By performing across world cities and collaborating with some of the biggest artists in the industry, singer, songwriter, guitarist and producer Bien-Aimé Alusa has studied the ingredients that can propel Kenyan music to the heights enjoyed by Africa’s major music markets.
“When I look at Nigeria and other countries that are seemingly doing better than us in art and culture, it is because they have been able to make a connection between their culture and the contemporary vibes,” he tells the BD Life during an exclusive interview at his home in Nairobi.
He had just returned from a promotional tour of Nigeria, pushing his hit Wahala, a collaboration with one of that country’s biggest stars, Adenkule Gold.
He says the success of the up-tempo Afrobeats single which combines English, Luhya and Nigerian pidgin lyrics is a part of that cultural reawakening.
“Previously as a songwriter, I have wanted to be understood so I have written in English and Swahili a lot. But I am just getting to a level where my culture is the most important thing to me. For my next project, I am researching music made by all communities in the country and taking that from the Kenya Music Festivals to the world stage,” he reveals.
Bien’s tours this year have taken him across Africa, from Lagos to Kinshasa to Kigali. “When I go to these places what warms my soul is seeing Africans waking up for Africa and not giving up. All the music I write is storytelling from experiences of places and people I meet.”
Carving an individual identity after more than two decades as one-fourth of Sauti Sol is a gradual process for him especially standing on stage alone. “My first shows were terrible. I am used to being on stage singing one verse and maybe the chorus. But now here I am, singing a whole song, dancing.”
According to Bien the group’s current hiatus was necessary to break the routine. “Sometimes you are working in the same company for 20 years, and you just need a new job. I think this is a season that is necessary to make us better for the next Sauti Sol season.”
His debut solo album Alusa Why Are You Topless? which has also been released in a Deluxe edition with five additional songs, is a global effort produced and recorded around the world, from Nairobi to London.
The UK sessions were engineered and produced by Sammy Soso, best known for co-writing and producing the Grammy Award-winning song, Water for South African star Tyla.
The album is packed with collaborations with huge names like the DRC’s Fally Ipupa, Nigerian Grammy Award nominee, Ayra Starr, Nigerian-British rapper Ms. Banks, and Rayvanny of Tanzania: “Some collaborations are mechanical, and others are paid for, but everyone you see work with me is a mutual friend and we have a lot of love,” reveals Bien.
The album portrays the audacity of his creativity hence the title which is quoted verbatim from a question that his mother asked when Sauti Sol released the sexually charged video for the single Nishike in 2015.
“That moment was liberating for us because it was the first time we were getting shows in Nigeria and Uganda,” he recalls.
He is focused on not just building his own brand but shining the spotlight on Kenyan music borrowing from the template of the musical giants in Africa.
“If Bien is amazing, people will look for Kenyan music and find other artistes. Secondly, I share my mistakes so that the new generation avoid them,” he says.
The task ahead of him is clear.
Kenyan singer, songwriter and music producer Bien-Aime Alusa. After over two decades as one fourth of Sauti Sol, he is carving an individual identity.
Photo credit: Pool
“When Kenyans enter a room, we are somewhere between Africans and Europeans, and no one loves a fence-sitter. It is the job of artistes to reclaim our culture,” he notes.
He continues, “When you love yourself then you are attractive to everyone else in the world. Swahili is spoken by 150 million people and those are customers and ambassadors of our culture. So, we have to make music for that community wherever they are in the world and use them to propel us out onto the global sphere, the way Nigerians have leveraged on their numbers. Finally, we have to make sure that every East African who is in a sphere of influence tells a positive East African story”
Bien has also taken up the responsibility to mentor younger artistes “to half their journey” but to also remind them that success is a long-drawn-out process.
“Today I was thinking to myself that my album is about a year old, but I am only now seeing the fruits, people are telling me about some songs, others are having a resurgence in streaming platforms. Two months ago, I wanted to record another album because I was thinking this album imechoka (isn’t a hit).”
He adds: “Be scarce because you are working and at some point, you will be scarce because you travel a lot. I am scarce in Nairobi because I am on the road all the time.”
Bien is back on the road in November with tour dates in the UK, Germany, Finland, Tanzania, Burundi, before returning home for the annual Sol Fest curated by Sauti Sol.
“After that I can fly for Christmas to Dakar, Senegal which has always been on my bucket list,” he concludes with a smile.
