Sauti Sol Biography
The famous Kenyan musical group Sauti Sol consists of singers, rappers, songwriters, and record producers. In 2005, vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, and Savara Mudigi founded the group in Nairobi, Kenya.
The band’s music incorporates elements of Afro-pop, rock, R&B, and electronica. Mwanzo (2008), Sol Filosofia (2011), Live and Die in Africa (2015), Afrikan Sauce (2017), and Midnight Train (2017) are their five studio albums (2020).
The prizes received by Sauti Sol include the 2014 MTV Africa Music Award for Best Group and the 2015 BET Award for Best International Act. Additionally, they have been nominated for Grammy Awards, and their song Unconditional Love was included in the 2016 film The Good Lie.
Key TakeAway
- Full Name ‧ Founders: Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Savara Mudigi, Polycarp Otieno
- Stage Name: Sauti Sol
- Born: 2005 (age 17 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
Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, and Savara Mudigi created Sauti Sol in 2005 as an a cappella group. They met at Upper Hill High School and sung in the school’s music club, Voices in the Light.
They then met guitarist Polycarp Otieno, who attended Strathmore School, at Nairobi’s Alliance francaise, where they would frequently congregate. They decided to form Sauti (Swahili for “sound”) and wrote their first song, Mafunzo ya Dunia, which would later appear on their debut studio album Mwanzo.
After adding the Spanish word “Sol” (sun) to their name, the band adopted the moniker Sauti Sol, which is claimed to signify “voices in the sun.” In 2006, the Alliance francaise de Nairobi hosted the Spotlight on Kenyan Music competition.
Later, Sauti Sol was signed to Penya Records after appearing on the album compilation recording. Each of the four members received their degrees in Kenya. Bien-Aimé Baraza studied journalism at United States International University, while Savara Mudigi studied business and finance at Africa Nazarene University.
Polycarp Otieno studied actuarial science at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology before joining the organization. Willis Austin Chimano, in contrast, studied journalism at the University of Nairobi.
On August 4, 2009, Sauti Sol released their debut studio album, Mwanzo, via their record company, Penya Records. Two years later, they released their second studio album, Sol Filosofia.
At the 2011 Kisima Music Awards, the music video for the second track on the album, Coming Home, was selected Best Music Video, and the trio was also named Best Fusion Artist/Group of the Year.
Sauti Sol Live and Die In Afrika
In July 2012, Sauti Sol released her self-titled extended play, which was produced in Nairobi and Johannesburg by South African rapper and record producer Spoek Mathambo. The music video for the album’s first track, Range Rover, was filmed in the Hembrug in Zaandam, the Netherlands, a former munitions factory that is now an official cultural heritage monument known popularly as “the cathedral.”
Dela Maranga, a Kenyan vocalist who once sang with the Mwanzo band Mama Papa, is featured on the song Slow, which also features Spoek Mathambo. In Amsterdam, the video was filmed. The band then released Love or Leave as the second single from the EP, with the music video being recorded in Amsterdam during the band’s tour.
Sauti Sol Afrikan Sauce & Midnight Train
The fourth studio album by Sauti Sol, Afrikan Sauce, was released on January 31, 2019. The majority of Afrikan Sauce is comprised of Afropop and R&B, a departure from their previous albums’ acoustic tone. The album includes contributions from Patoranking, Tiwa Savage, Burna Boy, Vanessa Mdee, Yemi Alade, Khaligraph Jones, Nyashinski, Bebe Cool, Mi Casa, Toofan, Jah Prayzah, and C4 Pedro.
The singles Melanin, Girl Next Door, Afrikan Star, Short N Sweet, and Tujiangalie preceded the album’s release. The album was described by Sauti Sol as a “art and cultural exchange” initiative, and it was announced that it will be released before the end of 2017.
Additionally, they disclosed plans to release new songs with a different African musician every month. However, due to budgetary constraints, this concept did not come to fruition.
The fifth studio album by Sauti Sol, Midnight Train, was released on June 5, 2020. The CD featured guest performances from African artists. My Everything featured India Arie, while Disco Matanga featured Sho Madjozi.
Suzanna, the album’s most popular track, was released on February 7, 2020. Before deciding on the version that was published, Sauti Sol recorded five different versions of the song. Leki Isama directed the music video for Suzanna, which was shot in Lagos, Nigeria.
The title of the album was inspired by the album’s lead single, “Midnight Train.” Other tunes on the album include Rhumba Japani, Sober, Feel My Love, Insecure, Nenda Lote, Brighter Days, Set Me Free, and Wake Up.
Sauti Sol Influences
The members of Sauti Sol cite Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka, and other well-known African singers like as Salif Keita, Lokua Kanza, and Fally Ipupa as their influences, as well as the British band Coldplay and the American vocalist Jason Mraz.
Sauti Sol Band Members
Bien-Aimé Baraza – Songwriter, Guitarist, Pianist
Willis Chimano – Baritone, Performer, Keytar
Savara Mudigi – Vocalist, Producer, Drummer, Bass Guitarist
Polycarp Otieno – Guitarist, Producer, Composer, Guitarist
Sauti Sol Social Media
Instagram: @sautisol
Twitter: @sautisol
Facebook: Sauti Sol
Sauti Sol Net Worth
The net worth of the Kenyan musical group Sauti Sol is reported to be $20 million. Their source of revenue is the entertainment industry.
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