Tigist Shibabaw

Tigist was born and raised in Chagni, a small town in northwestern Ethiopia. She was one of ten siblings, born into a family of coffee farmers who relied on the local river for their harvest.[2] According to her sister Gigi, their household was always filled with entertainment, and the children of the house were often recruited to entertain guests.[2]

Tigist immigrated to the United States in 2000 to pursue a career in music, joining her older sister Gigi, who was already a globally acclaimed musician in her own right. Their father had initially forbidden Gigi from becoming an entertainer.[2]

Tigist performed with her sister Gigi on Gigi's debut album; she then became a lead vocalist for Bole2Harlem. The group's co-founder and producer David Schommer described her voice and singing as "a vital part of Bole2Harlem's sound."[3]

Tigist died at the age of twenty-eight in Bahar Dar, Ethiopia, where she is said to have traveled on a pilgrimage shortly after she finished recording with Bole2Harlem circa January 2008. Details regarding the circumstances surrounding her death never emerged, including the exact date of her death;[1][4] fans mourned her passing when they learned the news.[5] She was buried among family in Chagni, the town where she was born.[6]