Sauti Sol is an award-winning Afro-pop band from Nairobi, Kenya formed by three high school friends in 2005 as an acapella group. The bands name is made up of the words “Sauti,” Swahili for sound and “Sol,” Spanish for sun. The band consists of the following members:

Bien-Aimé Baraza (Songwriter, Guitar, Piano)

Willis Austin Chimano (Baritone, Performer, Keytar)

Savara Mudigi (Vocalist, Producer, drums, Bass Guitar)

Polycarp Otieno (Guitarist, Producer, Composer, Arranger)

From L-R: Willis Chimano, Savara Mudigi, Bien-Aimé Baraza, Polycarp Otieno

Sauti Sol rose to national limelight in 2009 following the release of the hit “Lazizi,” an infectious love ballad that created a buzz on Kenyan airwaves.

The band released their debut studio album Mwanzo (Swahili for the beginning) on August 4, 2009 to critical acclaim. Their sophomore studio album, Sol Filosofia was released on February 2, 2011. On June 18, 2012, they released a self-titled EP with South African rapper and record producer Spoek Mathambo. Their third studio album, Live and Die in Afrika was officially released on November 21, 2015 after being offered as a free download on their website three days prior for 48 hours. It accumulated about 400,000 downloads.

“Melanin,” a song about celebrating women of color sparked controversy and it’s music video was banned from Kenyan TV for it’s erotic nature. The ban led to a spike in it’s views and it boasts 14 Million YouTube views as of this writing.

The band earned an MTV EMA Award for Best African Act in 2014. See their full list of awards and nominations. With a career spanning more than 10 years and a slew of accolades, Sauti Soul are considered one of the best bands in Africa.