Biography Wikipedia
Wikipedia:
Sauti Sol is an award-winning, four-member Afro-fusion band from Nairobi, Kenya. Band members Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano, Delvin Mudigi and Polycarp Otieno met in high school. They decided to do music professionally in 2005 after they finished high school. Their first single, Lazizi, was a massive hit and paved the way for other Afro-fusion musicians in Kenya. Their debut album, Mwanzo, which is Swahili for "beginning”, was released in August, 2009. Their sophomore album, Sol Filosofia, was released in February, 2011. The band has had successful tours in Europe as well as in Africa.
History
The band was originally called Sauti, which is Swahili for "sound", but due to the name being common with other bands in East Africa, the word “sol”, which is Spanish for “sun”, was added. The band participated in the Spotlight on Kenyan Music competition, hosted by Alliance Française de Nairobi, in 2006. They were finalists in the competition. The band is signed to Kenyan rapper Wawesh's Penya label.
Musical Style and Influences
Sauti Sol opened a whole new chapter in Kenyan music when they released their debut single, Lazizi. Their fresh, distinct and acoustic sound was well received by the Kenyan market. The band members have expressed surprise at their sudden popularity. Singing about everyday issues in their songs, such as asking a girl out in Lazizi and being harassed by police officers in Blue Uniform, has endeared them to music lovers in Kenya as well as in other parts of the world. They released a single Gentleman with P Unit produced by R-Kay in late 2011
The band members have named musicians such as Fadhili William, Daudi Kabaka and other established African artists such as Salif Keita and Lokua Kanza as their influences.
Education
Members Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano and Delvin Mudigi are alumni of Upperhill Secondary School in Upperhill, Nairobi, while Polycarp Otieno attended Strathmore School. All four have expressed their respect for education, even going ahead to sing about it in their single Soma Kijana. The four members are all studying to earn various degrees in local universities. Baraza studies journalism at the United States International University and Mudigi studies banking and accountancy at Africa Nazarene University. Chimano also studies journalism at the University of Nairobi, while Otieno studies actuarial science at the Jomo Kenyatta University of Agriculture and Technology.