Bien-Aime Alusa Baraza, popularly known as Bien, is a Kenyan singer, songwriter, guitarist, music executive and entrepreneur. He is a member of Sauti Sol, an Afropop music group
Early Life
editBien attended Upper Hill School, Nairobi. In 2007, he was involved in a care accident that made Sauti sol members decide to pursue music together[1]
Career
editSauti Sol
editBien was a member of Sauti Sol, a Kenyan pop group with other members, Savara Mudigi, Willis Austin Chimano and Polycarp Otieno.
The group announced they would be exploring solo careers.
In December 2023, the band announced that it would be performing together for the last time, at sol festival in Nairobi[2]
Solo career (2019 to present)
editIn 2021, Sol Generation Records announced that Bien was signed to the label[3].
He also released his EP, Bald Men Love Better, which featured Aaron Rimbui. The EP included 6 songs, ‘Bald Men Anthem' ,'Stamina' ,'Coming Home' ,'Reset Rewind' and 'Mbwe Mbwe'. All were coproduced by Bien and Aaron[4].
Bien's solo career started with the release of songs such as Dimension, Inauma and Mbwembwe.
In March 2023, Spotify listed Bien as the most followed artist on the platform. His song, Inauma was also the most streamed Kenyan song on the platform[5]
In 2023, Bien released his debut solo album, Alusa Why Are You Topless? The 16-track album included collaborations with Ayra Starr, Ms. Banks and Scar Mkadinali[6].
In 2023, he became the fourth Kenyan artist to be featured on the COLORSxSTUDIOS, where he performed True Love[7]
In 2024, Bien had a Europe tour[8].
In 2024, Bien released “Alusa Why Are You Topless (Deluxe)” version. It included 5 tracks like Ma Cherie remix featuring Fally Ipupa, Wahala festureing Adekunle Gold[9]
Musical style
editBien's music includes political and social views as well as challenges status quo[10]. Songs such as Maandamano (which translates to Protest in English) with Kenyan rapper Breeder highlights the issues affecting Kenyans[11]
Bien is an Afropop artists who fuses rhumba with different sounds including afrobeats and Amapiano[12]
Activism
editBien has publicly criticized the Music Copyright Society of Kenya for poor royalty pay for Kenyan artists. In 2023, he declined the organisation's invite to collect his royalties and stated it as a publicity stunt from MCSK's end[13].
In 2023, Bien expressed his support for the LGBTQ community. Following the decision by the Kenya Supreme Court ruling that the Kenyan authorities were wrong for banning the gay community from registering their rights[14]
Awards and Recognition
editBien won a Grammy Award for song writing on Burna Boy's album, Twice As Tall, which won the best global music album[15]
In 2022, his song with Aaron Rimbui, Bald Men, was nominated for Best Male Artiste in Eastern Africa at AFRIMMA.
In 2023, he was also nominated for AFRIMMA awards.
Other ventures
editAll members of Sauti Sol together own Sol Generation Records. Each of them is signed to the record label as solo artists[16].
He also cofounded Hustle Sasa, a platform that allows artists and vendors to sell their products, including merchandise and music, directly to the market[17] [18]
He is also a co-founder of Sol Kids, which produces content for children, including books[19]
Bien sits on the board Recording Industry of Kenya (RIKE), a not-for-profit organization registered in Kenya that aims to promote the interests of producers and sound recorders in Kenya[20].
In 2022, Bien opened his nightclub, Manhattan Ke Bar and Grill, located in Nairobi[21].
Personal Life
editBien is married to Chiki Kuruka, who is also his manager[22]
References
edit- ^ Zawadi, Rajab. "Sauti Sol's Bien: Music paid my entire university fees". Nairobi News. Nairobi News. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ Kimuyu, Hilary. "'Last Dance': 17 years in the making as Sauti Sol says adios". ntv. ntv. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Ikahu, Susan. "Bien signs Ksh.50 million deal with Sol Generation, a record label he helped found". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Lauryn. "Bien Releases 'Bald Men Love Better' EP Featuring Aaron Rimbui". NOTJUSTOK. NOT JUST OK. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
- ^ Gachie, Kenneth. "Bien-Aimé Baraza: The making of a Kenyan rockstar". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Gachie, Kenneth. "'Alusa Why Are You Topless?' Bien finally drops debut solo album". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Gachie, Kenneth. "Sauti Sol's Bien becomes fourth Kenyan artiste to be featured on COLORS Studios". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Gachie, Kenneth. "Bien lands in Paris as his much-anticipated Europe tour kicks off". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Opondo, Agnes. "MusicBien Pushes Creative Boundaries In "Alusa Why Are You Topless (Deluxe)"". KENYANVIBE. KENYANVIBE. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ Okumu, Lynet. "Beyond beats: Why Bien's voice will always echo in your mind". Pulselive Kenya. Pulselive Kenya. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Marion, Jones. "Bien and Breeder LW release song titled Maandamano". CLASSIC FM. CLASSIC FM. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Arudo, Otieno. "What Next For Sauti Sol: Bien". KENYAN VIBE. KENYAN VIBE. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ Munene, Cynthia. "Why I turned down MCSK invite to collect my royalties - Bien". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 27 August 2024.
- ^ petra, Hannie. "Why Sauti Sol's Bien fully supports LGBTQ community". KISSFM. KISSFM. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Njeri. "Bien, Bensoul Named Grammy Award-Winning Songwriters". KENYANVIBE. KENYANVIBE. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
- ^ Matiko, Sinda. "Sauti Sol: From band to group of businesses". Business Daily. Business Daily. Retrieved 1 August 2024.
- ^ Reuters. "Musician's app helps Kenyan creatives sell music and merchandise". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 5 August 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ REUTERS. "App by Grammy-nominated musician helps Kenyan creatives sell music and merchandise". news24. news24. Retrieved 28 August 2024.
{{cite web}}:|last1=has generic name (help) - ^ Patience, Tamarah. "Sauti Sol ventures into comic books". The Standard. The Standard. Retrieved 6 August 2024.
- ^ Gachie, Kenneth. "RIKE, new association aimed at bolstering Kenyan music, brings on board Sauti Sol's Bien". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Wambua, Janet. "Sauti Sol's Bien ventures into business, opens new pub". Citizen Digital. Citizen Digital. Retrieved 2 August 2024.
- ^ Wafula, Linda. "Chiki Celebrates One Year of Managing Bien". KENYANVIBE. KENYANVIBE. Retrieved 1 August 2024.