Piece by: ASHLEY OTIENO

22 May 2023

• The band is ending is calling it curtains on a partnership that has lasted for close to two decades.

Kenyan boy band Sauti Sol announced their split over the weekend on their social media page via a press release.

They stated that the Stanbic Yetu Festival and Sol Fest would be their last performance as a group in the long term.

Here are some of the highlights they have achieved in their career path and how they came to be.

History & origin

Sauti Sol first came into existence in 2005 with Bien Aime Baraza, Savara Mudigi, and Willis Austin Chimano as the members.

They met while in high school at Upper hill high school where they used to do school performances as an acapella group.

Later on, Polycarp Otieno joined them as lead guitarist for the group. They first started by the name Sauti which means sound in Swahili and went ahead to add the name sol which meant sun in Spanish.

They first got signed in 2006 to Penya Records where they released some of their albums.

Debut album Mwanzo in 2009.
Solfilosofia in 2011.
July 2012 they released a self-titled extended play Sauti Sol in collaboration with South African rapper Spoek Mathambo.
Live and die in Afrika was released on 21st November 2015 which was released under sol entertainment records.
African sauce on 31st January 2019, with midnight train being their fifth album in 2020.

Hit songs

They have produced a number of songs but some few stand out and have been resonated with globally.

Suzana
Insecure
Isabella
Melanin
Lazizi
Still the one
Midnight train
Rhumba japani
My Everything

Awards gotten

Throughout their career, they have been able to get awarded for quite a number of things.

2015 - East Africa's Most Stylish Male Artiste
2016 - East Africa's Most Stylish Male Artiste "Tulale Fofofo", Africa's Most Fashionable Music Video
2017&2018 - Most Stylish Male Artiste - Africa
2018 - Fashionable Music Video of the Year - Africa
Hottest Group in the African entertainment awards in 2015,2016,2018

African Muzik Magazine Awards

2014 - Best African Group
2015 - Best African Group, Best Dance in a Video, Song of the Year
2016 - Best Male East Africa, Best African Group, Artist of the Year, Video of the Year, Song of the Year
2017 - Best African Group Nominated, Best Male East Africa, Video of the Year, Best Collaboration
2018 - Best Live Act Sauti Sol for Best Group & best male group East Africa

All Africa Music Awards

2015 - Most Downloaded Group, Most Downloaded, Most Downloaded Afro Pop Single
2017 - Most Downloaded Group Sing, Most Downloaded Song of the Year, Most Downloaded Afro Pop Artists
2021 - Best African group at Afrimma Awards.

World tours and concerts

They have travelled the world together and had concerts in different cities and they were able to successfully hold a concert dubbed sol fest in Nairobi Kenya last year.

Collaborations

They have been able to work with Sho Madjozi, Burna Boy, Diamond Platinumz, Tiwa Savage, Patoranking, Vanessa Mdee, Yemi Alade, Khaligraph Jones, Nyashinski, and many others.

Sauti Sol has also been able to mentor people like Nvirii, Bensoul, Watendawili, and other artists in their sol generation and they have emerged as competent artists too.