Written by: Haroon Shuaib
Posted on: April 26, 2024 | 
| 中文
Aayi Aayi by Noman Ali Rajper, Babar Mangi and Marvi Saiban in Coke Studio Season 15
It is not surprising that the yearly dose of Coke Studio, embellished with beautiful videos celebrating the best tunes, artists, culture and communities of Pakistan is so eagerly awaited by the music aficionados. With global hits such as the now iconic Pasoori, and many more such as Peechay Hut, Kana Yaari, Tu Jhoom, Afreen Afreen, Tajdar-e-Haram, Jugni, Bewajah, Jal Pari, Yar Daddi, Titliyan, Paimona that the listeners of this region just don’t seem to get enough of, Coke Studio has seen a rise in popularity with each new season.
Pasoori by Ali Sethi and Shae Gill
Coke Studio announced Season 15 and the first song Aayi aayi, a burst of harmony and colours from the culturally rich Thar region of Sindh, released on April 14th, 2024, took over the senses of the viewers and listeners from the word go. Awarded as Pakistan’s biggest cultural export by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Coke Studio Season 15, featuring eleven original songs, will reflect the diversity of Pakistani culture, languages, genre and experiences, anchored in Pakistan’s passion and love for music.
With powerhouse producer and curator Zulfiqar (Xulfi) Jabbar Khan at the helm, following up his stupendous feats from last year, is one music composer on the contemporary Pakistani music scene who is truly capable of dialing up the magic of the previous seasons. Each song in Season 15 will be a collaboration, a story woven with threads of artistry and fraternity. Building on a legacy of compelling visual storytelling by some of Pakistan’s most progressive directors, including Awais Gohar, Murtaza Niaz, Jamal Rahman, Zain Peerzada and Luke Azariah, alongside Coke Studio stalwarts like Zeeshan Parwez and Kamal Khan, this season, with two songs released up till now, came out with the groovy and spell binding number ‘2:00 AM’ last week, which features Star Shah and Zeeshan Ali. I think if there is one song that should give ‘Pasoori’ a run for its money, its already this one.
2 AM by Star Shah and Zeeshan Ali in Coke Studio Season 15
"This season celebrates the enduring power of art, the power of music - the power of love, of warmth and of connection. Each story and world is built on Pakistan’s rich and diverse tapestry: both its heritage and future, fostering a sense of shared identity." said Xulfi.
Xulfi, the producer of Coke Studio, with legendary Abida Parveen
Volkan Onguc, Vice President of Coca Cola Pakistan & Afghanistan Region, said, "Coke Studio is etched into the country’s musical DNA. Now a global platform, Coke Studio is set to build on the same legacy of showcasing the incredible talent and artistry of Pakistani musicians to the world."
With over 24 million subscribers, over 5 billion views on digital platforms, and streaming in over 180 countries, Pakistan's Coke Studio has been credited with bridging barriers and nurturing culture within South Asia, fostering a sense of unity and appreciation for shared heritage. Coke Studio launched in 2008 in Pakistan featuring established and emerging artists from various genres, quickly gained a large and loyal following, and expanded into an international music franchise.
What started as an international music franchise that features studio-recorded music performances by established and emerging artists, today Coke Studio has the distinction of being the longest-running annual television music show in Pakistan. Combining a myriad musical influences, from traditional classical, folk, Sufi, qawwali, ghazal and bhangra music to contemporary hip hop, rock and pop music. The show is noted for promoting Pakistan's multiculturalism by inviting artists from various regions and of various languages to collaborate musically.
Tajdar-e-Haram by Atif Aslam
Not many know that Coke Studio actually originated in Brazil in 2007 as a music project that aimed to combine the distinct musical styles of two Brazilian artists. The concept was later adopted by Nadeem Zaman, the Marketing Head of The Coca-Cola Company, who partnered with Rohail Hyatt, a former member of the Pakistani band Vital Signs, to create a Pakistani version of the show in 2008. The inaugural season premiered with a live audience and met immense success. Following success in Pakistan after its first launch, Coke Studio has become an international franchise. Pakistan’s Coke Studio amassed a large fan base in the neighbouring country, India. The success of the show prompted Coca-Cola to launch the Indian version Coke Studio @ MTV, with a similar format, which has proven to be both critically acclaimed and commercially successful. In April 2012, an Arab version of the show, Coke Studio بالعربي was launched in the Middle East, featuring performances by various Arab and international music artists. Following the success of the Pakistani and Indian versions, the Bangladeshi installment of Coke Studio Bangla was launched, and now the Philippines also has its own version of Coke Studio, and there is a Coke Studio Africa also.
From season 2 onwards, Coke Studio adopted a closed studio format, which remained till season 13; season 14 shifted to a music video format, where every individual song featured its own music video. Rohail Hyatt remained as executive producer for the show until season 6, stepping aside in 2013 after five years. He was succeeded by Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia of the band Strings, who produced the show until the end of season 10. In March 2018, Ali Hamza and Zohaib Kazi were announced as the producers for season 11 of Coke Studio, but they stepped down after the season concluded. Rohail Hyatt returned to produce season 12 of the show, which was released on 11 October 2019. Hyatt continued to produce the show until the 13th season, after which he recommended Xulfi to lead the production for the 14th season.
Rohail Hyatt with SM Baloch from Banur’s Band
Musically, the format features an always changing and fascinating mix of Western instruments (primarily guitars, pianos, synthesizers, bass guitars and drum kits) with traditional instruments from the subcontinent such as harmonium, rubab, sarod, sitar, bamboo flutes, dholak, tabla and other traditional percussion instruments. With rare exceptions, the singer is the lead instrumentalist. Other instrumental solos, while often highly virtuosic, tend to be relatively brief.
Coke Studio Pakistan’s tracks are officially available on their YouTube channels and various streaming platforms.
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