CHIKI KURUKA opens up on challenges of being both BIEN’s wife and manager - “What is private stays private”

Tuesday, September 9, 2025 - Balancing love and leadership isn’t easy, but Chiki Kuruka is doing it with grace, grit and a touch of humor.

As both wife and manager to Sauti Sol’s Bien, Chiki recently shared the emotional and logistical rollercoaster of wearing two hats in one high-profile relationship.

In an intimate conversation, she revealed the delicate art of separating personal life from professional demands.

“There’s not only us - there’s the band, the dancers, and we represent Africa on a global stage,” she said.

“So when we’re in public, we keep what’s private, private.”

Managing Bien’s international tours means long days, tight schedules and little downtime.

“After a show abroad, when everyone else is resting, I’m already planning the homecoming concert in Kenya,” she confessed.

“Sometimes I don’t even get space to breathe or to tell him, ‘Well done.’”

Despite the pressure, Chiki is fiercely protective of her own identity.

“I haven’t abandoned my dance career. My team runs my company back home. If your business can’t function without you, you’ve created a job - not a brand.”

Bien, meanwhile, credits Chiki for elevating both his career and communication skills.

“She didn’t speak Swahili when we met, so I had to step up - and now I’m more confident internationally.”

“You need someone you trust to handle your affairs, your life and your career,” he said.

The Kenyan DAILY POST