Kenya's afro-pop music group set to tour China

 A leading Kenyan afro-pop band Sauti Sol, is set to make its first tour of China in May this year.

The four-man band, that originally started as a cappella group, are set to sing in Swahili and Chinese.

"We intend to promote Kenyan music in China and also invite Chinese musicians to come to Kenya and perform," the band's leader Bien-Aime Baraza told Xinhua in an interview in Nairobi on Saturday.

Baraza revealed that during the ten-day tour, the band will perform in Chinese cities including Beijing, Shangai, and Chengdu.

"We plan to meet and perform alongside the Chinese musicians and plan on the promotion of cultural exchange since Kenyans know very little about Chinese culture besides business and foods," he added.

He observed that the trip will create an open understanding between the two countries and encourage diplomacy at a different level by tapping music knowledge from the Asian population.

Sauti Sol was crowned Best Group in Africa at the 2016 MTV Africa Music awards, Soundcity MTV Awards, AFRIMA Awards and UK's BEFFTA Awards.

The band has previously toured Europe, United States of America and several African countries.

The band that is composed of Baraza, Willis Austin Chimano, Polycarp Otieno and Savara Mudigi are currently looking for sponsors to enable them perform in the Chinese cities.

source: Xinhua