Kenya's Sauti Sol Announces 'Break Up' After 18 Years

Sauti Sol/Wikimedia
Sauti Sol.
21 May 2023
The New Times (Kigali)
By Emmanuel Gatera

In a surprising announcement made on their official Instagram page, Kenya's boy band Sauti Sol revealed that they will be breaking up after 18 successful years in the industry.

Composed of vocalists Bien-Aimé Baraza, Willis Chimano, and Savara Mudigi, along with guitarist Polycarp Otieno, Sauti Sol has finally decided to conclude their musical journey. Since its formation in 2005, the award-winning group has been gracing the world with back-to-back hits such as "Sura Yako" "Unconditionally Bae" "Midnight Train" and more.

Sauti Sol has been performing back-to-back in Rwanda ever since they rose to stardom. They recently performed in Rwanda during the basketball all-star game that took place in Kigali on September 24, 2022.

On their Instagram page, they announced the break up to fans and went on to explain that the move will be preceded by a momentous world tour, taking them to major cities across the globe such as Atlanta, Dallas, Seattle, Amsterdam, Frankfurt, and more.

"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 band said in a statement released on their social media pages on May 20.

Alongside the farewell tour, Sauti Sol has also announced the release of their last album, which remains shrouded in secrecy. The album is expected to be their 6th and final studio effort.

In 2016, Sauti Sol made history by becoming the first Kenyan artistes to carry out a successful nationwide tour. The band has had successful performances across Africa, in Europe and US, topped Kenyan charts, and won accolades, such as Kisima Music Awards, Channel O Music Video Awards, MTV Europe Music Award for Best African Act and BET Awards.

Some of the group's popular tracks include songs on their recent album 'Midnight Train' such as 'Suzana',' My Everything' alongside other singles including 'Live and Die in Africa', 'Africa', 'Nerea', 'Shake Yo Bam Bam', and 'Unconditionally Bae' among many more.

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