Ye zegelila let - Yihunie Belay የዘገሊላ ለት

Yehunie Belay was born to his father Mr. Belay Melese, who was a farmer and a patriot defender of the people, in the western part of the country known as Gojjam, while his mother Mrs. Tadefalech Eneyew was a simple housewife who raised and took care of the three children.

Yehunie Belay attended his early education in what is called Kes Temheret Bet in his area from the age of 4–7. Then he joined Fenote Selame Kedamawe Haile Selassie Elementary School and further completed his secondary school in 1987 from Damote Comprehensive Secondary High School.
Meanwhile, Yehunie Belay’s musical talent started at early age. He started developing his singing talent back then participating in kids’ musical group at the age of 9. His love for traditional music added to his exceptional musical talent gave young Yehunie a chance to join and grow in his musical rank. He later became to be known as one of the best singers in his generation. All these achievements came as a result of his hard work, dedication and patience developing and mastering the art of music. To become turned into an excellent and finely tuned musician as he is right now, Yehunie Belay has to go through a refinement process of different hierarchical stages beginning at Kebele (local) level, Woreda (district), Aweraja and finally to Kifle Hagre (state) level. Yehunie Belay is also best known for his other gifted qualities as a Music writer, a musical drama creator for many performances- including "Antoyewa"(an Ethiopian Television (ETV) musical drama hit performance loved and remembered for eternity by Ethiopians, as a musical coordinator and group leader. Yehunie Belay developed all these professional capabilities through long years of hard work, learning and his dedication to his musical career.

Early professional career
Yehunie Belay’s professional musical career started in 1987 when he was recruited into the Gojjam Gish Abay Cultural Group, a professional troupe that was touring Ethiopia throughout the 1980s and 1990s. It was after his very first televised musical performance of Antuyewa (a dramatic musical act that was so authentic and original to traditional music lovers of Ethiopia), that Yehunie Belay put his great mark in Ethiopian music. His fame extended farther into the Ethiopian Community of the US, Europe and the Middle East.

Present day
After Artist Yehunie Belay moved to the US in 1993, he released yet other hit albums like Alo-lulo in 1994, Kuku Melekote in 1999, Be-Be Kefilaw Ser in 2001, Yeman Nesh Wubetam(Zegelila) in 2004, Yehunie Belay Classics in 2007 and Zengena in 2008. In 2011, he released a single hit song titled "Yegodelegn ale-Bezoro". In 2013 Artist Yehunie belay released yet another two single hit songs the first song titled "Enquane Des Aleshe" glorifying the Ethiopian National Soccer team upon their achievement. The second single hit song was released in 2013 was dedicated to the beautiful city of "Bahir Dar" which is also the source of the Blue Nile(Abay).
Artist Yehunie Belay is not only a renowned singer, but also the executive director of The Ethiopian Yellow pages Inc., a Washington, D.C.–based online and yellow pages book publication and also editor-in-chief of Bawza, an Amharic English online newspaper publication. Yehunie Belay seizes every opportunity to devote his time and promote the interests of the Ethiopian community in Washington metropolitan area. The young Ethiopian folk singer and entrepreneur, Yehunie Belay is a devoted family man for whom his country, family and profession stands before everything.

Besides the respect he commands as a performer & through this family owned publication, Artist Yehunie Belay shoulders much responsibility for promoting the interest of Ethiopia and Ethiopians, especially those in the motherland. He even contributed to the senatorial campaign of the former first lady,Senator & Secretary of State - Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton. In the meeting he had with Mrs. Clinton, he presented one of his hit CD's titled “Kuku Melekote” also reminded her to keep Ethiopia in her heart once she takes her seat in the US Senate. In her personal thank you response letter dated September 15, 2000, from the White House, Mrs. Hillary Rodham Clinton highly appreciated Yehunie Belay’s “Kuku Melekote” CD gift and stated her pleasure meeting him in person.

Artist Yehunie Belay’s musical fame and exceptional talent has taken him to almost every state and major city in the United States and Canada. In addition, he has also staged musical performances around the world in countries like Germany, England, Sweden, France,Australia, New Zealand, Israel, the Middle East and Africa.

Academic career
Artist Yehunie Belay, determined to expand his achievement through academic excellence, has attended the American College of Commerce and Technology (ACCT) in Falls Church, Virginia State, and graduated in 2015 with an Bachelor of Science in Computer Information Systems. Artist Yehunie is currently enrolled in a Master of Science in Computer Information Systems .