Nairobi, Kenya — Singer, songwriter, and nominated senator Crystal Asige made a rare in-person court appearance this week, testifying in her ongoing legal battle against award-winning Kenyan band Sauti Sol and their record label, Sol Generation.
The case, which has dragged on for months, centers on claims by Asige that the group unlawfully terminated her contract and exploited her creative work without proper recognition or compensation. Her physical presence in court added a fresh layer of intensity to a dispute that has already stirred debate within Kenya’s entertainment circles about artist management, contracts, and the rights of creatives in the music industry.
Appearing before the High Court in Nairobi, Asige — known for her soulful voice and advocacy for inclusivity in the arts — gave detailed testimony recounting her time as a signed artist under Sol Generation. She described what she called “a promising beginning that turned sour” after she joined the label in 2019 as its only female artist.
“I joined Sol Generation with high hopes,” she told the court. “It was presented as a space that would nurture authentic Kenyan talent. But I was later sidelined and treated unfairly despite my contributions to the group’s music and vision.”
Court reporters noted that Asige appeared composed and deliberate as she spoke, maintaining her characteristic calm even as lawyers representing Sol Generation questioned her claims.
Asige’s legal team argues that her removal from Sol Generation was not only abrupt but also violated the terms of her contract. She accuses the label — whose founders include Bien-Aimé Baraza, Savara Mudigi, Chimano, and Polycarp Otieno — of wrongful dismissal, intellectual property infringement, and failure to compensate her for songs and projects she contributed to.
At the heart of the dispute are several songs reportedly co-written or performed during her brief stint with the label. Asige alleges that while her vocals and ideas shaped some of the group’s works, her name and royalties were left out when the tracks were released.
“The industry can be brutal, especially for women and persons with disabilities,” Asige said outside court in an earlier interview. “I’m not just fighting for myself; I’m fighting for every artist who has ever been taken advantage of because they didn’t have the power to speak up.”
Sol Generation, through its lawyers, has denied any wrongdoing. The defense argues that Asige’s contract ended lawfully and that her claims of exploitation and exclusion are “misplaced and exaggerated.”
The court is now examining communication records, contracts, and production notes as part of the evidence to determine whether any breach occurred.
Sauti Sol, currently on a break following their farewell tour, has largely stayed silent on the matter, choosing not to issue public statements during the ongoing proceedings.
