Bien To Feature On Africa Now Radio This Friday

Kenyan Afropop star and Sauti Sol member Bien joins Nandi Madida via FaceTime on Apple Music 1 to discuss his upcoming album, ‘Alusa Why Are You Topless?', as well as developing his own sonic identity as a solo artist.

‘Alusa Why Are You Topless’ is set to drop tomorrow and is currently available for pre-save.

Bien on going solo:

Nandi: Now, going solo, I’m sure that was quite daunting for someone like yourself. Why did you feel now was the time to do it?

Bien: First of all, I don’t think I’d ever have a chance to do it if I didn’t do it now. I have the strength, I’m still at the top of my game and I think now is the time to just try. Secondly, I think it’s important for me to explore that side of me, to make me a better member of the group. If I’m ever to come back to Sauti Sol, I need to have gone through this particular season, so that I’m a better individual and I bring more to the table than just the Bien that people used to know.

Bien on the meaning of his album title, 'Alusa Why Are You Topless?’:

If anyone knows me from my past, I was in a group called Sauti Sol and we have a song called ‘Nishike’ where we’re just oiled up, topless, winding and grinding and singing about doing the deed. My mum called me and she said ‘Alusa…’ (because Alusa is my home name, it’s what people know me [as] in the crib) ‘…why are you topless?’

I think topless to me represents freedom. It represents… you know when you get home in the evening and you remove your bra or your shirt, and you chill? I want guys to understand that topless is for me like a blank canvas, being bare. Who knows what I’m going to get, according to how my journey goes? I’m gonna put on some medals, according to how my journey goes. I’m gonna put some awards on this body and I’m going to put some more things on this body, depending on how the journey goes.

Click HERE to tune into this episode on November 17^th on Africa Now Radio.