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Singer Bien Aime-Baraza, while speaking to Nairobi News, explained why the Sauti Sol band doesn't perform during national functions, despite being the leading boy band in the country.
According to Bien, it seems like the government can't afford their services, and so they can't perform at any national function, including the upcoming Labour Day celebrations.
“We will never perform in any public holiday celebration because the government cannot afford to pay us. It is the bitter truth,” Bien said.
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READ: Sauti Sol addresses public uproar over their performance at SolFest
Bien went ahead and revealed that Sauti Sol was paid Sh40K to perform at a government function in 2011, and they shared the money amongst themselves.
However, he outlined that they were still growing as a group at the time, and that was all. What is Sauti Sol's rate card?
Sauti Sol and Kenyan politics
In 2022, Sauti Sol rubbed shoulders with Azimio after they came out and said that the coalition used their hit song 'Extravaganza' without their permission during one of their functions.
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“We did not give any consent for its use in the announcement of their deputy presidential candidate. Furthermore, our authority to use the composition, which is one of our most distinct compositions, was neither sought nor given,” Sauti Sol said.
Sauti Sol distanced themselves from any political party, despite several musicians performing for different coalitions during rallies.
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READ: Sauti Sol to sue Raila's Azimio for using their song without permission at KICC
“We would like to make it very clear to our fans, partners, and associates, we are not aligned to, nor associated with, the Azimio la Umoja, or any other political movement and/or party their presidential aspirants, deputy presidential aspirants, and candidates at large," read the statement.
Bien, on his own, claims that Sauti Sol will always stand with the people, while adding that his goal is to give people hope.