Coke Studio Season 15 is the collective musical epiphany of its creative force Zulfiqar Jabbar Khan, aka Xulfi, who immerses himself in the enigmatic secrets of human existence.

This is depicted in the songs ‘Jhol’ and ‘Harkalay’. Realising that wisdom lies within, as shown in ‘2 AM’, this philosophy is further explored in ‘O Yaara’ and ‘Chal Chaliye.’ Portrayed through Coke Studio’s (CS) plethora of musical and visual artistry, Xulfi finds solace in the infinite divisibility of the universe — a concept explored in the season’s ‘Maghron La’. We all share the same stories, as heard in ‘Aayi Aayi’ and ‘Piya Piya Calling’.

Like the idea explored in this season’s ‘Turri Jandi’, awareness shapes the journey of CS Season 15’s music — a celebration of life and a ‘Blockbuster’ in itself. In a shared symphony of life, we embark on this brief journey together as ‘Mehmaan’ on this earth.

The sound of dust blowing during the first 40 seconds of this season’s inaugural song ‘Aayi Aayi’ [Here She Comes] resonates with the dance of existence. The synchronised audiovisual authenticity of ‘Aayi Aayi’ has been distilled into an experience of unadulterated self-love for the Sindhi identity.

The Indus Civilisation has been among the world’s three earliest civilisations and was the most extensive, thriving significantly. Thus, the message of self-love is contagious, imbued within the energy of Noman Ali Rajpar’s vocals, whose strength and self-belief are palpable. The lyrics, penned by rapper Babar Mangi, playfully preach timeless truths learned from the folk hero Marvi.

With Coke Studio Season 15 now concluded, Dr Safieh Shah provides a personal interpretation of its musical and visual offerings and attempts to understand the thread that links its disparate songs together

While listening to ‘Aayi Aayi’, we witness the energy shift within the song when the vocalists from Umerkot — namely Saiban and Marvi — pay tribute to Sindhi omnism, alongside other women featured in this song.

The Sindhi cast of ‘Aayi Aayi’ sings, dances and portrays their timeless story — as the oldest tale of the soul children of this soil. The video showcases how the caretakers of mother Indus, symbolised by a peacock, represent the splendid glory of a time-honoured civilisation.

Continuing from the portrayal of Sindh into our urban landscape, we then delve into ‘2 AM’’s philosophy of truth: teri meri kahaani [your story and mine]. In the familiar soundscape of urban life, we find ourselves grappling with inner demons in the solitude of darkness.

‘Harkalay’ [Welcome], also about love, has a seemingly ubiquitous sound. The song blends two distinct languages, Pashto and English, and genres, seamlessly. It combines intense Pashto romanticism lyrically with contemporary American pop, transporting us into the mountains.

The scattered yet faintly hopeful melody of ‘2 AM’ reverberates through the quiet hours, both at the start and at the end of the song, capturing the essence of solitude and introspection.

Star Shah’s lyrics mirror our emotional landscape by weaving a tale of fear and self-reflection, with his gentle voice teetering on vulnerability as he sings of a collective disillusionment. He brings our attention to how love is no longer at the heart of our stories and philosophies, only ego.

The second vocalist, Zeeshan Ali, however, invites us to be gentle with ourselves, by embracing our flaws without judgement. In the quietude of ‘2 AM’, compassion blooms and humanity breathes, as does empathy for each other and grace for humanity.

Fittingly, the next song resonates with the profound contemplation of ‘Maghron La’ [Letting Go], as a continuation of the philosophy of ‘2AM’. The affirmation in ‘Maghron La’ celebrates free will through union, seen as a wedding.

This song handles serious themes lightheartedly, thanks to the eloquent choreography by Quick Style. The main characters that this song centres around are the Sabri Sisters, who live unapologetically, rooted in their happiness.

Enter Rozeo, who first pays homage to the Sabri Sisters through his rap, admiring their celebration. His words speak of embarking on a journey of self-acceptance and personal growth, requiring introspection and self-awareness. Rozeo looks life straight in the eye, and he never takes himself too seriously, embodying love and letting go of hate in ‘Maghron La’.

‘Harkalay’ [Welcome], also about love, has a seemingly ubiquitous sound. The song blends two distinct languages, Pashto and English, and genres, seamlessly. It combines intense Pashto romanticism lyrically with contemporary American pop, transporting us into the mountains.

Illustrating the Sufi concept of ‘ishq’ [love], Zahoor’s subdued expressions serve as a solid foundation for Rehma’s passionate voice to soar. Rehma expresses her fears lyrically, opening her vocals fully in surrender to her emotions.

In contrast, Zahoor’s unwavering commitment to his vocal style betrays a nurtured, calm sturdiness. The use of traditional instruments and visuals ground us in the rich cultural heritage that ‘Harkalay’ draws inspiration from.

In line with exploring love in the Sufi tradition, ‘O Yaara’ [O Friend] emphasises the significance of friendship as a form of love.

The existential dialogue of ‘O Yaara’, between a dystopian world view characterised by Abdul Hannan’s soliloquy and Kaavish’s beacon of hope, is a heart-to-heart of word and sound. In the end, Abdul Hannan is seen humming Kaavish’s hopeful tune, a testament to the importance of dukh baantna [sharing burdens].

The sixth song from CS Season 15 is another dialogue between friends. Sajjad Ali is a legend and, with his ageless voice, his poetic touch weaves through the soul-stirring lyrics of ‘Chal Chaliye’ [Let’s Go].

Farheen Raza Jaffry’s smoky, dreamy and indulgent melodic voyage highlights her role as a woman facing societal challenges for pursuing her dreams. However, Sajjad Ali tells us we must be true to ourselves, and ‘Chal Chaliye’ is a wake-up call that the crew of CS’s musicians heed in the video of this song.

‘Blockbuster’ is the actualisation of the better tomorrow discussed in ‘Chal Chaliye’, all done in one blink of the camera eye. ‘Blockbuster’ captures life’s celebration of love in a single shot video. Director Zeeshan Parwez’s mastery of synchronising everything into a single shot is a metaphor for how we must make the best of this life.

This seventh song from the current season is a coming together of intergenerational love, freedom and unbridled joy across borders. Fusion between the traditional Gharwi Group sounds and the contemporary vocals of Faris Shafi and Umair Butt’s dialogue invite us to lose ourselves in a shared reality.

‘Jhol’ [Fold] is also about love with pure intentions, worn as a loose fabric, for every jhol represents a promise waiting to be kept, with a soft and uncomplicated love. This song’s operatic quality lies in Annural Khalid and Maanu’s ability to weave multi-faceted layers into a poignant reflection on love — of words unspoken and moments unshared.

In ‘Jhol’, the red scarf visually showcases how precious the presence of a beloved is to the hopeful lover, and how an object can become richly fragrant, depicting so many loving memories.

‘Turri Jandi’ [Keeps Passing] has a non-linear narrative and is a reflection of Pakistani pop history, making it my favourite song and video — both conceptually and in terms of execution — of CS Season 15. Shazia Manzoor encapsulates more than 30 years of pop memory in her career, carrying forward musical influences from an era before her. Hasan Raheem and Shazia Manzoor exist simultaneously, icons crystallising the entire story of Pakistani pop in one song.

In essence, ‘Turri Jandi’s’ video and sound is the reality of all-things-Pakistan, having never been diluted by the interference of external elements.

In exploring time, ‘Piya Piya Calling’ [Beloved Calling] is the longing for belonging felt by the diaspora. The diaspora are people scattered from their ancestral homeland, and here the land calls them back.

Whether it is the unrequited love sung by Kaifi Khalil, the longing for a lost love as sung by Norwegian duo Karpe, or the love for yourself another Norwegian Amanda Delara sings about, this song’s essence is about the profound desire to feel and belong, despite the irretrievable.

Each artist is unafraid of the emotional spaces they inhabit as a result of their various intergenerational experiences of loss shown in the desolate, empty video. Different languages are showcased by iconic phrases in ‘Piya Piya Calling’, as a sense of belonging found by being true to oneself is the only cohesive narrative.

‘Mehmaan’ [Guests] tells the story of time immemorial: for all living beings share an internally cohesive narrative, reminiscent of ‘Piya Piya Calling.’ As the final song of CS Season 15, it has fleeting notions of the dialogue between the world vocalised by Nizam Torwali, and humanity sung by Zeb Bangash, with the pure, unadorned sincerity of youth represented by Noorima Rehan’s vocals. This video shows a heaven realised on earth — humans existing in harmony and balance with nature and life.

To me, Coke Studio Season 15, as a whole, speaks of the topical need for a collective awakening. It can be found, it seems to say, by embracing the essence of life and looking inward at “the oneness of shared souls.”

Published in Dawn, ICON, July 21st, 2024