Sauti Sol End Their 18-year Relationship With a Split
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Kenyan band Sauti Sol has announced that the group will take an indefinite hiatus from the Kenyan music scene after the end of their world tour which kicks off on May 21.
The band will perform in five cities in the US, 10 cities in Europe and four in Canada before performing alongside Boys II Men on June 10 and 11 in Nairobi.
They will crown it off with a final performance at the third edition of the Sol Fest in Nairobi on December 16, 2023.
“Sauti Sol has been an incredible journey for us, both as musicians and friends. We are filled with gratitude for the love and support we have received throughout the years.”
“While we take this hiatus to pursue our individual and collective passions, we remain committed to our friendship and our shared businesses.”
“The bond between us is unbreakable, and we are excited for what the future holds,” the statement released on their social media pages reads.
Besides releasing songs jointly, the band members, Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano, Polycarp Otieno and Savara Mudigi, have been releasing solo music under their personal brands, while still signed to the Sol Generation music label they founded together.
It is still not clear if the band is breaking up or just taking a break as they did in 2021.
With five albums and over 40 songs to their name, the band has promised to release a final album for their fans as a fitting reflection of their musical journey together.
What You Need To Know About Sauti Sol
Sauti Sol is a Kenyan Afropop band formed in Nairobi in 2005 by vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano and Savara Mudigi.
Initially an a cappella 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, 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 in collaboration with South African rapper and record producer Spoek Mathambo.
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.
The band has also received both local and international accolades and nominations, including at the Kisima Music Awards, the Channel O Music Video Awards, the MTV Europe Music Awards, and the BET Awards.
