Sauti Sol play in the US to record crowds

Sauti Sol on stage at Coco Cabana in Washington, DC. PHOTO | CHRIS WAMALWA

What you need to know:

  • Dallas is likely to go down as one of their biggest acts because thousands of Kenyans are congregating there over for the annual memorial Kenyan weekend.
  • Arguably Kenya’s biggest boy band, the Afro-pop group is the only East African Act to be nominated for the awards this year.
  • Sura Yako is very popular among Kenyans living in the US. It is played at every Kenyan wedding.

WASHINGTON

Sauti Sol, Kenya's leading boy band who are currently on a tour in the US are drawing large crowds of fans never seen in recent history.

Kenyans living in the US and Canada have been traveling hundreds of miles to attend their shows in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Washington, DC and Dallas, Texas.

“Right now, I’m at the Toronto Pearson Airport (YYZ) in Canada waiting to board a US airways flight to Philly from where I’ll connect to Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport (DFW) to attend the Sauti Sol show. I have followed their career for a while now and I want to see them live” Johnstone Mwango, a Kenyan resident of Toronto, Canada told the Nation on phone Sunday morning.

The group, whose nomination for the Black Entertainment Television (BET) award recently catapulted them to international fame, has been hopping from city to city in the US hosting international press conferences and giving world-class stage performances in what has been dubbed, the Road to BET.

HUGE CROWDS

At the time of going to press, they were on stage in Dallas, Texas performing to a large crowd of Kenyans living in the US.

Dallas is likely to go down as one of their biggest acts because thousands of Kenyans are congregating there over for the annual memorial Kenyan weekend.

Some Sauti Sol members with some members of US based Jabali Afrika Band. PHOTO | CHRIS WAMALWA

On Saturday, the group performed to one of the largest and most enthusiastic audiences ever in Washington, DC at the Coco Cabana club.

“This is definitely one of the largest Kenyan crowd I have seen in the last ten years. As promoters, it gives us encouragement that there is still hope for Kenyan music.” Said George King, the media Liaison for the Sauti Sol Washington, DC show.

“We would like to see Kenyans living in the US and indeed from around the world and even back in our homeland to line up to cheer our boys on their way to the BET Awards. Those who live here in the US know that to be nominated for the BET Award is a big deal because it changes lives.

Let’s support our compatriots from home.” Said Kaka DC, the organiser of the Washington, DC event. Alongside Take Over DJs Mustapha Babu, Kaka DC is one of the few trusted events organisers in the US.

Sauti Sol, a group that hit the bulls-eye recently with their hit song, Sura Yako after many years of trial is said to be reaping the fruits of their hard work with the latest being a nomination for the BET awards 2015 in the Best International Act, Africa category.

“For us, this is a dream come true and we are grateful to God and our fans both at home and abroad who have continued to support us. We wouldn’t be here if it weren’t for their continued support.” Willis Chimano said soon after the DC show.

HIT SONG

Sura Yako is very popular among Kenyans living in the US. It is played at every Kenyan wedding.

Arguably Kenya’s biggest boy band, the Afro-pop group is the only East African Act to be nominated for the awards this year.

They have been nominated alongside other Africa artists such as AKA (South Africa), Fally Ipupa (Dr Congo), Sarkodie (Ghana), Stonebwoy (Ghana), The Soil (South Africa), Wizkid (Nigeria), Yemi Alade (Nigeria).

The group also recently won the Best African Act MTV EMA 2014 and was also Nominees for Best Worldwide Act at the same event.

“These guys have made us proud as a country and it is now time for us to cheer them to the finish line especially for the BET Awards. Let’s share their story with the rest of the world on twitter, Facebook, instagram and Whatsup. Said DJ Breaz a.k.a Brian Juma, the Host of Diaspora Home & Abroad TV show that debuts this summer.

If they go on to win the BET award, it will be a huge bump in their growing popularity.

The BET awards will be held on the 28th of June 2015 at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles, California.