Kenyan Swahili sound comes to China

Afro-pop band Sauti Sol hopes its music will become as popular as martial arts at home

A leading Kenyan Afro-pop band, Sauti Sol, is committed to promoting cultural exchanges between Kenya and China, as the relationship between the two countries continues to grow.

According to the band's leader, Bien-Aime Baraza, while the relationship is commendable in terms of business, much needs to be done on the cultural level.

"There is need to improve the cultural relationship between Kenya and China so that real integration between the two countries could take place. The only way Kenya and China will be able to do business properly is to understand each other culturally," he says.

Baraza sees music as a parallel conversation in enabling diplomacy.

"There is a lot that art can do in creating diplomacy and encouraging business between the two countries. We are committed to promoting culture exchanges between the Kenya and China, to take our friendship further," he says.

In that direction, the four-man band, is set to make its first tour to China in May, where they plan to meet Chinese artists for partnership discussions.

"We plan to perform Kenyan music in China, learn the Chinese language and interact with Chinese artists. We also look forward to partnering with Chinese artists, so they will sing in Swahili as we sing in Chinese," he says.

During the 10-day tour, the band will perform in Beijing, Chengdu, Shanghai and Shenzhen.

"From the tour, I believe we will have a different perception about China. We expect to learn more about Chinese culture through interaction. Chinese people will also have an opportunity to learn more about Kenyan culture through us," Baraza says.

Other than food and martial arts, Kenyans know little about Chinese culture besides music, Baraza says. The reason the band plans to perform alongside Chinese musicians is so it can tap Chinese music knowledge.

"Chinese culture is beautiful. We have all known and identified with Bruce Lee since we were children; we have also come to love Chinese food," Baraza says.

Bruce Lee, also known as Lee Jun-fan, was revered in Hong Kong and around the world as a martial artist, actor, philosopher and filmmaker - known for movies such as Fists of Fury and Enter the Dragon and for his Jeet Kune Do school of martial arts.

Many Kenyans speak highly of Lee and Jackie Chan, who are remembered for their spectacular acting in kung fu movies that were popular in Kenya in the 1980s and 90s.

The love of these movies waned after Kenyans embraced Mexican soap operas in the 1990s. However, the love for kung fu movies, alongside other Chinese movies, was revived in 2012 following the launch of StarTimes, a Chinese pay television company.

The StarTimes' Kung Fu Channel, which is dedicated to martial arts sports genres, is the most popular in Kenya.

Sauti Sol looks forward to Kenyan Swahili music becoming popular in China, just as martial arts are popular in Kenya. For now, the band is looking for sponsorship from the Chinese business community in Kenya so that it can tour China.

"There are many Chinese nationals doing business in Kenya, and we hope that they will take this opportunity to promote culture between the two countries through sponsoring us," Baraza says.

Sauti Sol was crowned Best Group in Africa at the 2016 MTV Africa Music Awards, at the AFRIMA Awards and at the UK's BEFFTA Awards. It also won Best African Group at the African Muzik Magazine Awards (2015 AFRIMA) and an MTV EMA Award for Best African Act in 2014.

The group - which mixes its soulful voices with vocal harmonies, guitar riffs and drum rhythms - has previously toured the United States, Europe and several African countries.

edithmutethya@chinadaily.com.cn