Midi Maxi & Efti
Encyclopedia
Midi, Maxi & Efti was a Swedish
musical group with African influences from the early 1990s. Their two biggest hits were "Bad Bad Boys" and "Ragga Steady".
The band consisted of the two twin sisters Midi and Maxi Berhanu and their friend Freweyni "Efti" Teclehaimanot, all of them born in 1976. Midi and Maxi were refugees from Ethiopia
and came to Sweden
with their parents in 1985. Efti was born in a refugee camp in Eritrea
and also arrived in Sweden in 1985. The three girls met in the Stockholm
suburb
of Akalla
.
Their self-titled album was released in 1991 and spawned three singles, "Bad Bad Boys", "Ragga Steady" and "Masenko
". Although the girls contributed lyrics, most of the Africa-inspired songs were in fact composed and produced by the men behind Army of Lovers
– Alexander Bard
, Anders Wollbeck
and Per Adebratt, assisted by E-type and Stakka Bo. Styling was done by Jean-Pierre Barda
and Camilla Thulin
.
In 1992, the album was released in the U.S. by Columbia Records
, and a video was made for "Ragga Steady", directed by Frank Sacramento. The band split up after a few short tours of the U.S., South Africa
and France
.
Their songs have been featured in the TV series Beavis and Butthead and the movies For Love or Money (starring Michael J. Fox
) and Untamed Heart
. The members have since recorded songs separately, but nothing has been released.
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
musical group with African influences from the early 1990s. Their two biggest hits were "Bad Bad Boys" and "Ragga Steady".
The band consisted of the two twin sisters Midi and Maxi Berhanu and their friend Freweyni "Efti" Teclehaimanot, all of them born in 1976. Midi and Maxi were refugees from Ethiopia
Ethiopia
Ethiopia , officially known as the Federal Democratic Republic of Ethiopia, is a country located in the Horn of Africa. It is the second-most populous nation in Africa, with over 82 million inhabitants, and the tenth-largest by area, occupying 1,100,000 km2...
and came to Sweden
Sweden
Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....
with their parents in 1985. Efti was born in a refugee camp in Eritrea
Eritrea
Eritrea , officially the State of Eritrea, is a country in the Horn of Africa. Eritrea derives it's name from the Greek word Erethria, meaning 'red land'. The capital is Asmara. It is bordered by Sudan in the west, Ethiopia in the south, and Djibouti in the southeast...
and also arrived in Sweden in 1985. The three girls met in the Stockholm
Stockholm
Stockholm is the capital and the largest city of Sweden and constitutes the most populated urban area in Scandinavia. Stockholm is the most populous city in Sweden, with a population of 851,155 in the municipality , 1.37 million in the urban area , and around 2.1 million in the metropolitan area...
suburb
Suburb
The word suburb mostly refers to a residential area, either existing as part of a city or as a separate residential community within commuting distance of a city . Some suburbs have a degree of administrative autonomy, and most have lower population density than inner city neighborhoods...
of Akalla
Akalla
Akalla is a district in Rinkeby-Kista borough, Stockholm, Sweden. Akalla has 8,153 inhabitants as of December 31, 2007, in which immigrants, mostly from Asia, make up 64 % of the population....
.
Their self-titled album was released in 1991 and spawned three singles, "Bad Bad Boys", "Ragga Steady" and "Masenko
Masenqo
The masenqo is a single-stringed bowed lute commonly found in the musical traditions of Ethiopia and Eritrea. As with the krar, this instrument is used by Ethiopian minstrels called azmaris...
". Although the girls contributed lyrics, most of the Africa-inspired songs were in fact composed and produced by the men behind Army of Lovers
Army Of Lovers
Army of Lovers are a Swedish dance music group formed in 1987.The name of the band alludes to a documentary Armee der Liebenden oder Revolte der Perversen about the German gay rights activist Rosa von Praunheim, the title of which in turn alludes to the Theban Band.-History:The founding members,...
– Alexander Bard
Alexander Bard
Alexander Bengt Magnus Bard is a Swedish artist, music producer and writer.-Background and education:Bard was born Alexander Bengt Magnus Bard in Medevi, Motala Municipality, Sweden. After he had completed his upper secondary education, Bard studied in the United States and in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
, Anders Wollbeck
Anders Wollbeck
Anders Wilhelm Axel Wollbeck is a Swedish songwriter and producer. He plays the guitar and keyboard. He is part of the songwriting and production duo Vacuum together with Mattias Lindblom...
and Per Adebratt, assisted by E-type and Stakka Bo. Styling was done by Jean-Pierre Barda
Jean-Pierre Barda
Jean-Pierre Barda is a Swedish singer, actor, make up artist and hair dresser of Algerian descent. He is most notable for being one of the founding members of the pop group Army of Lovers.- Early life :...
and Camilla Thulin
Camilla Thulin
Camilla Thulin is one of Sweden's best-known fashion designers. She is particularly known for having designed all of Army of Lovers' outfits, and for having given Swedish politician Lars Leijonborg his new "man of the people" image in the lead-up to the 2002 Swedish elections...
.
In 1992, the album was released in the U.S. by Columbia Records
Columbia Records
Columbia Records is an American record label, owned by Japan's Sony Music Entertainment, operating under the Columbia Music Group with Aware Records. It was founded in 1888, evolving from an earlier enterprise, the American Graphophone Company — successor to the Volta Graphophone Company...
, and a video was made for "Ragga Steady", directed by Frank Sacramento. The band split up after a few short tours of the U.S., South Africa
South Africa
The Republic of South Africa is a country in southern Africa. Located at the southern tip of Africa, it is divided into nine provinces, with of coastline on the Atlantic and Indian oceans...
and France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
.
Their songs have been featured in the TV series Beavis and Butthead and the movies For Love or Money (starring Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox
Michael J. Fox, OC is a Canadian American actor, author, producer, activist and voice-over artist. With a film and television career spanning from the late 1970s, Fox's roles have included Marty McFly from the Back to the Future trilogy ; Alex P...
) and Untamed Heart
Untamed Heart
Untamed Heart is a 1993 film starring Christian Slater and Marisa Tomei. It mixes drama with romance and comedy and tells the story of a young woman, always unlucky in love, finally finding true love in a very shy young man. The film is directed by Tony Bill, and written by Tom Sierchio...
. The members have since recorded songs separately, but nothing has been released.