Coke Studio 10’s Episode 5 showcases breadth of Pakistan’s talent

KARACHI: Coke Studio 10 will release its fifth installment packed with exceptional music this weekend.

Featuring four songs, Episode 5 will include ‘Bol’ by Shafqat Amanat Ali as a tribute to the iconic poet Faiz Ahmed Faiz;‘Rangrez’ by Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and Sahir Ali Bagga; ‘Sab Maya Hai’ by the father son duo,Attaullah Esakhelvi and SanwalEsakhelvi; and ‘Ujaalon Mein’ by Faraz Anwer and FaizaMujahid. The Episode is set to be released digitally on Friday, September 8 and aired on all leading television channels on Saturday, September 9.

Often called Pakistan’s "greatest poet", Faiz Ahmed Faiz was an intellectual, a revolutionary poet, and one of the most celebrated writers of the Urdu language.

Faiz’s poetry was influenced by the works of Allama Iqbal and Mirza Ghalib, and addressed the tyranny of dictatorships and oppressions.Coke Studio’s rendition of the iconic poem ‘Bol’, advocating the importance of standing up and speaking the truth, is brought to life in a sweet ballad performed by ShafqatAmanat Ali Khan.

Shafqat Amanat Ali began his journey with Coke Studio in Season 2 with ‘Aankhon Ke Sagar, ‘Khamaj’, ‘Ajab Khail’, and an interesting collaboration with Josh on their bhangra track, ‘MahiVe’.

He returns to Coke Studio in Season 10 with his signature, dynamic voice demonstrating his versatility as a true musician. He observed, “Coke Studio has played a big part in promoting Pakistani music globally. They’ve managed to bring our forte and our specialty to attention; these are the sounds that make Pakistani music different.”

The tribute is directed by the talented ShaniArshad who returns to Coke Studio Season 10 after his powerful compositions like AbidaParveen’s ‘Maula-e-Kul’ and MeeshaShafi’s ‘BholayBhalay’ in Season 9.

‘Rangrez’, a modern Sufi song, encompasses the true meaning of devotional love. Rahat Fateh Ali Khan teams up with Sahir Ali Bagga to create magic with a fresh, new sound. In the musical composition by Sahir Ali Bagga, the tabla flirts with the shehnai and a flurry of backing vocals paint a vibrant surrounding as RahatFateh Ali Khan’s glowing and scintillating voice takes the foreground to bring out the rang and dhanak of the melody.

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, the modern torch-bearer of Qawwali, has been an integral part of Coke Studio from the very beginning, with his mesmerizing take of Ali Azmat’s Garaj Baras in Season 1, to his powerful rendition of Chaap Tilaak with Abida Parveen in Season 8.

After a record-breaking, ‘Afreen, Afreen’ and finally, an enigmatic duet with the (Late) AmjadSabri in Season 9, RahatFateh Ali Khan returns to Coke Studio 10 with some of the most sought after performances of the year.

He shares, “Coke Studio has been very successful, and it’s all because of the music directors, music selection, the musicians and the overall talent in Pakistan. They have the credit of bringing the talent of the country to a global platform. The world now accepts and appreciates Pakistan’s musical talent. I think this is just the beginning, and Coke Studio has a long way to go.”

In ‘Sab Maya Hai’, Attaullah Esakhelvi and SanwalEsakhelvi bring the sounds of the soil to the airwaves by narrating a tale of depravity within the realms of love and money.

Attaullah Esakhelvi’s unique yet familiar folk tone settle itself into the soundscapes that Shuja Haider has designed as Sanwal’s young, powerful voice lifts the melody with his energy.

On a backdrop of groovy and emotive backing vocals, accented with the banjo and flute, this song is a journey towards uncovering the truth.

Sanwal enthused, “I have been performing with my father for a long time, so on some level, it’s not too new for me, but yes, there is an excitement because it’s the first time we are together on Coke Studio. I was a little nervous but I enjoyed working with Shuja and am excited about my performance.”

Well versed in traditional and folk music, Sanwal will be making his Coke Studio debut alongside his father Attaullah Esakhelvi in a beautiful rendition of a family classic. Attaullah sahab previously lent his voice to Coke Studio in Season 4 with popular renditions of ‘Pyaar Naal’ and ‘Ni Oothaan Waale’.

A familiar rock-ballad ‘Ujaalon Mein’, finds a home at Coke Studio Season 10, as Faiza Mujahid’s electrifying voice is paired with the prolific guitarist, Faraz Anwar, in a delightful rendition of Pakistan rock anthem.

Jaffer Zaidi masterfully creates a space that complements and accentuates the simplicity of the melody while staying true to the signature progressive-rock sound that comes with Faraz Anwar’s fiery musical personality to create a powerful rendition of a classic Pakistani rock song.

Faiza admitted, “I was really happy that I got to work with Faraz and Jaffer. Coke Studio covers so many genres but I wanted to stick to my genre and performing with Faraz on his song has been amazing.

The song is soft rock and what I loved about the collaboration was that it was an equal participation. The song is beautiful, and I think everyone will like it.” Singer-songwriter, Faiza Mujahid rose to fame with the famous song ‘Bandeya Ho’ from the movie ‘Khuda Kay Liye’. She makes her Coke Studio debut on Season 10 with her flair for rock music and versatile vocals.

With an already large fan following, Faraz Anwar made his Coke Studio debut with band Mizraab in Season 4. He returned in Season 7 as a guitarist in collaboration with Sajjad Ali. Faraz Anwerjoins the Coke Studio team in Season 10 to unearth some progressive rock ballads that stir the soul.

The milestone Season 10 continues Coke Studio’s tradition of producing exceptional music and bringing together Pakistan’s most accomplished artists and musicians on one platform.

With an interesting assortment of the renowned and established artists along with the new and rising stars, Episode 5 is all set to yet again captivate audiences though its soulful music.