Bien’s influence on the African music industry cannot be overstated. As part of Sauti Sol, he played a pivotal role in putting Kenyan music on the global map. The group’s eclectic sound, blending Afrobeat, Benga, and R&B, made them a powerhouse in African music, earning them international recognition. Now, as a solo artist, Bien continues to push boundaries, showcasing the diversity of African music on a global stage. “The world is looking at Africa,” he notes, and he is determined to show its myriad sounds and stories through his work. The Grammy Award-winning artist has carved out a name for himself not only as a vocalist but also as a creative force deeply rooted in African culture.
Reflecting on his solo journey, Bien admits the transition from Sauti Sol wasn’t easy. “When I officially left the group, I didn’t expect to feel that lonely,” he confesses. Used to being surrounded by his bandmates both on and off the stage, he initially struggled with solitude. However, this period of self-reflection has helped him grow both as a person and as an artist. “I’ve been able to discover who I am on stage, build my stamina, and have the autonomy to curate my aesthetic,” he says. His evolution is clear, not just in his music, but in his performances, which he describes as more refined and immersive than ever before.
Since stepping away from the group, Bien has taken a deliberate approach to his solo career, focusing on music that speaks to where he is in life. “I don’t have anything to prove anymore,” Bien shares, noting that his latest project draws heavily on his African roots. He’s been recording percussion in his village, crafting songs in his vernacular language, and creating music that he hopes will inspire others to reconnect with their own roots. “I’m using this album to find answers about my past, my people, and where I’m from,” he explains. By delving deep into his identity, he wants his music to serve as a journey for listeners to do the same.
As Bien prepares for his tour, including a highly anticipated sold-out show at London’s prestigious KOKO venue, he’s focused on perfecting every aspect of his live act. From vocal training to rehearsals, he’s leaving no stone unturned in his quest to deliver an unforgettable experience. “These are the days I used to pray for,” he reflects, fully aware of the incredible journey he’s been on and excited for what’s to come.
In an exclusive interview with Rolling Stone, Bien shared the stories behind ten of his most impactful songs, offering fans a deeper insight into the music that has shaped his career. From his early days with Sauti Sol to his latest solo ventures, these tracks serve as milestones in a career defined by growth, authenticity, and a deep love for African music.
Sura Yako
Sura Yako means “your face” in Swahili and it’s the song that really broke us into the continent. And I remember that song changed our lives, like we went from just being a bunch of guys who are, you know, cute singers, to another level. It took us through our first time to Uganda, to Zimbabwe, to, you know, deeper into the continent. And that song was a blessing to our lives. And it still continues to be, man, it’s one of my favourite songs to perform, still, just because of the energy it has and the purity of the harmony and I love the cultural element too in the song.
Suzanna
Suzanna Is a song that was in our album, in that train, and we just, you know, it scattered the place. And it’s, for me, it was such a beautiful song because it just pretty much wrote itself. The song has a sample, you know, a lot of the music from East Africa is very Rumba driven. So the song has a sample from a Congolese musician called Tabu Ley Rochereau, who’s from the 70s. And so the song has a sample from then on, and it just has modern vibes. I love the video, too. I think everyone should watch the video. It was shot by one of the best in Africa, Director K, and it’s still one of my favorite songs in the world.
Mbwe Mbwe
This song is from a jazz EP that I recorded with a friend of mine called Aaron Rimbui and the song is also a Rumba song. In Swahili, it means chic and expensive, so it’s just about an expensive party. And the poetry in the song is spiritual, because it’s about work. It’s about putting your best foot forward, but most of it is about enjoying your hard-earned money and just dancing your life, necessarily, dancing your sorrows away. And you know, it’s just one of those songs that reminds me of growing up in a room with a dad who’s a room ahead. My dad was a Rumba head, and they played Rumba music in the house all the time. So when I listen to that song, it takes me back to those moments. And I just love tapping into nostalgia. That’s why I always tap into Rumba music, because in my music, I just want to give people those feelings of nostalgia all the time.
Kuliko Jana ft (RedFourth Chorus)
This song feels like a prayer. We didn’t even know what we were doing when we were writing that song, but it changed all our lives, and it continues touching people. It’s the most viral song I ever did too, because every year there’s a virality that comes with that song, and it’s been sampled countless times, and it’s just one beautiful song as well. So the story behind actually and was that the choir that we sang in the video with is the high school choir where we met when high school, because this whole group met in high school. So we had gone back to school, because during that time, there were too many cases of kids burning down dormitories and boarding schools, and we went back to talk. To the young kids in our school, and we harmonized together, and that moment of harmony went viral globally. So it’s super spiritual for us as well, because we went back to the source of our music, and it blessed us.
Chikwere
This song feels like a prayer. We didn’t even know what we were doing when we were writing that song, but it changed all our lives, and it continues touching people. It’s the most viral song I ever did too, because every year there’s a virality that comes with that song, and it’s been sampled countless times, and it’s just one beautiful song as well. So the story behind actually and was that the choir that we sang in the video with is the high school choir where we met when high school, because this whole group met in high school. So we had gone back to school, because during that time, there were too many cases of kids burning down dormitories and boarding schools, and we went back to talk. To the young kids in our school, and we harmonized together, and that moment of harmony went viral globally. So it’s super spiritual for us as well, because we went back to the source of our music, and it blessed us.
Legend
“Legend” is the intro of my album “Alusa Why Are You Topless”. And the song legend is just very comical , but it’s just how my mind works. And I just love how it’s the intro for all my shows, it’s the intro for my album, and it speaks to the moment where my life is at. So I think it’s hella funny. Some of the lyrics in there are hella funny, but spiritual at the same time.
My Baby feat Ayra Starr
yeah, “My Baby” is a song that I featured Ayra Starr in. It’s a special song for me because it was one of the first songs reading the album, and he just gave the album “Alusa Why Are You Topless” a sense of sonic direction, and I still listen to it for fun right now. You know, most of the artists don’t listen to themselves after the albums out-and-out for over a year. We just never go back to read through our homework again, but it’s one of the songs that I really, really just fell in love with. It was also my first song to chat in the UK. So on the Afro beats chart, it was, I think, number eight, something that no other Kenyan Act has ever done before, or East African act rather, I love so it’s, yeah, it’s a feather on our hearts there. And I love that song. It’s Iris. Star is also one of my favorite musicians in the world. I love her album you know, Man we got into a studio, we made magic. It didn’t even take long to record. But the vibes are eternal.
Ma Cherie
So I recorded the song in London. It was produced by, arguably, the biggest producer in the world right now, Sammy Soso. He also produced “Water” and Tyla’s entire discography, and Tyla is killing it right now. And it’s just a song that, you know, we were in the studio cooking up vibes with a bunch of songwriters. And as you said, it’s some of those gems that wrote you, it wrote itself. We didn’t struggle, and we cooked the sample from scratch. A lot of people are still asking me where I got the sample from, but we made the sample from scratch thanks to Sammy Soso’s genius, and it just reminds me of growing up in the 90s, and that’s the kind of music I used to hear on radio. When I was young there was an artist called Oliver N’Goma, who used to really make amazing zouk, Afro Zouk music. And so “Ma Cherie” is who I am when I’m in my Oliver N’Goma bag. And I love that song because the melodies are also reminiscent of that era. It’s just innocent in the writing. It’s simple but very sophisticated at the same time
Lost & Found
Which is also produced by Sammy Soso. It’s the first song on my album. It’s a funny song, because when we started working on the song in the studio, I didn’t like it because I said I thought the sound was too salty, like I was trying to do my first album, and demons were telling me that I need to break away from that sound a little. But it turned out to be, I think, one of the highest stream songs in the album. And it’s just also a song that I really love performing live. I think in my life, it’s my favorite song to perform from this album, and the message reveals itself to me every day. What I thought it meant on the day I wrote it is not what it means to me today. So it’s one of those timeless, ageless, most beautiful songs.
Wahala
First of all, because, man, there’s only one, Adekunle Gold . He’s a brother like I love him to death. His family is my family, and I love working with Adekunle, second, Remi Baggins and all the producers on this track, some of Africa’s best. Third, when I was singing in the song I sang in Luhya, which is my dialect, like from where from, ethnically, and I just felt like I tap into a spiritual place, and it gave me a sense of meaning and direction that I want to take my music to. So even Remi Baggins is coming to Kenya for when I told you I want to start recording my album from the village app, I’ve invited Remi of Wahala to come to the village with me and to start the journey of recording new music with our traditional influences.
