Biography
Sauti Sol is a renowned Kenyan musical band composed of singers, rappers, songwriters, and record producers. The band was formed in Nairobi, Kenya, by vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, and Savara Mudigi in 2005.
The band’s music mixes Afro-pop, rock, R&B, and electronica. 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 the MTV Africa Music Award for Best Group in 2014 and the BET Award for Best International Act in 2015. They have also been nominated for Grammy Awards, and their song Unconditional Love was used as the soundtrack for the 2016 film The Good Lie.
Sauti Sol | |
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 Sauti Sol: History ‧ Bio ‧ Photo | |
| Wiki Facts & About Data | |
| Full Name ‧ Founders: | Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Savara Mudigi, Polycarp Otieno |
| Stage Name: | Sauti Sol |
| Born: | 2005 (age 19 years old) |
| Place of Birth: | Nairobi, Kenya |
| Members: | Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Savara Mudigi, Polycarp Otieno |
| Nationality: | Kenyan |
| Height: | N/A |
| Parents: | N/A |
| Siblings: | N/A |
| Wife • Spouse: | Not Married |
| Girlfriend • Partner: | N/A |
| Children: | N/A |
| Occupation: | Musicians • Guitarist |
| Net Worth: | US$20 million |
History / Early Life
The band Sauti Sol was formed in 2005 as an Acappella 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, who attended Strathmore School, at Nairobi’s Alliance française, where they would frequent, and decided to form Sauti (Swahili for “sound”) and immediately wrote their first song, Mafunzo ya Dunia (Literally: lessons of the world), which would later feature in their debut studio album Mwanzo.
Sauti Sol (said to mean “voices in the sun”) was formed after the band added the Spanish word “Sol” (sun) to their name (supposed to mean “voices in the sun”). The band competed in the Spotlight on Kenyan Music competition, which was organized by the Alliance française in Nairobi in 2006.
Sauti Sol appeared on the album compilation recording and was later signed to Penya Records. All four members earned their academic degrees in Kenya. Savara Mudigi studied commerce and finance at Africa Nazarene University, while Bien-Aimé Baraza studied journalism at United States International University.
Polycarp Otieno, who joined them before the group was named, studied actuarial science at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology. In contrast, Willis Austin Chimano studied journalism at the University of Nairobi.
Sauti Sol released their debut studio album Mwanzo on 4 August 2009 via their record label Penya Records, to critical acclaim. They followed it up two years later with their second studio album Sol Filosofia.
The music video for the album’s second song, Coming Home, won Best Music Video at the 2011 Kisima Music Awards, and the group was also named Best Fusion Artist/Group of the Year.
Sauti Sol & Live and Die In Afrika
Sauti Sol released her self-titled extended play in July 2012, working with South African rapper and record producer Spoek Mathambo, who produced the EP in Nairobi and Johannesburg. The music video for Range Rover, the album’s lead single, was shot at the Hembrug in Zaandam, Netherlands, in an old ammunition factory now an official cultural heritage site known colloquially as “the cathedral.”
Dela Maranga, a Kenyan vocalist who previously worked with the Mwanzo band Mama Papa, appears in the song Slow, featuring Spoek Mathambo. The video was shot in Amsterdam. The band then released Love or Leave as the EP’s second single, with the music video being shot in Amsterdam during the band’s trip there as part of their tour.
Afrikan Sauce & Midnight Train
Afrikan Sauce, Sauti Sol‘s fourth studio album, was released on January 31, 2019. Afrikan Sauce is primarily an Afropop and R&B record, marking a change from their past albums’ typical acoustic sound. Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Vanessa Mdee, Yemi Alade, Khaligraph Jones, Nyashinski, Bebe Cool, Mi Casa, Toofan, Jah Prayzah, and C4 Pedro were all featured in the album.
The album has 13 tracks and was preceded by the singles Melanin, Girl Next Door, Afrikan Star, Short N Sweet, and Tujiangalie. Sauti Sol characterized the album as an “art and cultural exchange” endeavor, announcing that it would be published near the end of 2017.
They also revealed intentions to release new music with a different African artist each month. However, due to financial restrictions, this idea did not materialize.
Midnight Train, Sauti Sol‘s fifth studio album, was released on June 5, 2020. The album included songs from African guest musicians. Disco Matanga featured Sho Madjozi, while My Everything featured India Arie.
The most popular song from the album, Suzanna, was released on February 7, 2020. Before settling on their released version, Sauti Sol recorded five versions of the song. The accompanying music video for Suzanna was directed by Leki Isama and shot in Lagos, Nigeria.
The album’s lead song, Midnight Train, is the inspiration for the album’s title. Rhumba Japani, Sober, Feel My Love, Insecure, Nenda Lote, Brighter Days, Set Me Free, and Wake Up are among the other tracks on the album.
Influences
The band members of Sauti Sol have named musicians such as Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka and other established African artists such as Salif Keita, Lokua Kanza, and Fally Ipupa, as well as British band Coldplay and American singer Jason Mraz as their influences.
Band Members
Net Worth
The Kenyan musical band Sauti Sol has accumulated an estimated net worth of $20 million. Their source of income is entertainment-related businesses.
Discography
- Gentleman
- Sura Yako
- Nerea
- Live and Die in Afrika
- Shake Yo Bam Bam
- Unconditionally Bae
- Kuliko Jana
- Melanin
- Mbozi Za Malwa
- Rewind
- Short N Sweet
- Afrikan Star
- Extravaganza
- Insecure
- Suzanna
- My Everything
Social Media
- Instagram: @sautisol
- Twitter: @sautisol
- Facebook: Sauti Sol
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