Bringing traditional, modern, folk, and international artistes for added variety Coke Studio @MTV has a change in format this year. The show sees 12 producers and musicians (including Clinton Cerejo, Ram Sampath, Sachin Jingar, Sneha Khanwalkar, Harshdeep Kaur and Jyoti Nooran) compose and release a music video each month. “It’s a crazy format. We are also bringing back the music video concept,” says Amit Trivedi.
We catch up with some artistes at the recording session.
Angaraag Mahanta (Papon)
Singer / Producer /Composer
Coke Studio appeal.
Having been on every season, it has been a gradual journey. It is a platform every musician will like as it gives you freedom to do as you please. Plus, it is music without a dramatic film as the focus.
Thoughts on the new format.
All through my childhood, I watched music videos and that is a dying concept now. So I am really looking forward to creating music and visuals. And then see the growth or rebirth of music videos that tell the musician’s story for a change.
Music we can expect from you.
Experimenting is my genre. All my songs in the previous episodes are also varied. It is fused as we are exposed to different music. We are mixed people!
Raftaar, rapper
What are you expecting?
This is the first mixed bag season where all genres are mixed together, be it classical, rock, or romance, fused with country or/and hip-hop. I am particularly excited that this is the first time a hip-hop artiste is going to be a part of the eclectic line-up. And it makes it even better that the artiste is me! Expect Manjmusik and me to give you rock and rap, in an Indian setting.
The essence of the show.
It is all about real music, not about what you would like. It is about how music should be - non-fabricated, real, non-commercial and raw.
Being on Coke Studio.
I am the youngest of the crew, so for me, it means a lot. And it encourages those watching, that if someone like me can share the stage with the bigwigs and mentors of our generation, they can too.
Rekha Bhardwaj
Playback singer
What drew you to the show?
The scope to experiment and present private or parallel music is phenomenal. Be it a ghazal, folk music or bandhej, the show respects that all modern forms of music, find their roots in such folk tunes.
Music from you.
On the show, presentation and production will be a point of experimentation. But composition-wise, I will do a blend of reflective tunes and compositions, of what I’ve found, heard and absorbed.
Coke Studio’s a platform.
It’s an archived music treasure trove. It will remain so for years to come. There is no imposition on people to listen. You can listen to a single track or all, once or repeatedly. You’ll see the musicians point of view in time. That is impressive.
The show started on March 1. It will be aired every first Sunday of the month, at 8 pm on MTV