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Keeping it local: Why foreign acts won't grace this year's Sol Fest
From left: Sauti Sol band members Bien Aime-Baraza, Savara Mudigi, Willis Austin Chimano and Guitarist Polycarp Otieno performing during Sol Fest Event at Uhuru Gardens, Nairobi on November 4, 2023.
Sauti Sol say they have no intention of spending millions of shillings booking international acts for their Sh70 million flagship music event, Sol Festival (Sol Fest).
Five years since its inception, Sol Fest, an extension of the band’s growing music enterprise, has remained deliberately homegrown. This year’s three-day edition, running from December 18 to 20, will continue that tradition.
According to vocalist Bien-Aimé Baraza, a director at the Sauti Sol Group of Companies, the decision is both strategic and existential. The aim, he says, is to build a festival that is financially sustainable while creating consistent earning opportunities for Kenyan artistes.
“The idea is to grow the festival to a level where it can sustain itself for years, even without Sauti Sol being involved,” Bien says. “My dream is to see Sol Fest become a home that truly accommodates our music and culture. In the long term, we want to open it up to public ownership, possibly by listing it on the stock market, so people can buy shares and own a part of it.”
Running Sol Fest costs between Sh50 million and Sh70 million per edition. Since its launch in 2021, the festival has relied on a mix of sponsorships, partnerships, Sauti Sol’s own savings and ticket sales to stay afloat.
This year’s budget stands at about Sh60 million, with an alcohol brand covering a significant portion of the costs. Kenya Commercial Bank has also come on board with an Sh8 million deal to handle ticketing and payments.
“Sol Fest is a huge investment,” says Moriasi Omambia, head of business affairs at the Sauti Sol Group. “Every year we are working within a budget of between Sh50 million and Sh70 million.”
It is precisely these figures, Bien says, that make international headliners financially unviable. Performance fees demanded by some foreign artistes would swallow the festival’s margins.
“At one point, we considered booking an international act,” he says. “The fee quoted was $200,000—about Sh28 million. We asked ourselves, why spend that on one foreign artiste when the same money can book multiple local acts and improve production and the overall experience? It made more sense to give our artistes jobs and reinvest in our community.”
Bien is quick to clarify that he is not opposed to foreign artistes performing in Kenya. His concern is the value equation.
“We have normalised paying foreign acts exorbitant fees, sometimes more than what they earn in their own countries. That’s why they love coming here,” he says.
“But it makes no business sense. Many organisers don’t break even, let alone make margins. We want to avoid that mistake because we are building a generational festival.”
For fellow band member Savara Mudigi, also a director at the group, the strategy is equally about legacy. With a fan base built over more than two decades, the aim is for Sol Fest to evolve into a sustainable cultural institution anchored in that loyalty.
“Sol Fest will happen every year, that is the plan, but it won’t always be guaranteed that Sauti Sol will perform,” Savara says. “The festival is organised by a committee of experts who make decisions based on market dynamics, not emotion. It’s a business, but it must also deliver value.”
This year’s line-up spans generations, featuring newer acts like Njerae alongside veterans such as Redsan. The organisers say the family-friendly nature of the festival has even sparked calls for a children’s edition.
“That tells you we are truly generational,” Savara adds. “This is the kind of festival we want to build, one that celebrates our culture and gives our people the first opportunity.”
Attendance figures suggest steady growth. Sol Fest drew 7,500 people in 2021, rising to 11,300 in 2022, 16,000 in 2023 and 18,000 in 2024.
The 2023 edition, Sauti Sol’s emotional farewell performance before their indefinite hiatus, was also a financial high point. Ticket sales generated Sh70 million, merchandise added Sh10 million, and sponsorships pushed total revenue past Sh100 million.
VIP tickets priced at Sh20,000 brought in Sh22 million, while regular tickets at Sh3,500 generated more than Sh47 million. Brand partnerships contributed at least Sh15 million, and vendor slots added another revenue stream.
Not every year has been as smooth. The 2022 edition was marred by logistical challenges and public criticism, prompting an apology from the organisers. In response, Sauti Sol enlisted veteran event producers Saida Suleiman and Kavutha Asio to overhaul operations.
The following year, the festival expanded from one day to two, and this year it grows further into a three-day event.
