The award-winning journalist will oversee THR’s music content material for the model’s web site and journal.
The Hollywood Reporter is increasing its music protection and has employed Mesfin Fekadu as its senior music editor.
An award-winning journalist who spent 13 years at The Related Press, Fekadu will oversee THR’s music content material for the model’s web site and journal. Fekadu will begin his new place Dec. 5 and report back to David Katz, THR’s Govt Editor.
“Mesfin is likely one of the finest music journalists within the enterprise, frequently breaking information whereas additionally writing insightful profiles on probably the most dynamic artists within the area, in addition to spotlighting key traits throughout the trade,” stated Nekesa Mumbi Moody, THR’s editorial director. “His curiosity additionally expands into TV and movie. I had the pleasure of working with Mesfin for greater than a decade at The Related Press and watched how he took its music protection to new heights, and I do know he'll do the identical for The Hollywood Reporter.”
Fekadu, a local of Philadelphia, joined the AP in 2008 within the video leisure division; he later turned music author in 2012 and music editor in 2014. He was named senior journalist in 2019 and left the AP in 2021 to hitch Netflix to deal with written communication campaigns for authentic movies, sequence and documentaries.
“I'm excited to return to journalism, be a part of the gifted employees at The Hollywood Reporter and reunite with my former boss and mentor, Nekesa Mumbi Moody,” Fekadu stated. “I'm wanting ahead to breaking information on the music beat, giving these within the music world an outlet to share their tales and offering readers with a spot to learn genuine music information from somebody who understands the tradition.”
Fekadu, 36, was instrumental in main and increasing the AP’s leisure reporting, overseeing protection on the Grammy Awards, Tremendous Bowl, each inaugurations of former President Barack Obama, New York Trend Week and extra. He has interviewed the titans of the leisure world, together with Beyoncé, Aretha Franklin, Oprah Winfrey, Jay-Z, The Rolling Stones, Taylor Swift, Barbra Streisand, Rihanna, Dave Chappelle and plenty of others.
He frequently broke information on the leisure and music beats, incomes a New York Press Membership Award in 2019 for unique reporting on the dying of Aretha Franklin. His reporting concerning the ins and outs of the Grammys led to a number of information breaks; Fekadu lately broke the information that Nicki Minaj’s rap smash, “Tremendous Freaky Woman,” was kicked out of the rap classes and positioned in pop.
His work earned him three Los Angeles Press Membership Awards, and he landed eight nominations on the 2021 Nationwide Arts & Leisure Journalism Awards, together with a bid for on-line journalist of the 12 months. Fekadu was named a Craig Newmark Philanthropies Fellow for the Society of Options Journalism in 2019; he has sat on the SFJ board since 2020. His alma mater, Saint Peter’s College, introduced him with its Rising Star Award this 12 months for “undertaking an ideal deal of their time since commencement, persevering with to make a distinction of their area and exhibiting unbelievable promise for the long run.”