Get Ready to Experience the journey of musical discoveries with a brand new season of Coke Studio!

[Karachi, 04 May 2012] Pakistan’s music platform Coke Studio returns this year with a new season starting 13 May 2012, bringing back a musical fusion of exciting elements and diverse influences, ranging from traditional Eastern, modern Western and regionally inspired music. Coke Studio Season 5 aims to introduce new genres and fusion where featured artists explore their heritage while showcasing their unique styles.

Since its inception in Season 1, Coke Studio has explored layers of meaning, cultural identity and spiritual philosophies that lie behind each artistic expression. This season, maintaining the same approach of subtlety, Coke Studio enables the audiences to witness a journey into the heart of our identity as a nation and cultivate a sense of pride.

Further, this season Coke Studio will be exploring unique aspects of our culture by highlighting regional language songs and artists, introducing some gifted, yet virtually unknown young singers who have arrived on this platform through their talents, passion and creativity. Season 5 will also showcase the creative and intellectual rediscovery of featured artists who return to Coke Studio for a second time while the young artists aim to discover their heritage by incorporating parts of Sufi poetry and philosophy in their music and writing.

To this end Season 5 witnesses Rohail Hyatt back at the helm and features: Atif Aslam, Bilal Khan, Bohemia, Chakwalis, Fareed Ayaz and Abu Muhammad, Hadiqa Kiyani, Humayun Khan, Meesha Shafi, Tahir Mithu, Overload, Qayaas, SYMT and Uzair Jaswal.

Season 5 also marks the return of the house band with Asad Ahmed on guitar, Babar Ali Khanna on dholak, Javed Iqbal on violin, Kamran ‘Mannu’ Zafar on bass, Omran ‘Momo’ Shafique on guitar, Sikander Mufti on multi-percussions and Rachel Viccaji and Zoe Viccaji on backing vocals. Joining the house band this season are two new talents: Farhad Humayun on drums and Mubashir Admani on keyboards.

Speaking about Coke Studio, Rizwan U. Khan, Country Manager of The Coca-Cola Export Corporation, has said,

“This year, Coke Studio completes five glorious seasons of a mystical music journey. Coke Studio has enthralled audiences all over the world and continues to promote our rich and unique culture. I am sure that this season will bring many more surprises for our audiences.”

Executive Producer Coke Studio, Rohail Hyatt has said;

“Entering into our 5th season, we at Coke Studio believe our journey continues to explore the wealth of talent and cultural diversity that we as a nation are blessed with. Everyone has put in their best again because we believe in sharing and presenting ourselves to the best of our abilities. It is without doubt that the love and respect that our audience has showered us with, serves as our inspiration. I’d like to thank everyone who has supported our efforts. I hope you find something in your life that becomes your source of inspiration and allows you to better enjoy the beauty of life itself.”

Coke Studio Season 5 debuts on Sunday, 13 May 2012 and will air right through the summer with a new episode every fortnight. Experience this unique, exciting and unparalleled musical journey along with exclusive behind the scenes footage, on television channels and radio stations every fortnight. With over one million Facebook fans and forty five million YouTube views to date, Coke Studio will be available to view simultaneously on the internet for viewers all over the world.

More details on Coke Studio’s airing times will be shared soon.

– Photography by Kohi Marri