Artist Spotlight | Berhane Okantah

Photo by Mull Media

Can you tell us a little bit about your artistic journey? How did you first get interested in your medium?

I’ve played music my entire life. I began instructing in high school and started my first band around the same time. Teaching and playing out has been the most consistent passion in my life.

What do you hope to convey through your art? Is there a message or emotion that you try to communicate to your audience?

Music is about unity and togetherness. These principles apply to people of all ages and backgrounds, and I’ve always enjoyed sharing them with others. Most importantly, I want people to know that everyone has some music or rhythm in them in some way, shape, or form.

Can you walk us through your creative process? Do you have any particular routines or rituals that help you get into the mindset of creating?

Praying and thanking God for this gift I’ve been blessed with before every show, performance, and class is, of course, part of my routine. Then, start off simple and build on simple ideas that people can follow and enjoy playing.

What impact do you hope your art has on the Akron community? How do you see your work contributing to the larger conversation around art and culture in the city?

Our people must understand how powerful our ancient culture truly is. Because we live in this day and age, we often forget where our people come from, and what’s worse is that it’s come to the point where many of our people don’t even believe in our connection to Africa. My mission is to help create interest and engagement with our roots and culture for our people.