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Sauti Sol is a well-known Kenyan music band consisting of singers, rappers, songwriters and record producers. The band was formed in 2005 in Nairobi, Kenya by singers Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano and Savara Mudigi.
The band’s music is a fusion of Afropop, rock, R&B and electronic music. They have released five studio albums: Mwanzo (2008), Sol Filosofia (2011), Live and Die in Africa (2015), Afrikan Sauce (2017) and Midnight Train (2020).
Sauti Sol has won numerous awards, including Best Group at the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards and Best International Act at the 2015 BET Awards. They have also been nominated for a Grammy Award, and their song “Unconditional Love” was used on the soundtrack of the 2016 film A Beautiful Lie.
Kenyan band
Sotisol |
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 Sauti Sol: History, Biography, Photos |
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| Wiki facts and figures | |
| Full name‧Founder: | Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Zawara Mudiji, Polycarp Otieno |
| stage name: | Sotisol |
| Date of Birth: | 2005 (19 years old) |
| place of birth: | Nairobi, Kenya |
| member: | Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Zawara Mudiji, Polycarp Otieno |
| Country of Citizenship: | Kenya |
| high: | not applicable |
| parents: | not applicable |
| Brothers and sisters: | not applicable |
| Wife • Spouse: | unmarried |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | not applicable |
| Children: | not applicable |
| Profession: | Musician • Guitarist |
| net worth: | $20 million |
History/ Early life
Sauti Sol was formed in 2005 as an a cappella group by Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano and Savara Mudigi, who met at Upper Hill High School and sang in the school’s music group Voices in the Light.
They then met guitarist Polycarp Otieno, a former student at Strathmore School, at the Alliance Française in Nairobi, and decided to form Sauti (which means “sound” in Swahili), and immediately wrote their first song, “Mafunzo ya Dunia” (literally: Lessons of the World), which later appeared on their debut studio album, Mwanzo.
Sauti Sol (said to mean “sounds in the sun”) was formed after the Spanish word “Sol” (sun) was added to the band’s name. The band participated in the 2006 Focus on Kenya music competition organized by the Alliance Française in Nairobi.
Sauti Sol appeared on the album compilation recording and was later signed to Penya Records. All four members obtained degrees in Kenya. Savara Mudigi studied business and finance at Africa Nazarene University, while Bien-Aimé Baraza studied journalism at American International University.
Polycarp Otieno, who joined the organization before its formation, studied Actuarial Science at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. In contrast, Willis Austin Chimano studied Journalism at the University of Nairobi.
On August 4, 2009, Sauti Sol released their debut studio album Mwanzo through their record label Penya Records to critical acclaim. Two years later, they released their second studio album Sol Filosofia.
The music video for the album’s second song, “Coming Home”, won the Best Music Video award at the 2011 Kisima Music Awards, and the group was also named Best Fusion Artist/Group of the Year.
Sauti Sol and Live and Die In Afrika
In July 2012, Sauti Sol released her self-titled album in collaboration with South African rapper and record producer Spoek Mathambo, who produced the EP in Nairobi and Johannesburg. The music video for the album’s lead single, Range Rover, was shot at Hembrug in Zaandam, the Netherlands, an old ammunition factory that is now an official cultural heritage site and is colloquially known as “the Cathedral”.
Kenyan singer Dela Maranga, who had previously worked with Mwanzo’s band Mama Papa, appeared on the song “Slow”, collaborating with Spoek Mathambo. The video was shot in Amsterdam. The band subsequently released “Love or Leave” as the second single from the EP, and the music video was shot in Amsterdam while the band was on tour.
African Sauces and Midnight Trains
Sauti Sol’s fourth studio album, Afrikan Sauce, was released on January 31, 2019. Primarily an Afropop and R&B record, Afrikan Sauce marks a change from the typical acoustic sound of their past albums. Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Vanessa Mdee, Yemi Alade, Khaligraph Jones, Nyashinski, Bebe Cool, Mi Casa, Toofan, Jah Prayzah and C4 Pedro all contributed to the album.
The 13-track album follows previous singles such as Melanin, Girl Next Door, Afrikan Star, Short N Sweet and Tujiangalie. Sauti Sol described the album as an attempt at “artistic and cultural exchange” and announced that it would be released in late 2017.
They also revealed that they planned to release a new album with a different African artiste every month, but due to financial constraints, this idea could not be realized.
Sauti Sol’s fifth studio album, Midnight Train, was released on June 5, 2020. The album features songs by guest African musicians. Disco Matanga is performed by Sho Madjozi, while My Everything is performed by India Arie.
The album’s most popular song, “Suzanna”, was released on February 7, 2020. Sauti Sol recorded five versions of the song before settling on the version to be released. The music video for “Suzanna” was directed by Leki Isama and shot in Lagos, Nigeria.
The title track, “Midnight Train”, was the inspiration for the album’s title. Other tracks on the album include “Rhumba Japani”, “Sober”, “Feel My Love”, “Insecure”, “Nenda Lote”, “Brighter Days”, “Set Me Free” and “Wake Up”.
Influence
Sauti Sol band members say they are influenced by musicians such as Fadhili William and Daudi Kabaka, as well as other well-known African artists such as Salif Keita, Lokua Kanza and Fally Ipupa, as well as British band Coldplay and American singer Jason Mraz.
Band members
- Bien-Aimé Baraza – composer, guitarist, pianist
- Willis Chimano – baritone, performer, keyboards and guitar
- Savara Mudigi – singer, producer, drummer, bassist
- Polycarp Otieno – guitarist, producer, composer, guitarist
net worth
Kenyan music band Sauti Sol has an estimated net worth of $20 million. Their source of income is from entertainment related businesses.
Discography
- gentleman
- Sulayaco
- Nirea
- Life and Death in Africa
- Yo Bam Bam
- Unconditional Bae
- Kuliko Jana
- melanin
- Mbozi Zamalwa
- rewind
- Short and sharp
- Star of Africa
- Events
- Unsafe
- Susanna
- My everything
Social Media
- Instagram: @sautisol
- Twitter: @sautisol
- Facebook: Sauti Sol
