‘Last Dance’: Sauti Sol says 'adios' after 17 years

“We have rehearsed for our final show for 17 years,” says Bien-Aime Baraza, lead singer of Kenyan band Sauti Sol, as it prepares for the last performance together as a group.

The band Thursday night took to the stage to a sold-out concert in which the audience had to part with up to Sh20,000 at an event dubbed the 'VIP Show,'.

And if that was not enough, over the weekend the musicians have added 200 slots at Sh25,000 each ticket which sold out in a day. 

The Afropop band had in May made a shocking announcement to the effect it was disbanding after 17 years of top performances around the world.

Farewell concert

 Each of the group members is then expected to pursue their respective endeavours upon the conclusion of the farewell concert scheduled for November 4 at Uhuru Gardens in Nairobi.

Ahead of their final show, the band announced it had partnered with Coke Studio for their upcoming highly anticipated concert dubbed ‘Sol Fest’, which will mark their last performance as a group.

Coke Studio, through its parent company Coca-Cola, will now be the official soft drink partner for the festival.

Engagement activities

Isabelle Kariuki-Rostom, Coca-Cola's Marketing Director East and Central Africa, said the partnership will enable attendees to receive an array of exciting on-site and engagement activities through which they could win exclusive merchandise.

“Passion drives everything we do at Coca-Cola, and nothing gets people moving, celebrating, and enjoying life like live music. Music, like sharing a Coca-Cola, brings people together, and when we mix them, it creates real magic,” she said.

“Our goal for Coke Studio is to always be music-driven and fan-focused, bringing unique music and music experiences to the forefront. We are thrilled to partner with Sol Fest to share this experience with fans.

The four-man band, made up of Bien Aime-Baraza, Mudigi Savara, Polycarp Otieno, and Willis Austin Chimano, sparked controversy after announcing plans to stage a two-part festival at Uhuru Gardens.

The high-flying band, who are fresh from their Europe and USA tours, made a cameo appearance at the Oktobafest event in Nairobi alongside celebrated Kenyan musician Nyashinsky, born Nyamari Ogegu.

Fan show 

Also planned ahead of the farewell concert dubbed 'last dance' is a ‘Fan Show’ whose tickets go for Sh6,500.

Speaking about the upcoming concerts, the award-winning band assured fans that they would get value for their money, adding that they would play all the fan favourite hits, leaving a lasting impression.

“Each performance will be infused with a sense of deep love and gratitude, as the ensemble delivers their timeless hits and fan favourites that have left an indelible mark on our collective memories,” they added.

Five albums and 40 songs 

With five albums and over 40 songs to their name, the band has promised to release a final album for their fans as a fitting reflection of their musical journey together.

In 2022, the band was forced to apologise during their annual Sol Fest following public uproar over their short-lived performance during the 2022 second edition.

The concert took place at the Kenyatta International Convention Centre (KICC) on the evening of December 17.

Concert goers expressed their disappointment online, lamenting that the quartet, being the night’s main act, mismanaged their time on stage.

The Kenyan group has won several local and international awards over their 18-year-long career, among them the Best African Act at the 2014 MTV Europe Music Awards.

In 2021, Sauti Sol received a Grammy certificate for the group's feature on Nigerian artist Burna Boy’s album "Twice as Tall", which won the Global Music Album award.

Despite Sauti Sol’s long list of accomplishments, Bien, the fourth member of the group and vocalist, listed performing and dancing alongside former President Barack Obama as a memorable moment.

"We have been so lucky. We have so many moments, but I think dancing with former US President Barack Obama was one of them," he said.