I think we should discuss Sauti Sol, the Kenyan all-boy Afro-pop band that recently announced an indefinite hiatus.
After 10 years of top-notch production, the band deserves same level of respect and admiration given to One Direction and other global vocal heavyweights like One Republic, The Backstreet Boys, Boyz II Men, and Westlife.
In 2010, when One Direction rose to global stardom, there was another little-known music group from East Africa with interests in fashion, Pan-Africanism, culture and social consciousness.
The group formed by vocalists Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano, Savara Mudigi and guitarist Polycarp Otieno were ready to take on the world.
Their first recorded song, ‘Lazizi’, made them a word-of-mouth sensation.
The group would later drop ‘Blue Uniform’, another lead single of their 14-track debut studio album titled ‘Mwanzo’, a Swahili word that means Beginning – which was a masterpiece.
Also Read: Sauti Sol Bows in Style After 20 Years of Music Together
Sophomore album, ‘Sol Filosofia
Their sophomore album, ‘Sol Filosofia’, was released in 2011 and this time, the four kings had acquired more style, more swag and were in total command of their craft.
The penmanship was impeccable, music arrangement was mesmerizing, complementing the visuals delectably and enhanced the overall viewer-and-listener experience.
Unlike their first album, this follow-up featured more hits.
‘Soma Kijana’, and ‘Coming Home’, its lead singles, were rolling off fans’ tongues whenever the group took to the stage, or when any of the jams was played on radio or television.
It was this album that earned the group the Best Fusion Artiste/Group of the Year accolade, with ‘Coming Home’ single scooping the Best Music Video gong at the 2011 Kisima Music Awards, the then biggest and most coveted music award ceremony in East Africa.
I understand that asserting Sauti Sol is one of the most disciplined bands in the whole world might be a point of contention for some industry pundits, but it’s an undeniable fact.
Taking into account the short-lived existence of prominent musical bands like One Direction, Little Mix and Fifth Harmony, I would say Sauti Sol’s 15-year unity is arguably the longest ever by a professional outfit in the recent history of contemporary music.
Also Read: Sauti Sol Announces Dates for Last Gig
Dedication and Hardwork
Sauti Sol oozed dedication, hard work, immaculate artistry, unwavering consistency, and was great at maintaining discipline.
Even getting a sound bite from one member of the group on the sidelines of a show was a difficult task if you did not involve their manager.
There was no reported in-house rivalry, just awe-inspiring work chemistry that churned out viral music.
With each new drop, the group continued to consistently captivate the world with their musical prowess. ‘Live and Die in Afrika’, their 2015 album, was the reinvention of Sauti Sol and features a fully pop sound, with songs like ‘Sura Yako’, and ‘Shake Yō Bam Bam’ quickly becoming fan-favorite dance hits.
‘Nishike’, Swahili word for touch me, — a thirst-invoking ballad, was, however, banned on mainstream television for being too raunchy.
Album cover for ‘Live and Die in Afrika.’
The album cover for ‘Live and Die in Afrika’ was loaded with African imperialism, color, fashion and machismo.
The album, which was free in its first 48 hours, was said to have been downloaded more than 400,000 times, inevitably introducing fans to the band’s website.
It was also the first time Sauti Sol ventured into in-house production of its own music, collaborating with different producers but having a major say in the final output.
The band then did the unthinkable – a self-sponsored five-week tour around East Africa for live shows — the Live and Die in Afrika Tour.
This is unthinkable because for most artists, funding a tour is very expensive and requires the financial muscle of a major corporate behind it. It was a total success, with sold-out venues and positive acclaim.
Signing to the Universal Music Group
Beside landing nominations by MTV and BET and being recognized by the Recording Academy (Grammys) and Rolling Stone magazine, the major highlight of their career as a band was becoming the first Kenyan musical act to get signed by Universal Music Group (UMG) through its African subsidiary, Universal Music Africa (UMA).
UMG is the biggest music company in the world, with recording labels like Interscope, Def Jam, Motown, Young Money, Cash Money, G-Unit, EMI, and Island among many others under its imprint.
The band enjoyed similar systems to those at the disposal of pop culture glitterati like Ariana Grande, Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Taylor Swift, Drake, Justine Bieber- among others.
Supreme Reign for 15 Years
With countless top-charting hits and club bangers, Sauti Sol reigned supreme for 15 straight years in Africa and beyond.
They made music for a testosterone-filled gen Z could vibe to alongside a baby boomer.
The group redefined showbiz with colorful photo shoots, iconic music videos that encompassed vintage scenes, retro fashion boldness, concept artworks for well-balanced six albums, a clear strategy on release of music, and just pure African vibes.
And who would have thought a choral music group of four high schoolers would rise to conquer the world with exhilarating acoustic sound?
Even as they part ways to pursue solo careers, Sauti Sol-the band, will remain a force to reckon with. They have blazed the trail by authentically celebrating Africa and black excellence.
