Sauti Sol is a

Kenyan ) , national_anthem = " Ee Mungu Nguvu Yetu"() , image_map = , map_caption = , image_map2 = , capital = Nairobi , coordinates = , largest_city = Nairobi , ...

band formed in

Nairobi Nairobi ( ) is the capital and largest city of Kenya. The name is derived from the Maasai phrase ''Enkare Nairobi'', which translates to "place of cool waters", a reference to the Nairobi River which flows through the city. The city proper ...

, Kenya, by vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano and Savara Mudigi in 2005. Initially an

a cappella ''A cappella'' (, also , ; ) music is a performance by a singer or a singing group without instrumental accompaniment, or a piece intended to be performed in this way. The term ''a cappella'' was originally intended to differentiate between Ren ...

group, guitarist Polycarp Otieno joined before they named themselves Sauti Sol. Sauti Sol released their debut studio album '' Mwanzo'' on 1 November 2008, to critical acclaim. Their second studio album, ''

Sol Filosofia ''Sol Filosofia'' is the second studio album by Kenyan afro-pop band Sauti Sol. It was released on February 25, 2011 by Penya Records, and launched at the Alliance française in Nairobi. The album's two singles "Soma Kijana" and "Coming Home" ...

'', was released on 25 February 2011, earning the group a number of accolades and nominations in the process. On 18 June 2012, the band released a self-titled

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

in collaboration with South African rapper and record producer

Spoek Mathambo Nthato Mokgata (born 14 May 1985), known by his stage name Spoek Mathambo, is a South African artist, producer, singer-songwriter and rapper. Mathambo rose to fame in the late 2000s with his fusion of a wide array of musical influences. He is kno ...

. Their third studio album, '' Live and Die in Afrika'', was released online on 21 November 2015 as a free download, available for 48 hours as an early Christmas present. The band has had several successful tours in Africa and Europe, topped Kenyan charts and gained international attention with shows in Europe and the US, as well as television appearances and various accolades and nominations, including their 2011 concert performance in Kenya with South African a cappella group

Ladysmith Black Mambazo Ladysmith Black Mambazo are a South African male choral group singing in the local vocal styles of '' isicathamiya'' and '' mbube''. They became known internationally after singing with Paul Simon on his 1986 album '' Graceland'', and have won ...

. The band has also received both local and international accolades and nominations, including at the

Kisima Music Awards The Kisima Music Awards is an annual awards program that recognises musical talent in East Africa. Despite being Kenyan-based the scheme awards artists from a variety of countries, predominantly Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania, and incorporates a ran ...

, the

Channel O Music Video Awards Channel O Africa Music Video Awards, once known as Spirit of Africa Music Video Awards, are Pan-African music awards organised by South Africa -based Channel O television channel. The awards were first held in 2003 under the name Reel Music Video A ...

, the

MTV Europe Music Awards The MTV Europe Music Awards (originally named MTV European Music Awards, commonly abbreviated as MTV EMA) are awards presented by Paramount International Networks to honour artists and music in pop culture. It was originally conceived as an a ...

, and the

BET Awards The BET Awards is an American award show that was established in 2001 by the Black Entertainment Television network to celebrate black entertainers and other minorities in music, film, sports and philanthropy. The awards, which are presented annua ...

History

Formation and early years (2005 – 2011)

The band was formed in 2005 as an

group by Baraza, Chimano and Savara, who had met at the Upper Hill High School and performed in Voices in the Light, a music group at the school. They then met guitarist Otieno, who attended

Strathmore School Strathmore School is Kenya's first multi-racial school, established in 1961 in the Lavington area of Nairobi. It began as a residential Sixth Form College offering British-styled A-level courses and in 1963 switched from the Cambridge School Cert ...

, at the

Alliance française An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...

in Nairobi, 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''. The band later added the Spanish word "Sol" (sun) to their name and formed Sauti Sol (supposed to mean "voices in the sun"). In 2006, the band participated in the Spotlight on Kenyan Music competition, hosted by the Alliance française in Nairobi. They were included in the album compilation recording and later got signed to Penya Records. The four members all completed their university education in Kenya. Baraza studied journalism at the

United States International University United States International University (USIU) was a nonprofit university based in San Diego, California that was accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges. At its peak, it had two additional American campuses and three inter ...

, while Savara studied commerce and finance at

Africa Nazarene University Africa Nazarene University is a private Christian-founded university in, Kenya, and an affiliate of ''The Church of the Nazarene Colleges and Universities'' around the world. Africa Nazarene University is fully accredited by the Commission for U ...

. Chimano studied journalism at the

University of Nairobi The University of Nairobi (uonbi or UoN; ) is a collegiate research university based in Nairobi. It is the largest university in Kenya. Although its history as an educational institution dates back to 1956, it did not become an independent univer ...

, while Otieno studied actuarial science at the

Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology (JKUAT) is a public university that is situated in Juja, 36 kilometres northeast of Nairobi, along the Nairobi-Thika SuperHighway, off Exit 15. .It offers courses in Technology, Engineering, ...

. Sauti Sol released their debut studio album '' Mwanzo'' on 4 August 2009, via their record label Penya Records, to critical acclaim, and followed up with their second studio album ''

'' two years later. The music video for the album's second single, "Coming Home", earned them the Best Music Video award at the 2011

, with the group itself also winning the Best Fusion Artist/Group of the Year award.

2012 – 2015: ''Sauti Sol'' and ''Live and Die in Afrika''

In July 2012, Sauti Sol released a self-titled

extended play An extended play record, usually referred to as an EP, is a musical recording that contains more tracks than a single but fewer than an album or LP record.

, a collaborative effort with South African rapper and record-producer

, who produced the EP in Nairobi and

Johannesburg Johannesburg ( , , ; Zulu language, Zulu and xh, eGoli ), colloquially known as Jozi, Joburg, or "The City of Gold", is the largest city in South Africa, classified as a Megacity#List of megacities, megacity, and is List of urban areas by p ...

. The music video for its

lead single A lead single (also known as a debut single) is the first single to be released from a studio album by an artist or a band, usually before the album itself is released and also occasionally on the same day of the album's release date. Release s ...

, "Range Rover", was shot at the Hembrug in

Zaandam Zaandam () is a city in the province of North Holland, Netherlands. It is the main city of the municipality of Zaanstad, and received city rights in 1811. It is located on the river Zaan, just north of Amsterdam. The statistical district Zaand ...

Netherlands ) , anthem = ( en, "William of Nassau") , image_map = , map_caption = , subdivision_type = Sovereign state , subdivision_name = Kingdom of the Netherlands , established_title = Before independence , established_date = Spanish Netherl ...

, in an old ammunition factory that is now an official cultural heritage site popularly referred to as "the cathedral". Kenyan singer Dela, who previously collaborated with the band "Mama papa" from ''Mwanzo'', appeared in the song "Slow", which also features Mathambo. Its music video was shot in

Amsterdam Amsterdam ( , , , lit. ''The Dam on the River Amstel'') is the capital and most populous city of the Netherlands, with The Hague being the seat of government. It has a population of 907,976 within the city proper, 1,558,755 in the urban ar ...

. The band then released "Love or Leave" as the EP's second single, with its music video also shot in Amsterdam during the band's stop in the city as part of their European tour in 2012. Their song "Gentleman" with rap group

P-Unit P-Unit is a Kenyan hip hop group consisting of Kenyan hip hop artists Frasha, Gabu, and Bon-eye. Biography The crew released the album ''Wagenge Hao'' in 2010, recorded at Decimal Media by lead singer/composer "Pradip The BOSS". The album had ...

earned them a nomination for the "Teeniez' Group or Collabo" award at the 2012 Chaguo La Teeniez Awards, losing out to alternative hip hop group

Camp Mulla Camp Mulla was an alternative hip hop group originating from and based in Nairobi, Kenya. The group rose to prominence with the release of their single "Party Don't Stop" on 31 August 2010, with that and their subsequent works earning them a nom ...

. It was the second time they were nominated for the award, losing to P-Unit the previous year. Sauti Sol's recognition continued to rise in 2012, as they were nominated for and won the Most Gifted East African award at the

2012 Channel O Music Video Awards The 9th Annual Channel O Music Video Awards were held at Walter Sisulu Square in Kliptown, Soweto, Johannesburg, South Africa on 17 November 2012. The nominees were unveiled at an announcement party in Johannesburg on 21 September 2012. Kenyan hip ...

for their song "Shukuru" with Tanzanian rapper AY. On 29 April 2014, the band released "Nishike". Its music video caused an uproar in the media due to its steamy content, and ended up getting banned from most local TV stations. Baraza later expressed his anger with the ban, stating that he refuses "to be a secular artist boxed by society to restrict my freedom of expression." They received a nomination for the Best Group award at the 2014 MTV Africa Music Awards, but eventually lost out South African group

Mafikizolo Mafikizolo is a South African Afro-pop music duo formed in 1996, consisting of composer Theo Kgosinkwe and lead singer Nhlanhla Nciza. The duo rose to fame after they released their singles "Ndihamba Nawe kuphela", "Kwela Kwela", "Sibongile", "U ...

. The music video has received a 2014 Nomination as East Africa's Most Gifted Video by Channel O Music Video Awards After "Nishike", Sauti Sol released their third studio album, '' Live and Die in Afrika''. The album, released online on 21 November 2015, was available to Sauti Sol fans globally for free download (48 hours) as an early Christmas present. The album was released under their imprint label Sauti Sol Entertainment as a self-produced work by Sauti Sol for Sauti Sol. A total of 400,000 downloads were made during the free download period. The band released their fourth single off ''Live and Die in Afrika'' entitled "Sura Yako" (Your Face). This was introduced by a spin-off ''Lipala'' dance competition run on

Instagram Instagram is a photo and video sharing social networking service owned by American company Meta Platforms. The app allows users to upload media that can be edited with filters and organized by hashtags and geographical tagging. Posts can ...

that sparked an online dance movement in Africa and across the globe. Following the success of the competition, the band released the single's music video on 12 September 2014.

2018 – present: ''Afrikan Sauce'' and ''Midnight Train''

Sauti Sol's fourth studio album '' Afrikan Sauce'' was released on 31 January 2019. Primarily an

Afropop African popular music (also styled Afropop, Afro-pop or Afro pop), like African traditional music, is vast and varied. Most contemporary genres of African popular music build on cross-pollination with western popular music. Many genres of po ...

and R&B record, ''Afrikan Sauce'' marked a departure from the traditional acoustic sound of their previous albums. It features

guest appearance In show business, a guest appearance is the participation of an outsider performer (such as a musician or actor) in an event such as a music record or concert, show, etc., when the performer does not belong to the regular band, cast, or other ...

s from

Patoranking Patrick Nnaemeka Okorie (born 27 May, 1990), better known by his stage name Patoranking, is a Nigerian reggae-dancehall singer and songwriter. Born and raised in Ijegun-Egba Satellite Town, Patoranking hails from Onicha, Ebonyi State. He starte ...

Tiwa Savage Tiwa Savage (born 5 February 1980) is a Nigerian singer-songwriter and performing artist. Born in Isale Eko, she relocated to London at the age of 11 for her secondary education. Five years later, she began her music career doing backup vo ...

Burna Boy Damini Ebunoluwa Ogulu (born 2 July 1991), known professionally as Burna Boy, is a Nigerian singer, songwriter and record producer. He rose to stardom in 2012 after releasing "Like to Party", the lead single from his debut studio album, ''L.I. ...

Vanessa Mdee Vanessa Hau Mdee (born 7 June 1988), is a Tanzanian singer, rapper, television personality and radio host. Mdee is popularly known for being the first ever Tanzanian MTV VJ. She later rose to prominence as a radio and TV host, hosting ''Epic Bon ...

Yemi Alade Yemi Eberechi Alade (born 13 March 1989), is a Nigerian Afropop singer, songwriter, actress and activist. She won the ''Peak Talent Show'' in 2009 after which she signed to Effyzzie Music Group, and had a hit with her single " Johnny" in 2014. S ...

, Khaligraph Jones, Nyashinski,

Bebe Cool Bebe Cool (real name Moses Ssali; born 1 September 1977) is an African reggae and ragga musician from Uganda. He started his career around 1997 in Nairobi, Kenya, but moved back to his native country a few years later. Bebe Cool was one of the ...

Mi Casa Mi Casa is a house trio based in Johannesburg, South Africa and consisting of three members, Dr. Duda (producer and pianist), J'Something (vocalist and guitarist), and Mo-T (trumpeter). The band was formed in early 2011 in Johannesburg when ...

, Toofan,

Jah Prayzah Mukudzeyi Mukombe (born 4 July 1987), better known as Jah Prayzah, is a Zimbabwean contemporary musician and lead member of the band ''Third Generation''. He is popularly referred to by fans and media as "Musoja", the Shona word for "soldier", ...

and C4 Pedro. The album comprises 13 tracks and was supported by the previously released singles "Melanin", "Girl Next Door", "Afrikan Star", "Short N Sweet" and "Tujiangalie". Sauti Sol described the album as an "art and cultural exchange" project and said it would be released towards the end of 2017. They also announced plans to release a new track with a different African artist every month. However, this plan did not materialize due to financial constraints. Sauti Sol's fifth studio album ''Midnight Train'' was released on 5 June 2020. The album had songs featuring guest artists from Africa. These included "Disco Matanga", featuring

Sho Madjozi Maya Christinah Xichavo Wegerif (born 9 May 1992), known professionally as Sho Madjozi ( ), is a South African rapper, singer, songwriter, actress and poet. Madjozi incorporates the Tsonga culture through her music and public image. In 201 ...

and "My Everything", featuring

India Arie India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975), also known as India Arie (sometimes styled as india.arie), is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards ...

. The album's most popular song "Suzanna" was released on 7 February 2020. Sauti Sol recorded five different versions of the song before settling on the one they released. The accompanying music video for "Suzanna" was shot in Lagos, Nigeria and was directed by Leki Isama. However, the lead song for the album is "Midnight Train", which is where the album gets its name from. Other songs in the album are Rhumba Japani, Sober, Feel My Love, Insecure, Nenda Lote, Brighter Days, Set Me Free and Wake Up.

Influences

The band members have named musicians such as

Fadhili William Fadhili William Mdawida (November 11, 1938 – February 11, 2001), often referred to simply as Fadhili William, was a Kenyan recording artist and composer who is most famous as the first person to record Adam Salim's song "Malaika" which he recor ...

, Daudi Kabaka and other established African artists such as

Salif Keita Salif Keïta () (born 25 August 1949) is a Malian singer-songwriter, referred to as the "Golden Voice of Africa". He is a member of the Keita royal family of Mali. Biography Early life Salif Keita was born a traditional prince in the village o ...

, Lokua Kanza and

Fally Ipupa Fally Ipupa N'simba (born December 14, 1977), known by his stage name Fally Ipupa, is a Congolese singer-songwriter, dancer, philanthropist, guitarist and producer. From 1999 until 2006, he was a member of Quartier Latin International, the musi ...

, as well as British band

Coldplay Coldplay are a British rock band formed in London in 1997. They consist of vocalist and pianist Chris Martin, guitarist Jonny Buckland, bassist Guy Berryman, drummer Will Champion and creative director Phil Harvey. They met at University ...

and American singer

Jason Mraz Jason Thomas Mraz (; born June 23, 1977) is an American guitarist, singer and songwriter. He rose to prominence with the release of his debut studio album, ''Waiting for My Rocket to Come'' (2002), which spawned the single " The Remedy (I Won't ...

as their influences.

Band members

* Bien-Aimé Baraza –

Songwriter A songwriter is a musician who professionally composes musical compositions or writes lyrics for songs, or both. The writer of the music for a song can be called a composer, although this term tends to be used mainly in the classical music ...

Guitar The guitar is a fretted musical instrument that typically has six strings. It is usually held flat against the player's body and played by strumming or plucking the strings with the dominant hand, while simultaneously pressing selected string ...

Piano The piano is a stringed keyboard instrument in which the strings are struck by wooden hammers that are coated with a softer material (modern hammers are covered with dense wool felt; some early pianos used leather). It is played using a keyboa ...

* Willis Chimano –

Baritone A baritone is a type of classical male singing voice whose vocal range lies between the bass and the tenor voice-types. The term originates from the Greek (), meaning "heavy sounding". Composers typically write music for this voice in the ...

Performer The performing arts are arts such as music, dance, and drama which are performed for an audience. They are different from the visual arts, which are the use of paint, canvas or various materials to create physical or static art objects. Perfor ...

Keytar The keytar is a lightweight synthesizer that is supported by a strap around the neck and shoulders, similar to the way a guitar is supported by a strap. Keytars allow players a greater range of movement onstage, compared to conventional keyboards ...

* Savara Mudigi –

Vocalist Singing is the act of creating musical sounds with the voice. A person who sings is called a singer, artist or vocalist (in jazz and/or popular music). Singers perform music (arias, recitatives, songs, etc.) that can be sung with or withou ...

, Producer,

drums A drum kit (also called a drum set, trap set, or simply drums) is a collection of drums, cymbals, and other auxiliary percussion instruments set up to be played by one person. The player (drummer) typically holds a pair of matching drumsticks ...

Bass guitar The bass guitar, electric bass or simply bass (), is the lowest-pitched member of the string family. It is a plucked string instrument similar in appearance and construction to an electric or an acoustic guitar, but with a longer neck and ...

* Polycarp Otieno –

Guitarist A guitarist (or a guitar player) is a person who plays the guitar. Guitarists may play a variety of guitar family instruments such as classical guitars, acoustic guitars, electric guitars, and bass guitars. Some guitarists accompany themsel ...

, Producer,

Composer A composer is a person who writes music. The term is especially used to indicate composers of Western classical music, or those who are composers by occupation. Many composers are, or were, also skilled performers of music. Etymology and Def ...

Discography

;Studio albums * '' Mwanzo'' (2008) * ''

'' (2011) * '' Live and Die in Afrika'' (2015) * '' Afrikan Sauce'' (2019) * ''Midnight Train'' (2020) ;Extended plays * ''Sauti Sol'' (2012) ;Singles (Selective) * "Gentleman" (with P-Unit) (2011) * "Sura Yako" (2014) * "Nerea" (feat. Amos & Tosh) (2015) * "Live and Die in Afrika" (2015) * "Shake Yo Bam Bam" (2015) * "Unconditionally Bae" (feat. Alikiba (2016) * "Kuliko Jana" (feat. RedFourth Chorus) (2016) * "Melanin" (feat.

) (2017) * "Mbozi Za Malwa" (

x Sauti Sol) (2017) * "Rewind" (feat. Khaligraph Jones) (2018) * "Short N Sweet" (feat. Nyashinski) (2018) * "Afrikan Star" (feat.

) (2018) * "Extravaganza" (feat. Bensoul, Nviiri the Storyteller, Crystal Asige and Kaskazini) (2019) * "Insecure" (2020) * "Suzanna" (2020) * "My Everything" (feat.

India.Arie India Arie Simpson (born October 3, 1975), also known as India Arie (sometimes styled as india.arie), is an American singer and songwriter. She has sold over five million records in the US and ten million worldwide. She has won four Grammy Awards ...

) (2021) * "Lil Mama" (2022) ;Songs featured in * "Africa" (

feat. Sauti Sol) (2016)

Awards and nominations

References

External links

* {{Authority control Kenyan musical groups Afro pop musical groups Musicians from Nairobi 2005 establishments in Kenya Kisima Music Award winners MTV Europe Music Award winners