Fancy Fingers teams up with Winyo for a new album post-Sauti Sol split
Former Sauti Sol band member Polycarp Otieno, widely known as Fancy Fingers, has joined forces with renowned musician Winyo for a new 13-track album entirely composed in the Luo language.
Titled ‘Jawaya Jathum’, the album is now available across major music streaming platforms, including YouTube.
The phrase ‘Jawaya Jathum’ translates loosely to ‘music lover’ or ‘fan of music’ in English.
In Luo, ‘Jawaya’ refers to someone passionate about playing guitar, while Jathum denotes a musician or an instrumentalist.
Fancy Fingers and Winyo’s collaboration represents a groundbreaking effort to fuse traditional Kenyan sounds with contemporary global influences.
The album seamlessly blends Fancy Fingers’ masterful guitar craftsmanship with Winyo’s soulful vocals, resulting in a rich, folkloric, yet modern soundscape.
“This project is deeply rooted in our culture while also pushing the boundaries of African music,” the duo said in a joint statement following the album’s release.
“We are eager to introduce these powerful, culturally rich musical expressions to international audiences, further establishing Kenya’s presence in the global music industry.”
New era for Sauti Sol members
‘Jawaya Jathum’ marks Fancy Fingers’ first major project since Sauti Sol announced an indefinite hiatus from group projects in 2023.
On May 20, 2023, the quartet – Bien-Aime Baraza, Willis Chimano, Polycarp Otieno, and Savara Mudigi – revealed they were taking a break to focus on their individual careers following their final world tour that year.
Since the split, lead vocalist Bien-Aime Baraza quickly transitioned into a solo career.
Even before Sauti Sol’s separation, Bien had been gradually unveiling tracks from his debut solo album, ‘Alusa Why Are You Topless?’, which was officially released on November 17, 2023.
Fancy Fingers’ latest work with Winyo signals his own creative journey post-Sauti Sol, highlighting his commitment to exploring Kenya’s musical heritage while taking it to the global stage.
Author
Martin Oduor
The alchemist of literary works - a master wordsmith with a proven record of transforming the raw materials of language into a rich tapestry of emotion, thought, and imagination.
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