Bringing out the best in music

Letter August 16, 2017
Recreating renditions of the rather magnum opus of the renowned musicians in a sordid manner is not what one expects

FAISALABAD: It is welcoming to see new musical talent having platforms to unleash their potential in an industry where few tend to have a chunk of fan-following and regular listeners. It has happened only in the past decade that ventures like Coke Studio and Nescafe Basement have let the music enthusiasts and amateurs have an opportunity to prove themselves.

Although the new talent at times has produced exceptionally brilliant music numbers that have generated a cult following, such initiatives have also simultaneously gone to waste as many from the older generations do not appreciate their music. As a result, episodes of these music enterprises have been able to bridge that gap and, of course generated millions for the producers.

However, generating soulful and fulfilling music is a daunting task which particularly Coke Studio seems to fail at. Recreating renditions of the rather magnum opus of the renowned musicians in a sordid manner is not what one expects of the venture launched by Rohail Hayat. To keep up with its niche following, Coke Studio and other similar ventures must move up a notch higher than the much celebrated era of the Pakistani music industry of the 90s that gave us music maestros like Hadiqa Kiani, Sajjad Ali and Vital Signs.

Minza Sajjad

Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th, 2017.

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