rings loud and true for all?

This is the solution that the Sagalee Oromo Music App strives to make a reality. Don't you wish the same?