'Phir Milenge': Faisal Kapadia, Young Stunners close 'Coke Studio 14' with hope

Coke Studio Season 14 has come to a close with a promise to meet again. The final song of the season Phir Milenge (Until Next Time), sees Faisal Kapadia and Young Stunners bringing in their A-game as the acts take listeners around a maze that visually represents their thoughts, making them reminisce everything they have had to let go off but miss dearly.

In an exclusive listening session with Spotify a day before the song's release, Faisal had expressed how Phir Milenge is more than a song to him, it is the first step to his second inning, and something he never imagined himself doing. It is hope, not just for Coke Studio, but for him as a performer who is now on his own but surrounded by young talent. Like us, it marked the first time Faisal saw the final product, and he couldn't help but feel grateful to be a part of the CS journey.

He recollected how he got a call from Xulfi one day, and despite having made up his mind about never doing music again, the CS producer convinced him otherwise. "I got so inspired and it made me recall how in Coke Studio Season 1, I was there as Strings. We went on to produce its seasons 7-10 as a band too. And now, if destiny wants me back there, it has to be a divine calling, how could I say no to that?"

Phir Milenge is intense and emotional with a minimalistic chord progression that doesn't become redundant or overbearing. Faisal's singing, his heavy voice and Young Stunners' fiery, feisty energy make the song an ode to anyone who's ever loved and left them.

“Phir Milenge is a song about memories, when someone has gone from your life but is still in your heart and soul. And where does the story end? On a new day, when we meet again,” the song's press release quoted Xulfi as saying. Associate Producer Abdullah Siddiqui added, “This was a really tough nut to crack” he said, “Young Stunners have such a distinct sound and so does Faisal, so we had to find this perfect nexus where they can be fused.”

The video features the three artists walking through a maze set alight with rich textures and memories displayed on walls. The singers wander without ever meeting, in search of things left behind. The video was orchestrated in a single take by director Zeeshan Parwez’ heroic team.

Faisal’s experience of working with Young Stunners excited him, even after helming the music scene for years. “It is important to evolve and try new things. The first time I met Young Stunners was on set, and I made them listen to a rap song Strings had made years ago when they probably weren’t even born!”

For their part, Young Stunners don’t sound like Pakistani boys imitating Drake, they sound like clear-eyed city kids with something to get off of their chest. Add to that Faisal’s trademark croon, and we have a song that makes us feel like there is hope around the corner.

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