Bien has swiftly risen to become the central force in modern East African music, acclaimed for his solo artistry, cultural impact, and digital dominance.
Today, once-dominant Bongo Flava stars like Diamond Platnumz, Marioo, and Harmonize are navigating a shifting industry by collaborating with Bien seeking to tap into his momentum, reinvigorate their brands, and secure new streams of relevance.
Meanwhile, artistes from other musical backgrounds, such as Somali-Kenyan star Suldaan Seeraar, have also found growth and visibility through joint tracks with him. Songs like Katam, Nairobi (Tushaoana), I Made It and Safari act as bridges to the next era anchored by Bien’s artistry.
His transformation from Sauti Sol frontman to solo sensation has been nothing short of meteoric. His hits Inauma, Mbwe Mbwe, and Ma Cherie led him to become Kenya’s most streamed artist on Spotify by the close of 2024.
His debut solo album Alusa, Why Are You Topless? was praised for its emotional honesty and sophisticated Afro-fusion sound, winning him Best Artist Eastern Africa at the 2025 Trace Awards beating out Bongo heavyweights like Diamond, Harmonize, and Marioo.
Bien’s rise isn’t just measured in numbers; it’s seen in his cultural status. He’s become the voice of emotional expression, introspective songwriting, and genre-blending excellence and for Bongo stars trying to stay ahead, Bien is exactly the spark they need.
Diamond Platnumz, the face of Tanzanian pop for over a decade, has recently faced industry fatigue. His signature sound once fresh and electrifying has started to feel repetitive to newer audiences growing up with Afrobeats, Gengetone, and experimental Amapiano blends.
Recognizing the shift, Diamond collaborated with Bien on Katam, a track that fused Diamond’s charisma with Bien’s poetic depth. The song, released in early 2025, became an instant hit.
Its success wasn’t just about musical chemistry it was symbolic. It showed Diamond adapting, evolving, and admitting that in 2025, a collaboration with Bien is no longer optional; it’s strategic.
Marioo, known for his emotional ballads and Swahili love anthems, also faced a challenge: cracking the Kenyan market in a meaningful way. While loved in Tanzania, his reach beyond its borders needed expansion.
Enter Nairobi (Tushaoana), a collaborative track with Bien that played like a musical love letter to Kenya’s capital. Bien’s verse delivered familiarity, charm, and a Kenyan hook that tied the entire piece together.
The result was one of Marioo’s most streamed songs in Kenya, a viral TikTok trend, and regular radio play in both countries. The track worked because Bien provided more than vocals he grounded Marioo’s sound in a place, language, and mood Kenyan audiences could connect with.
Perhaps the most compelling story belongs to Harmonize.
After his dramatic exit from Diamond’s Wasafi label and the creation of his independent imprint, Konde Gang, Harmonize charted a new path but his momentum had started to plateau. Despite loyal fans and steady releases, he needed a bold move to stand out in an increasingly saturated East African music space.
In January 2024, he released I Made It, featuring Bien and American rapper Bobby Shmurda. The collaboration stood out as a genre-bending anthem about struggle, success, and reinvention.
Outside of Bongo, even artistes from distinct musical traditions are recognizing Bien’s power. Suldaan Seeraar, the Somali-Kenyan singer known for his rich vocals and strong ties to the Somali-speaking diaspora, featured Bien on the track Safari.
Unlike Bongo artists seeking to rekindle mainstream relevance, Suldaan’s goal was growth into broader markets. Safari, featured on Bien’s album, offered Suldaan access to new listeners across East Africa and beyond.
The common thread in all these collaborations is not genre it’s strategy. Each of these artists has faced a key challenge, staying relevant in a rapidly evolving musical landscape. The irony is stark the very artists who once shaped East African music are now reaching out to Bien to stay in the game.
Bien isn’t just featuring on tracks he’s defining the direction of East African music. His presence signals that a song matters.