Sauti Sol’s Bien Reveals Why He Left: 22 Years, Group Counseling, & Missing ‘The Stupidity’
Kenyan music sensation Bien-Aimé Baraza, a cornerstone of the legendary group Sauti Sol, is giving fans the full scoop on his highly-anticipated solo journey. After two decades of making groundbreaking music with his bandmates, Bien recently shed light on the personal and professional shifts that led him to step into the spotlight alone, all while keeping his bond with the Sauti Sol family stronger than ever.
In a candid interview with Maina of Classic 105, Bien confessed that the sheer longevity of the Sauti Sol journey was a major catalyst for change.
“I was in Sauti Sol for long, 22 years. We started in 2002. And by the time when we were taking a break, it’d been a long time,” Bien recalled.
He admitted that even within a successful system, he felt his personal growth was hitting a plateau. “I felt like, you know what, it is time to try something different.”
The most surprising part? This feeling wasn’t just his own! The entire band was ready for a fresh chapter. Bien noted, “Funny enough, everyone was feeling that. It had started becoming work for us.”
The COVID-19 pandemic also played a role, slowing down their momentum and forcing the group to reassess their direction. To navigate this massive professional and personal evolution, the iconic quartet made a mature, strategic move: Group Counseling!
“We went to a life coach and we were counselled as a group,” Bien shared.
This guidance helped him appreciate the collective dynamic even more as he launched his solo path. While he’s focused on his own sound, he admitted he misses the collaborative energy, saying he misses “the stupidity” and the “valid things” his bandmates brought to the table.
While a solo career might look like a sudden pivot, Bien revealed he had been “loosely envisioning” elements of it for some time. But his biggest takeaway for aspiring artists? Don’t over-plan!
“Even if you map things out, you need to leave room for magic and space. Leave room for wonder and space for magic.”
He’s learned that even the best plans tend to deliver results that are “10x what I thought it’s going to be.”
Intriguingly, some of Bien’s most celebrated recent works have emerged from his most vulnerable moments. “Some of the songs that I even did in a time when I was maybe not feeling myself have turned out to surprise me… So I need to feel myself a lot more,” he reflected.
