• Crystal Asige features alongside BenSoul, Kaskazini (a Kenyan urban-fusion trio formed by Chris, Ywaya and Israel) and Nviiri.
Image: Courtesy
Sauti Sol has released a new single, Extravaganza. It is a song with a touch of Rhumba, sang in Kiswahili and featuring amazing talent.
The group unveiled one of their female signee under their record label 'Sol Generation'.
Crystal Asige features alongside BenSoul, Kaskazini (a Kenyan urban-fusion trio formed by Chris, Ywaya and Israel) and Nviiri.
"We released the song in order to introduce the other artists so they can be in our fans' minds," Bien told Word Is on Wednesday.
Bien said he met Crystal 10 years ago. She has a wealth of experience working in the music scene locally and abroad.
Her performances in Mombasa, Nairobi and the UK are largely influenced by Afro, Soul and Funk music. She performs with her live band ‘Chemi Chemi’.
Her single Pulled Under topped a UK-based chart show in 2016.
She was diagnosed with degenerative eye disease as a teenager. Crystal says the condition has taught her to live by faith, not by sight, to be fearless and to stay humble.
"Crystal and I met 10 years ago during an event but we lost contact thereafter. A few years ago I was looking for songwriters and someone introduced me to her saying she is a good songwriter," Bien said.
Before signing the artists, he said, they hanged out with them and attended their performances.
"We later met in Nairobi and wrote a song together. That is how we have kept in touch. We have been hanging out for like a whole year together with all our new signees," Bien said.
Crystal has been a speaker and VIP (visually impaired person) ambassador. She shares aspects of her daily life as a visually impaired person on her YouTube channel 'Blind Girl Manenos'.
At this point, her vision is limited to light and shadows, but losing her eyesight has taught her some powerful lessons she is grateful for.
“I didn’t know that I was this strong. I didn’t know that I had it in me to overcome something like this," she said in a previous interview.
“If someone had told me this ahead of time, I would have said, 'No, thank you. Deal me another deck of cards. I cannot survive that'.”
Bien said Crystal is very cooperative and has taught them a lot.
"Crystal has shown us a whole new perspective of life and how we view persons with disability, even at our workplaces," he said.
"We hadn't created an environment for people like her, but once she came in she did that for us. She is a talented singer and a good songwriter."
Sol Generation presents EXTRAVAGANZA featuring Bensoul, Nviiri the Storyteller, Crystal Asige & Kaskazini. AUDIO AVAILABLE WORLDWIDE: ...