Sauti Sol’s acoustic voices

The hit single Lazizi is such a classic romantic rhapsody. Indeed, the entire Sauti Sol’s debut album Mwanzo is a great musical experience to many listeners. In fact, Lazizi popularly known as Java is about a young man serenading his beau.

In the song, the smitten lad refers to Lazizi as a gift from heaven as he pours his heart out.

"I spend sleepless nights thinking of you. When I see you with other guys I feel so bad."

These soulful vocals are matched with great acoustics to create magical sound.

This was Sauti Sol’s homecoming Concert at Galileos that saw many fans throng the venue.

Elijah Girimani and his girlfriend Mercy Ringera were among the fans who defied the evening downpour to get jiggy with this upcoming band. The programme’s officer in the Commitee of Experts on constitutional review danced his way holding his girlfriend’s hand to the stage. Then, everything came into a standstill.

Sauti Sol on stage

In an emotional twist, Elijah went down on one knee and proposed: "Will you marry me," as Mercy broke into tears as she nodded. The couple then hugged tightly kissing passionately infront of the cheering crowd.

By 10pm, doors had closed as an approximated 400 people waited in the rain but all in vain. Clearly, the organisers had underestimated the turnout.

Celebs

It was a concert marked by Nairobi’s "A" class celebville. At some point, even some of the city’s big names could not access the VIP lobby. From divas like Suzzanna Owiyo to celebrated soccer star like Dennis Oliech.

Sauti Sol which consists four high school pals Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano, Delvin Mudigi and Polycarp Otieno has just returned to Kenya after a successful two months tour of Diemen, Rotterdam, Amsterdam, Stockholm, London and Gothenburg.

The sudden rise to stardom for Sauti Sol whose acoustic fusion beyond Alliance Francaise where only a handful of devoted fans would cheer them is impressive.

After holding several shows at Alliance Francaise and participating in Spotlight on Kenyan Music concerts, Sauti Sol held their first solo-concert last year at the same venue and consequently released their debut album Mwanzo. Since then, the response has been overwhelming.

Their music is refreshing and soothing. The lyrics are infections with simple messages inspired by everyday challenges. The delightful urban feel African sounds and great harmony has made them unique. They are accepted across the age groups.With their multi-talent approach and music professionalism, their live performances stand out.

And in this, working with producer Robert Waweru (Wawesh) has given them an edge over their competitors.

The tracks in the album include Nairobi, Zosi, Wera, Asubuhi, Lazizi, Asante sana Baba and Subira. Others include Mapacha, Mushivala, Blue Uniform, Sunny Days and Mama Papa.

Having started off from the right footing, one can easily argue that Sauti Sol is going places.