Sauti Sol was one of the best music bands in Africa. After more than 18 years of entertaining the world, they announced an indefinite hiatus as the members pursued their personal interests. That said, they remain wildly popular, and their songs still resonate with a lot of us. How did Sauti Sol come to be? Let’s explore.
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Formation of Sauti Sol
The members of Sauti Sol Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano, Savara Mudigi and Polycarp Otieno met in high school. All but Polycarp attended Upper Hill, whom they met at Alliance Francais. By that time, Bien, Chimano and Savara had formed the group and named it Voices in the Sun.
Post their high school lives, they worked on developing their music. During this period, the band released their first album Mwanzo in 2009. They followed this up with Sol Filosofia in 2011.
Sauti Sol’s Music
Sauti Sol sings in Swahili and English. Their music is soulful (no pan intended) and incorporates artistically played instruments. After the success of their second album Sol Filosofia which had hit songs like Coming Home, they forged ahead and released an Extended Play (EP), ‘Sauti Sol’, with a South African singer. This exposed them to different cultures.
In the following years, Sauti Sol released hit after hit. These include:
“Live and Die in Afrika” in 2015 which had a total of 400,000 downloads within the first 24 hours of its release. Some of the songs in the album include:
- Live and Die in Afrika
- Nerea
- Kuliko Jana
- Sura Yako
- Nishike
The next album ‘African Sauce’ came about in 2019. They worked with artists across the African continent. They include:
- Burna Boy
- Tiwa Savage
- Yemi Alade
- Mi Casa
- Nyashinki
- Jah Prayzah
- Toofan
- Bebe Cool
Some of the notable songs include Short N Sweet and Melanin.
In 2020, Sauti Sol dropped another gem and what is now their last album in “Midnight Train”. It highlights their musical journey and how much they’ve invested in their careers. Some of the songs include:
- My Everything
- Wake Up
- Rhumba Japani
- Suzanna
- Insecure
It’s not clear whether they’ll reunite. In their statement announcing their break, they said they remain friends and business partners. Also, they are looking for new ways to entertain their audience
“While the indefinite hiatus marks the end of a specific chapter, it also represents a new beginning for Sauti Sol. As close friends and business partners, the band members are eager to explore fresh creative avenues and embark on personal endeavours. However, their friendship and shared vision will continue to be the driving force behind their future projects,” said Sauti Sol.
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Members of the Sauti Sol Band
Willis Austin Chimano
Chimano is popular for his baritone voice and playing the saxophone and keytar. His fashion sense has repeatedly sparked controversy about his sexuality until he came out as gay in 2021. In 2022, he released an album ‘Heavy Is The Crown’.
This album, Chimano explained, allows him to express himself.
“It feels good to be authentic, at peace and centred. This EP is who I am. I’m coming out of my shell. It takes time for who you’re to shine bright,” Chimano told Nation Africa.
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Savara Mudigi
Savara is a vocalist, drummer, actor, DJ and producer. Speaking to a Kenyan show, he said that he began to explore his talent when he was in primary.
“I was a very active child. I did a lot of things when I was in primary school and that’s where I realised I had something in me.”
Bien-Aimé Baraza
Bien is a songwriter, vocalist and guitarist. He says that his father heavily influenced him.
“My father was a big music collector. Growing up, I listened to a lot of African music from South Africa, Congo and Kenya among others. I also listened to Gospel and a lot of musicians who came before me.”
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Polycarp Otieno
Also known as Fancy Fingers, he’s praised for his prowess on the guitar. His parents inspired his love for music. They largely listened to Lingala and Luo songs.
“My father listened to a lot of lingala and ohangla. I tried to deviate from that because I wanted to look trendy. However, when I was around 12, or 13 years, I gravitated towards the same music. That’s how it started for me.”
Sauti Sol’s Awards
Throughout their music career, Sauti Sol has scooped a lot of awards, in Kenya, Africa and beyond. Here’s a list of some of their biggest awards.
Abryanz Style and Fashion Awards
2015: East Africa’s Most Stylish Male Artist
2017: Most Stylish Male Artiste – Africa
African Muzik Magazine Awards
2015: Best African Group
All Africa Music Awards
2015: Best African Group
2019: Afrikan Sauce won Album of the Year & best African Duo, Group, or Band
Channel O Music Video Awards
2012: “I Don’t Want to Be Alone” won Most Gifted East African Video
Kilimanjaro Tanzania Music Awards
2015: “Surayako” won Best Song, East Africa
MTV Awards
2016: Won Best Group
MTV Europe Music Awards
2014: Won Best African Act & nominated for the Best Worldwide Act
Sauti Sol is always going to be part of the Kenyan music scene. Whether we’ll see them produce music again as a band or not, they have a place in history. If you’re looking for some music equipment, head over to Amazon.
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