Coke Studio 15 was a good-looking disappointment

Is there a formula to make a great song? Is there a formula for hitting millions of views with that song without making certain compromises? Is there a textbook that can teach you this? If so, Coke Studio 15 makers discovered this book, took it as a manual to come up with some great ideas, roped in artists from (almost) every corner of Pakistan to execute those ideas that looked great on paper, and released an entire season of songs without realising one thing — there is no formula and there never will be.

Any book or person claiming to have discovered the secret to making a great song that is also commercially viable is either lying or delusional. That is not to say anyone on the team of Coke Studio 15 made this bold claim, but in hindsight, despite diversifying, the show’s latest season remained hung up on a lost cause.

Video versus studio

If the intention behind Coke Studio 15 was to create a visual spectacle, then the show-makers passed with flying colours. The latest season has been a lesson in visual storytelling and world-building. In fact, I would say that Coke Studio 15 is the most visually appealing season in the programme’s history. But at what cost?

Some would argue that the studio format, or setting as I would like to call it was unique to Coke Studio and therefore “sacred”. Unlike most Coke Studio fans, I am not hung up on the past. Frankly, I enjoy elaborate music videos just as much as I enjoy music. And if music videos were the problem, Coke Studio 14 would also have been dealt a blow.

But after closely following the latest season of Coke Studio, it has become clear that the studio setting had its ups — the biggest being its singular focus on creation without the burden of “representing” a certain identity or community in an attempt to “diversify”, that too at the risk of otherisation.

If viewed from that lens, the studio space was far more creator-friendly and inclusive as it welcomed all artists under one roof without making anyone feel like they didn’t belong or that they were included simply because they were. A studio provides space to artists because they’re artists and not because of their identity.

An attempt to recreate ‘Pasoori’

I feel that there’s been an attempt in Coke Studio 15 — conscious or otherwise — to recreate ‘Pasoori’. The result? A catalogue of music that is trying too hard to fit into an idea of a great song. This brings me back to my initial argument of the season succumbing to a formulaic approach.

Without viewing the show through the lens of the boycott or a disgruntled fan who feels cheated by the studio’s decision to cater to a newer generation, it’s safe to say that most of the songs this season sounded like rehashed versions of each other, despite being cater-made for diverse audiences and featuring musicians and singers from various backgrounds.

Coke Studio 14, despite its music video format, was a success in that regard because it offered so much musical variety. From ‘Tu Jhoom’ to ‘Pasoori’, ‘Peechay Hutt’ to ‘Ye Dunya’, and ‘Mehram’ to ‘Phir Milenge’, every song had its own personality and sound palette, whether or not it was a ‘great’ song. That was not the case this season.

This time, artists and producers appeared to have been provided with a sound palette that would guarantee sure-shot success. Stylistically, most songs featured reggaeton and trap influences, just like ‘Pasoori’. Despite linguistic differences due to the cultures these songs aimed to represent, most of them also catered to a singular mood — festive.

Individual moments of brilliance

Again, that is not to say these songs were ‘bad’. There is no such thing.

Babar Mangi shone in ‘Aayi Aayi’ because his delivery and style were not compromised. I was also happy to see that Marvi Saiban’s contribution to the song wasn’t perfunctory. But alas, like a great movie ruined by spoilers, ‘Aayi Aayi’ was riddled with formulaic structural embellishments that couldn’t help but make it sound superficial.

By the time ‘Blockbuster’ was released, it had become clear that the Coke Studio 15 makers were playing it safe. I’m not sure if that was producer Xulfi’s intention but I couldn’t help but wonder what the point of having so many diverse artists on a platform was when their individuality/artistry would not reflect. That also seemed to be the running theme this season.

‘Blockbuster’, for example, is this season’s most-heard track, yet, its stylistic choices make you question the show’s intent. Some artists and producers are identifiable because of their signature style, sound, or delivery, which is best not to be tampered with. Faris Shafi is one of them.

But had I not known Faris was featured in ‘Blockbuster’, I would’ve struggled to guess at first due to the treatment of his voice and how overproduced and over-the-top everything sounded. ‘Blockbuster’ is catchy until you realise that A) It’s a Faris song and B) Why it’s catchy.

For me, even ‘2AM’ does a disservice to a vocal powerhouse like Zeeshan Ali. I get it! Not every Zeeshan song need be an exercise on vocal acrobatics. Yet, I can’t help but wonder if a ghazal singer like Zeeshan could’ve been better utilised in a song that demanded his expertise rather than cushioning his talents and making them more palatable for the mainstream — especially as he makes his Coke Studio debut.

Minus those musings, the song is executed with grace. If ‘2AM’ doesn’t immediately click it’s probably because it wasn’t meant to. The song grows on you with its simple, heartfelt lyrics that could be part of any conversation between lovers, delivered with the resonance and depth of Star Shah and Zeeshan’s collective talents.

Despite individual moments of brilliance, most Coke Studio 15 songs succumbed to predictable or clichéd musical choices that hindered its overall impact and authenticity. This was especially the case with ‘Harkalay’, ‘Maghron La’, ‘Chal Chaliye’, ‘Turri Jandi’ and ‘Piya Piya Calling’.

Hassan Raheem and Shazia Manzoor’s ‘Turri Jandi’ can still be a cool song to sing along to while on the road, vibing, because of how catchy it is despite its stagnance but Kaifi Khalil, Karpe, Delara and The Quick Style’s ‘Piya Piya Calling’ was an absolute sonic and lyrical wreck…

With no offence intended to anyone involved, that song has no direction whatsoever. Reminiscent of early 2000s Indian song remixes, it isn’t for the faint-hearted. Also, what does Norwegian pop have to do with us? Going by this season’s theme, Coke Studio Global would’ve been a better platform for such a track.

Rare exceptions

The season, however, had its moments with exceptions like ‘O Yaara’, ‘Jhol’ and ‘Mehmaan’. ‘O Yaara’ and ‘Mehmaan’ are ballads relishing in bittersweet moments. The former, an Abdul Hannan and Kaavish song, is a touching piece that delicately fuses indie and ghazal elements. Its soothing melody and heartfelt lyrics make it a memorable listen.

The choice to have Hannan and Jaffer Zaidi pair up for this song was a brilliant one because of the vocal dynamic it created. The track is their love letter to all of us worried, confused and anxious listeners.

‘Jhol’ is refreshing for the simple reason that it sounds like a Maanu song. Perhaps because it was picked up by Xulfi for Coke Studio as opposed to being created on the platform. It preserves the musical and thematic elements characteristic of a Maanu song and, therefore, preserves a kind of sanctity missing from other tracks. Both Maanu and Annural sound on top of their game while providing us with some much-needed escape from our thoughts.

‘Mehmaan’ with Zeb Bangash’s clear yet playful voice and its delicate switch between the major and minor chords is instantly inviting. The song doesn’t save the season from falling flat but it does provide it with some much-needed variety. It is capable of transporting the listener to another realm, a heavenly realm, full of fairies and stars. The accompanying music video is perhaps the most spectacular from the season. A fitting goodbye.

Coke Studio 15 is a gentle reminder that not everything that glitters is gold.Despite overt efforts to offer distinctly Sindhi, Punjabi, Balochi, or Pashto songs through collaborations and generous use of regional instruments, in the absence of a video, you’d realise that the tracks would sound the same if rendered in any language, making season 15, under the umbrella of its theme, rather superficial with a hint of tokenism.

Additionally, the songs suffered due to the incessant need to add layers and layers of effects to artists’ vocals. This does not include the tasteful use of autotune in some cases, which has become a stylistic choice at this point, but the decision to use certain effects to the point of saturation.

Even in a track like ‘Mehmaan’, which I’ve generously added to the rare exceptions bracket, Nizam ud Din Torwali’s contribution needn’t be sampled to be used as a filler, especially when he is gracing the show with an ancient language contributing to its theme. There is so much this season could’ve done that it didn’t do and perhaps it’ll be a lesson on what not to do in the future.