Hailing from Nairobi, Kenya, the award-winning Afro-pop band Sauti Sol has been a powerhouse in African music for over a decade. Longtime friends Polycarp Otieno, Savara Mudigi, Willis Chimano, and Bien-Aimé Baraza solidified their status as one of the continent’s leading bands, driven by their “church of good vibes” ethos, which has won them a loyal fan base worldwide.

Sauti Sol was founded in 2005 as an a cappella group, later evolving into a full band with the addition of Polycarp Otieno. Their name combines “Sauti,” Swahili for “sound,” and “Sol,” Spanish for “sun,” symbolizing “voices in the sun.”

The band released their debut studio album, Mwanzo, in 2008, followed by Sol Filosofia in 2011. Their single “Coming Home” earned them the Best Music Video award at the Kisima Music Awards, where they also won Best Fusion Artist/Group of the Year. In 2012, they collaborated with South African rapper and producer Spoek Mathambo on the Sauti Sol EP.

In 2015, their third studio album, Live and Die in Afrika, marked a milestone, with 400,000 downloads within 48 hours of its free release as a gift to fans. They continued their success with Afrikan Sauce (2019) and Midnight Train (2020). Along the way, Sauti Sol has collaborated with global icons like Tiwa Savage, Patoranking, and Burna Boy, creating numerous chart-topping hits.

The band’s achievements include a BET Award, an MTV EMA for Best African Act, an MTV Africa Award for Best African Group, two Kisima Music Awards, and a Channel O Music Video Award for Most Gifted East African Act. Beyond music, the four members are university graduates, with degrees ranging from journalism to commerce and actuarial science.

In 2019, Sauti Sol launched their own record label, Sol Generation Records, dedicated to nurturing the next generation of iconic African artists under their core values of discipline, order, passion, and endurance (“D.O.P.E.”).

In 2021, the band announced a hiatus to explore solo projects, further showcasing their individual artistry while maintaining their legacy as pioneers of African music.