n the swirling nebula of Coke Studio, certain songs explode like supernovas – perfect harmonies, electrifying performances, and visuals that sear themselves onto your eyeballs. You know it instantly: a song you’ll belt out in the shower, on repeat, until the neighbors call the noise patrol.

Here’s the secret sauce for these Coke Studio bangers:

Imagine a musical fusion you never knew you craved. Coke Studio throws curveballs, pairing fresh faces, or smashing genres together like sonic tectonic plates. The energy between these mismatched songs becomes pure magic, a musical mosh pit you can’t help but join (at least in your head).

It’s not just about star power; it’s the song itself. Coke Studio can unearth forgotten treasures and breathe fire into them, or craft originals that become instant classics.

The melody becomes an earworm, the lyrics tap into universal truths of love, loss, hope, or just pure unadulterated joy.

But (and here’s what we want you to focus on right now) it isn’t just an auditory experience, it’s a visual feast. The music videos are like mini-movies, capturing the essence of the song and the artists’ souls. They might be explosions of vibrant color, or stripped-down, emotional journeys. Whatever the style, the visuals become one with the music, creating a masterpiece that transcends genres.

Pakistan’s music scene is exploding, and Jhol by Maanu and Annural Khalid is Exhibit A. This song is a sonic adventure, a fusion party that proves Pakistani music is breaking free from tradition.

In one corner, you’ve got Annural Khalid, an Islamabad powerhouse with a voice that could level mountains. Khalid didn’t just waltz into the industry – she climbed the charts one cover song at a time, showcasing her raw talent along the way. But Khalid isn’t just about the pipes, she’s an artist with a serious passion for her craft.

On the other side of
the stage, we have Maanu,
a Lahore-based hip-hop chameleon. Maanu isn’t afraid to play with genres, weaving rap, EDM, hip-hop, and R&B influences into his own unique sound. Maanu’s got a whole lotta styles in his musical backpack, and he isn’t shy about using them all.

So, what happens when you throw these two together? Jhol! A genre-bending song that shows Pakistani music is ready to take the world by storm. It’s a testament to the country’s growing music scene, where artists aren’t afraid to experiment and push boundaries. Jhol is more than a song – it’s a revolution in the making!

“Jhol is a story about a deep love ripped to shreds, of whispers and hearsay, of jealousy and sabotage, but also missed opportunities, the grief of loss, and of being entirely helpless in the face of forces beyond your control. The song speaks of love and loss, of separation, so I constructed the narrative out of that premise, writing characters based on classic archetypes from literary tragedies, and playing out in an alternative Pakistan where art, music, film, performance was encouraged and allowed to thrive.” – Jamal Rahman

Why is it sonically so different? Is it because of the featured artists? Not necessarily. Having the dream team of producers – Xulfi, Abdullah Siddiqui, Talal Qureshi, and Abdullah Kasumbi – definitely sets it apart in Coke Studio 15. It’s like they threw the rulebook out the window and cooked up something entirely new.

But, to me, it is the visual direction by Jamal Rahman, that brings it all together. I won’t give away the visual narrative of this song primarily because you might decide you don’t want to indulge in it since both the artists are not veterans.

But to understand the context and meaning behind it, I did ask Mr. Jamal Rahman and here’s what he said: “Jhol is a story about a deep love ripped to shreds, of whispers and hearsay, of jealousy and sabotage, but also missed opportunities, the grief of loss, and of being entirely helpless in the face of forces beyond your control.”

Intrigued? Jamal further elaborated, “Well, the song was assigned to me so I didn’t have a choice there, but what’s interesting is that I mentored and produced Maanu when he was starting out, and now to be directing a music video for his Coke Studio debut is a unique full circle moment.”

“As for the personal side of the story, that refers more to the themes that underly the narrative – themes that relate to hearsay, rumours, sabotage, missed opportunities, and especially being helpless in the face of forces outside of one’s control.

Those are elements directly derived from recent events in my life.

Yes, there is a large sense of grief and loss which I’ve explored through the narrative in Jhol. Of course, the exact plot and the way the story plays out is fictionalized, but the core themes are deeply personal.

The song speaks of love and loss, of separation, so I constructed the narrative out of that premise, writing characters based on classic archetypes from literary tragedies, and playing out in an alternative Pakistan where art, music, film, performance was encouraged and allowed to thrive.

The visual direction had its roots placed in Karachi’s architecture from back when the city had a thriving nightlife, and South Asian Art Deco was the dominant aesthetic. I wanted to pay homage to that world and time, inspired by what remains of that architecture in places like Saddar and Lalazar in Karachi.”

– Artist visuals by Nadir Firoz Khan

– Jhol World Building
photos by Amna Zuberi