Kenyan band Sauti Sol sign to Universal

The Kenyan pop band Sauti Sol have announced that they have signed a recording deal with Universal Music Group.

They posted the news on Facebook:

Sauti Sol released their first album in 2008 and are one of their most famous bands in Kenya, with their song from May, Extravanganza, still heard regularly in Nairobi's bars.

They already have their own record label called Sol Generation Records which has signed Kenyan singer Bensoul.

Observers say this deal could give them access to the global market of music consumers.

The Los Angeles based Universal Music Group is the world's biggest music company and has had its sights set on the African music scene for a while, reports Quartz news site.

In 2018 Universal bought the Nairobi-based AI records and set up offices in Ivory Coast and Nigeria.