Bien-Aimé Baraza on the Private Reason He Took a Hiatus From Sauti Sol

Kenyan singer and songwriter Bien-Aimé Baraza has shed light on his decision to pursue a solo career while continuing to maintain a strong relationship with his Sauti Sol bandmates.

Speaking in an interview with Maina of  Classic 105, Bien detailed the factors that contributed to his shift away from the group setting after more than two decades of working together.

A Career Transition After 22 Years

Bien explained that Sauti Sol’s long-running journey played a significant role in prompting the change. The group, which began in 2002, had been his main creative and professional space for 22 years. During the interview, he recalled:

“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. I felt like some of that was the system but I wasn’t feeling personal growth, and I felt like, you know what, it is time to try something different.”

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According to Bien, this feeling was not unique to him. He noted that the rest of the group also sensed the need for change:

“Funny enough, everyone was feeling that. It had started becoming work for us.”

He pointed out that the COVID-19 pandemic had also affected their momentum and contributed to the group reassessing its direction:

“The pandemic also threw us a bit. It slowed the momentum.”

Life Coaching and Collective Reflection

To navigate the shift, Sauti Sol sought professional guidance. Bien noted that the group underwent counselling to help them make sense of their evolving needs and careers:

“We went to a life coach and we were counselled as a group.”

He described the experience as one that helped him better appreciate both the group dynamic and the solo path he was stepping into. He acknowledged that his bandmates brought unique strengths to their collective work:

“I’m learning that things are so broad on the table. The things that my brothers are bringing on the table were some valid things too. I miss those bits so much. I miss, like, the stupidity.”

Mapping Out the Solo Path

Bien revealed that he had loosely envisioned elements of his solo career even before the group formally stepped back. However, he stressed the importance of leaving room for unpredictability:

“I kind of had some songs that I had thought in my head. But to be honest, even if you map things out, you need to leave room for magic and space. Leave room for wonder and space for magic.”

He added that even well-laid plans tend to deliver unexpected outcomes:

“Many times when I make a plan to do something and I actually follow the plan through, the result is always 10x what I thought it’s going to be.”

Bien also reflected on his creative process, explaining that some of his most surprising work has emerged from moments of vulnerability:

“Some of the songs that I even did in a time when I was maybe not feeling myself have turned out to surprise me… like, wow. This is how I got to write when I’m not feeling myself. So I need to feel myself a lot more.”