# How to override one artist name

**URL:** <https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970>\
**Category:** Help\
**Created:** [December 24, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970 "2021-12-24T19:49:46Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 11\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![JoeBeats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JoeBeats](https://discourse.beets.io/u/JoeBeats)\
**Post date:** [December 24, 2021, 7:49pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/1 "2021-12-24T19:49:46Z")

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I have a CD by Ofra Haza - this is the CD in case that’s relevant: [https://musicbrainz.org/release/041fd465-7b74-4c0c-b326-bfb348adb3d1](https://musicbrainz.org/release/041fd465-7b74-4c0c-b326-bfb348adb3d1)

The meta tags for her name look like:  
comment[3]: ALBUM ARTIST=עפרה חזה  
comment[4]: ALBUMARTIST=עפרה חזה  
comment[5]: ALBUMARTIST\_CREDIT=Ofra Haza  
comment[6]: ALBUMARTISTSORT=Haza, Ofra

I want the directory filename to be ‘O/Ofra Haza/’  
but it was creating ‘\_/עפרה חזה/’  
I then added ‘asciify\_paths: yes’ to my config file  
and now it creates \_/`prh\ KHzh/

I understand why it’s doing this, and no disrespect to the culture, but how can I get this to show up as ‘O/Ofra Haza/’? Can I do something in my config file for this one artist, even if that is a hack?

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**Author:** ![JoeBeats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JoeBeats](https://discourse.beets.io/u/JoeBeats)\
**Post date:** [December 25, 2021, 12:17am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/2 "2021-12-25T00:17:07Z")

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FYI, I tried adding “language: en” to my config file and re-importing this one, but it made no difference.

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**Author:** ![pwr](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.beets.io/pwr/32/245_2.png) [@pwr](https://discourse.beets.io/u/pwr)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 10:12am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/3 "2021-12-26T10:12:21Z")

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```auto
asciify-paths: yes

```

[https://beets.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/config.html#asciify-paths](https://beets.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/config.html#asciify-paths)

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**Author:** ![JoeBeats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JoeBeats](https://discourse.beets.io/u/JoeBeats)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 11:17am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/4 "2021-12-26T11:17:37Z")

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After adding “asciify\_paths: yes” to my config file, it changed the path from  
“_/עפרה חזה/"  
to  
"_/`prh KHzh/”

But I want it to be “O/Ofra Haza/”

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**Author:** ![adrian](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.beets.io/adrian/32/4_2.png) [@adrian](https://discourse.beets.io/u/adrian)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 10:55pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/5 "2021-12-26T22:55:54Z")

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The option is called `languages`, not `language`, FYI:  
[https://beets.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/config.html#languages](https://beets.readthedocs.io/en/stable/reference/config.html#languages)

But of course, that only works if MusicBrainz has the appropriate alias information. You may consider just doing `beet modify -a 'עפרה חזה' albumartist='Ofra Haza'` to make the change yourself.

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**Author:** ![JoeBeats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JoeBeats](https://discourse.beets.io/u/JoeBeats)\
**Post date:** [December 26, 2021, 11:28pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/6 "2021-12-26T23:28:37Z")

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Thanks, adrian.  
I tried “languages: en” and it made no difference.

I used your suggestion of modifying albumartist, and that did accomplish what I wanted, but this could get un-done if I ever do a full refresh (reimport) of my database, right? I guess that’s something I’ll just have to keep in mind.

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**Author:** ![arogl](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.beets.io/arogl/32/455_2.png) [@arogl](https://discourse.beets.io/u/arogl)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 1:25am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/7 "2021-12-27T01:25:37Z")

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> [@adrian](#):
>
> `beet modify -a 'עפרה חזה' albumartist='Ofra Haza'`

in your config.yaml file, you can always add this in the replace section

```auto
replace:
    'עפרה חזה': 'Ofra Haza'

```

This will replace every use of ‘עפרה חזה’ with ‘Ofra Haza’

This will not get over ridden on a re-import

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**Author:** ![JoeBeats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JoeBeats](https://discourse.beets.io/u/JoeBeats)\
**Post date:** [December 27, 2021, 2:59pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/8 "2021-12-27T14:59:57Z")

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I like the ‘replace’ solution better - thanks!

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**Author:** ![RollingStar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.beets.io/rollingstar/32/728_2.png) [@RollingStar](https://discourse.beets.io/u/RollingStar)\
**Post date:** [January 3, 2022, 7:45pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/9 "2022-01-03T19:45:07Z")

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If you set a primary EN alias on musicbrainz and sync with musicbrainz (`mbsync`?) you should be able to have it match correctly. I do this to allow my changes to be used by everyone.

> **[吉村弘 - Aliases - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/9a197894-1a40-4650-89a2-928dcfcd1ef6/aliases)**
>
> composer and musician, Type: Person, Gender: Male, Born: 1940-10-22 in Yokohama, Died: 2003-10-23, Area: Japan

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![JoeBeats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/34f0e0/32.png) [@JoeBeats](https://discourse.beets.io/u/JoeBeats)\
**Post date:** [January 7, 2022, 12:24am UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/10 "2022-01-07T00:24:24Z")

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This artist, Ofra Haza, already has a primary EN alias, but I don’t see how that helps my local file naming?

> **[עפרה חזה - Aliases - MusicBrainz](https://musicbrainz.org/artist/7591796a-a545-4b51-ba52-bf2539b90d99/aliases)**
>
> Type: Person, Gender: Female, Born: 1957-11-19 in Tel Aviv, Died: 2000-02-23 in Ramat Gan, Area: Israel

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![RollingStar](https://yyz1.discourse-cdn.com/flex029/user_avatar/discourse.beets.io/rollingstar/32/728_2.png) [@RollingStar](https://discourse.beets.io/u/RollingStar)\
**Post date:** [February 12, 2022, 11:53pm UTC](https://discourse.beets.io/t/how-to-override-one-artist-name/1970/11 "2022-02-12T23:53:15Z")

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I’m not sure why it’s not working. Can you try it without the bucket? So it’s just /musicpath/Ofra…