Song of pain for missing brother

IT has been more than a year since Nazrawi Woldemichael disappeared, but his brother Promise Tekeste is keeping hope alive through the power of music.

“Naz” went missing from his home in North Hobart in October 2016 at the age of 19, leaving Mr Tekeste and his family distraught.

But at 5pm today Mr Tekeste, an up-and-coming rap artist, will be launching his latest song, Missing You, on Triple J and ABC in honour of his missing brother.

Through the song — and a film clip shot by local filmmaker Dane Meale destined for YouTube — Mr Tekeste said he was giving a voice to those who are missing or forgotten while urging others to discuss their feelings of loss.

“It’s about having someone to resonate with, where others may be going through the same thing,” he said. “I didn’t know how to [write] it as he’s still missing ... and it’s difficult knowing that he’s gone. But it’s an amazing feeling now that it’s done, for him.”

Mr Tekeste said the search for Naz continued but there were no leads.

“I have a lot of faith he’s still out there,” he said.

Naz was last seen exiting his Trinity House apartment at North Hobart around 5pm on October 9, 2016.

According to the Australian Federal Police, there have been no confirmed sightings of him since.

His family last spoke to him on September 22, but said there was nothing unusual about his mood. Mr Woldemichael suffered serious injuries in a road crash in 2014, which his mother Hirut Woldemichael thinks may be affecting him.

The University of Tasmania arts student is about 170cm tall, of thin build, with curly short black hair. He has brown eyes and an olive complexion.

As Promise’s song goes national, the Missing Persons Advocacy Network plans to unveil three billboards near Mathers Place later this week featuring missing persons posters, including Naz. The initiative is part of the Unmissables Project, which involves the pairing of artists and authors with the family of a missing person to humanise their loved one in an artwork. To report a missing person call 131 444 or contact your nearest police station.

To listen to Promise’s song for his brother Naz, go to the mercury.com.au at 5pm today