“Latey: Looking for Love,” follows bachelor Messiah Hailemeskel as ten women compete for his heart.
The white stretch limo backs into the driveway, its sleek frame reflecting the anticipation in the air. One by one, the women step out of the car to meet the man whose affection they’ll be competing for — each determined to make a lasting impression.
One contestant playfully sprays the bachelor with perfume, while another offers to share a chocolate bar. A bold contender hands him a ring, declaring herself “wifey material,” while perhaps the most unforgettable entrance comes from the woman who serenades him.
These women come from different backgrounds and experiences — some have loved deeply before, others are new to romance — but they all share one thing: the hope that this might be the moment love finally finds them.
And just like that,Latey: Looking for Love — Ethiopia’s most groundbreaking reality show — begins.
The premise is simple: ten Ethiopian women compete for the affection ofMessiah Hailemeskel, a 37-year-old “diaspora Habesha” insurance broker from Texas, in a format similar to the U.S.-basedThe Bachelor. However, in Ethiopia, where courtship is traditionally less public and more male-led, such a show is unprecedented. In a culture that has never seen women openly pursue romance, Latey is flipping long-held gender norms and sparking national conversations about women’s role in romance.
“Some people associate it with cultural traditions and wondered if it went against that,” 26-year-old Sarah Hassen, one of the contestants, tells OkayAfrica. “Some said it was brave for a woman to say, ‘This is what I want,’ and be open to sharing that.”Latey: Looking for Love is the brainchild of D!nkTV, an Ethiopian media company transforming the landscape through high production values, compelling storytelling, and global accessibility. Since Latey’s release in late December on YouTube, it has become Ethiopia’s most talked-about show, with each weekly episode sparking chatter.
The premiere episode alone has garnered over 600,000 views in just two months, with 60 percent of viewers local and 40 percent from the diaspora, saysMetasebia Yoseph, D!nkTV’s co-founder and the show’s producer. “We weren’t sure what the response would be, but we gave it everything — financially, energetically, creatively — so we wouldn’t have any regrets,” she tells OkayAfrica. “The engagement, views and cultural impact have been more than we hoped for.”
Messiah Hailemeskel, the bachelor at the center of 'Latey: Looking for Love,' Ethiopia’s first reality dating show.
Photo courtesy of D!nkTV.
At first, audiences tuned in out of curiosity, intrigued by the novelty of an Ethiopian dating show. Viewers spanned generations, with Gen Z and millennials watching alongside their grandparents. The inclusion of English subtitles further broadened the show’s international reach. But as the episodes unfolded, skepticism turned to fascination. Beneath the reality TV format, Latey was doing something Ethiopia had never seen before — placing women at the center of their own narratives.
Dating to Empower
Despite its structure — a group of women competing for one man — Latey carries a distinctly feminist undercurrent. Each contestant is allowed to share personal stories, struggles and aspirations. The women come from diverse backgrounds — accountants, flight attendants, fashion designers and models — bringing their unique perspectives to the screen.
The women-first intent behind Latey was clear from the start. Yoseph originally envisioned the show with a female lead, but that idea eventually fell through. Even the name Latey is Amharic slang for bachelor and bachelorette. “We wanted to show an empowered woman,” Yoseph says. “People’s perception of Ethiopia can be antiquated, so we wanted something modern.”
But for the ten female contestants, being at the forefront of change has not been easy. The first few weeks were incredibly challenging, with intense backlash directed at them. Bethel Getahun, 25, faced harsh criticism, with some viewers messaging her directly to express their disappointment in her participation. “People were shocked. My neighbors told my aunt, ‘How could she do this?’ because my family is known as religious and proper,” she says. “It was the premise of ten women, one guy and we’re ‘chasing’ him that was hard for many. That alone is new to our culture.”
Contestants on Latey: Looking for Love raise their glasses in a toast.
Photo courtesy of D!nkTV.
Hassen, a TV host who had previously worked on a D!nkTV project, pitched herself to the producers when she heard the show’s concept. She was genuinely ready for a relationship and saw Latey as the perfect opportunity to meet someone prepared to be committed. However, with her tattoos — still widely stigmatized in Ethiopian society — she knew she would face judgment from the public.
“I know the looks I get from my tattoos, so I expected that backlash to be magnified on a bigger stage,” she says. “There’s a stigma here about women with tattoos — it’s seen as not feminine, or people assume you’re aggressive. But that’s far from the truth. My tattoos are a form of expression.”Choosing Sorority Over Drama
Hassen adds that a unique aspect of the show was how it portrayed women confidently and unapologetically going after what they wanted. “It’s not just about ‘fighting for a man,’” she explains. “It’s also discovering who you are and realizing it’s okay to say what you want. It’s okay to pursue something. That was my personal growth — caring more about what I think of myself rather than what other people say.”
Metasebia Yoseph, co-founder of D!nkTV and producer of Latey: Looking for Love, has helped reshape Ethiopian entertainment by pushing bold, modern storytelling.
Photo courtesy of Metasebia Yoseph.
While many expected Latey to thrive on catfights and rivalries — hallmarks of Western reality dating shows — the series showcases the strength of female bonds. Despite competing for the same man and production pushing for drama, the women often resisted, forming genuine friendships instead.
Their diverse experiences — like one Eritrean contestant’s migration struggle to build a better life in Ethiopia — added unexpected depth to the show. So much so that when an early scandal about the bachelor’s U.S. criminal record threatened to upend the series, it was quickly dismissedonce addressed.
“There was competition, of course, but it never felt cutthroat,” says Getahun, an architect-turned-content creator. “We genuinely cared about each other. Ultimately, the show was just as much about finding sisterhood as it was about love.”
This authenticity from the women — showing up fully as they are — has turned the show into a sleeper hit, says Yoseph. “I’m obsessed with the women in the cast for being brave enough to put themselves out there,” she says. “Their realness and authenticity differ from the usual reserved Ethiopian approach. I love seeing their stories and how audiences connect with them once they learn the context behind each woman’s life.”
Given the success of the show, she expects there will be another season. “Now people say they want a female bachelor for the next season!”
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