The breakup song we didn't know we needed: Fans laud Asfar, Arooj's 'Mehram'

Coke Studio's latest offering brings together Grammy-nominated artist Arooj Aftab and musician Asfar Husain. The fourth song, Mehram, talks about the aftermath of heartbreak. The track reveals the emotional carnage brought by loss, helped by an unsettling drone effect winding through the song. The pairing of Asfar and Arooj’s voices creates a dark aural cushion, leaving a void. 

Mehram is a testament to a bond that leaves its mark ever-so-deeply; a revelation of emotions, abandonment and conflicting yet heartfelt conversations that never really leave us. As soon as the song was released, it became the talk of the town. Many took to social media and praised the track for the raw emotion it propels in the listeners. 

Beautifully devastating

"Thank you to everyone involved in this sentimental experience. Touched my soul," penned former Coke Studio producer.

❤️

Thank you to everyone involved in this sentimental experience. Touched my soul.https://t.co/TPdXY0NZab#aroojaftab #cokestudio14

— Rohail Hyatt (@rohailhyatt) January 29, 2022

Another penned, "Mehram is an Arabic word which means a close friend. And surely when you lose someone so close to you it leaves you empty. I literally love the song Mehram it is just so beautiful. The lyrics, the voices! God, amazing! Coke Studio never disappoints."

Mehram is an Arabic word which means a close friend. And surely when you lose someone so close to you it leaves you empty.
I literally love the song #Mehram it is just so beautiful. The lyrics, the voices! Goddddd amazing! Coke studio never disappoints.#cokestudio14 #Pakistan pic.twitter.com/HWxcgtFFZu

— Syed Najaf Ali Zaidi (@SyedNajafAliZ11) January 29, 2022

One more shared, "Arooj Aftab and Asfar Hussain sound nothing but iconic together in Mehram! change my mind!"

Arooj Aftab and Asfar Hussain sound nothing but iconic together in mehram! change my mind!

— redlobiaa (@lobiaa_) January 29, 2022

Another tweep commented, "The melody is hauntingly beautiful however lyrics could have been stronger maybe, still nursing heartache and I didn't even tear up. The crescendo with Asfar and Arooj together is where the song truly hits the spot."

The melody is hauntingly beautiful however lyrics could have been stronger maybe, still nursing a heartache & I didnt even tear up lol. The crescendo with Asfar & Arooj together is where the song truly hits the spot #Mehram

— Ummmmm (@emotionaldiarea) January 28, 2022

One more added, "Mehram is freaking amazing! Arooj’s soothing vocals with Asfar's made a great duo. Commendable work!"

‘Mehram’ is freaking amazing! Arooj’s soothing vocals with asfars made a great duo. Commendable work!! 👏🏽❤️#cokestudio14

— afifa. (@notsinfenazuk) January 29, 2022

The breakup song we didn't know we needed:

Xulfi was clear Coke Studio Season 14 needed this. He said, “I wanted a song that’s heart-wrenchingly beautiful. For me, Asfar Hussain’s writing is exactly that. I called him and explained to him a story that I had in mind. That day we both broke down talking about the narrative and I knew we were onto something honest and magical."

He added, "Arooj came into the picture while we were looking for a voice that just tells the story of abandonment, conflicting yet a heartfelt point of view, along with Asfar in an intense yet calming and sort of a visual kind of way. It’s as if you can see every word that’s sung. Arooj was perfect for it; she added her musical sensibilities to Mehram. Abdullah Siddiqui has done a remarkable job carving a unique musical personality for this song. I honestly can’t be happier with the result, though the song put me in a sad trance throughout the creation process.”

"This is a breakup song," Abdullah Siddiqui penned on Instagram. He added, "But it’s always felt to me like it’s about a far deeper kind of loss than a breakup. Complete and abject devastation, the kind of heartbreak that you fear is permanent. That’s why I tried my best to instill a ghostly quality in the music — one of my favorite sounds in the song is this granular remnant of Arooj Aftab's voice right as Asfar Hussain's chorus starts as if she’s haunting him."

 

 

 

 

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A post shared by Abdullah Siddiqui (@abdullah.s.siddiqui)

Asfar uses the word “Mehram” in its truest sense: a person that you trust completely. He described the song as “a vessel of thoughts, where you start to think; what was life like before you knew and trusted this person? And what is life like after this person is no longer in your life?” 

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