The coronavirus pandemic inevitably resulted in a rather dull and dreary year. Filling the void was Coke Studio 2020 that left music aficionados gripped with excitement when it revealed its star-studded lineup last month. The first episode of the much-awaited season featured three tracks unveiled by producer Rohail Hyatt. Singer Meesha Shafi, who received ample backlash from netizens for not appearing at court hearings for her ongoing legal tussle with Ali Zafar, made a powerful comeback to the platform with the season-opener Na Tuttya Ve and the recently dropped Gal Sunn. The former, an all-female anthem comprised six artists including Fariha Pervaiz, Sanam Marvi, Shafi, Zara Madani, Wajiha Naqvi and Sehar Gul Khan. Jaag Rahi and Dil Khirki were also well-received by listeners. Meanwhile, Velo Sound Station took off to a great start too, receiving more praise than criticism. The first episode of the new-fangled music show covered performances by Umair Jaswal (Maine Tumhari Gagar Se), Atif Aslam (Kadi Te Hans) and Natasha Noorani (Baby Baby), with all their songs being produced by music composer Ahsan Parvaiz. Shafi’s Boom Boom has also been making waves on social media. Here is how Twitter users are responding to Coke Studio 2020 and Velo Sound Station:
Reactions to Coke Studio 2020:
Dil Khirki has definitely opened a new window in Pakistani music industry. #CokeStudio2020#MehdiMaloof pic.twitter.com/N65aQjpjYW
— Balaj Khan (@Cancerian94) December 4, 2020
Whoever is in charge of Coke studio aesthetics and design deserves accolades. They’ve built a brand experience and a vibe that is soulful, nostalgic yet modern. And continues to transcend mediums. Truly era defining work
— Danish Munir (@dtmunir) December 8, 2020
I have to admit this season of Coke Studio seems better than the last #CokeStudio2020
— Faria (@FariaSays) December 8, 2020
All 3 promos of upcoming episode from #CokeStudio2020 is so freaking amazing… @rohailhyatt bro you are killing it this time…!!!!??@itsmeeshashafi @RFAKWorld @tribalgulabo
— ? Louis de Pointe ????? (@blackenTheSky66) December 8, 2020
Looking forward to some classics which is the legacy of @cokestudio!#CokeStudio2020 #CokeStudio13 https://t.co/4r3zNAbjWi
— Maha Siddiqui (@Optimist_sidiqi) December 8, 2020
Meesha Shafi’s opener Na Tuttya Ve has become all the rage:
A strong message for women empowerment gets even stronger in punjabi. "Na Tutya Ve"#CokeStudio2020https://t.co/1U9fJnLEie
— Bakht Cheema (@Bakhtcheema14) December 4, 2020
O jadon dil tuttda
rap by Meesha Shafi. You can’t ask for any better start for Coke Studio this year. #CokeStudio2020 #MeeshaShafi pic.twitter.com/ekrnWm9LC4
— Taseen ?? (@taseenAmin) December 4, 2020
Wow, what a powerful voice. What a performance. ?? Amazing, loved it????.
#MeeshaShafi#NaTutteyaVe#boomboom#CokeStudio2020#VeloSoundStation— Nusrat Fatima (@NusFatima) December 6, 2020
Really liked the opening song of the #CokeStudio2020, especially the rap version of Meesha Shafi. Didn't understand it completely but loved the energy of the song.
— S h a h i d (@puthi_soch) December 4, 2020
@itsmeeshashafi returns to Coke Studio after 10 years and oh man, what a comeback! @itsmeeshashafi's rap is the best thing on the internet today!!#CokeStudio2020 #cokestudio #MeeshaShafi
— AS ? (@_wuzmal_) December 4, 2020
It’s the first time in the history of #CokeStudio2020 that all female singers of a season are performing in one song. ?? #NaTutteyaVe pic.twitter.com/nnOyw4zRlf
— Laraib Mehtab (@laraibmufc) December 4, 2020
If 2020s coke studio had a face …..#CokeStudio2020 #MeeshaShafi pic.twitter.com/MzQEOf7NmO
— Maria Khan (@MariaKh19619725) December 4, 2020
A space that fusions music and culture together, Coke Studio is a music platform that has given multiple hit songs, #NaTutteyaVe is in top of the list in #CokeStudio2020 by meesha shafi. pic.twitter.com/en9yL1tU6o
— Adnan Alam ?? (@AdnanAlams) December 4, 2020
What a powerful vocals & lyrics
Na Tutteya Ve is Strong message for everyone especially for men Every women should be respected & should be treated with love & affection
These girls nailed especially Meesha Shafi & Good to hear Fariha Pervez vocals after long time#CokeStudio2020 https://t.co/Yto4S6AWGK— Khadija Drogba ~ Veham (14th December) (@khadijadrogba) December 4, 2020
They just smashed the opener with such energetic chorus.
Meesha Shafi stand out here??#CokeStudio2020 #CS13 pic.twitter.com/Jxkf8ZHM8F— Marwah Khan (@MarwahKhan64) December 4, 2020
Many users are looking forward to Yaqeen, a Wajiha Naqvi-crooned song about the journey of self-belief through flavors of Raga Rock and Brit-pop in an East meets West musical fusion:
Fusions are always just a cherry on top ?#CokeStudio2020 https://t.co/S5y9d1GCD9
— Aysha Ahmed (@AyshaAh96390832) December 8, 2020
Wajiha Naqvi is back after 2 years ???#CokeStudio2020 https://t.co/n9GZ5PqWvI
— Maira Kamran (@MairaKamran7) December 8, 2020
Yeaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa. Looking forward to this https://t.co/FwU6ehHDeW
— Haider Naqvi (@AHaiderN) December 8, 2020
INQILAAB!!!
Am SOOO EXCITED!! https://t.co/QaaOxLZayn
— Sheheryar Banuri (@Sheheryarbanuri) December 8, 2020
Mehdi Maloof’s Dil Khirki has received mixed reviews. While some have referred to it as a masterpiece, others are not for it:
Dil Khirki is a masterpiece and why not many people are talking about this song? Mehdi Maloof absolutely nailed it ?? #CokeStudio2020
— Tee (@TahirAlee58) December 8, 2020
Don't sleep on this season's #CokeStudio2020. Already interdicting some really solid artist's like Mehdi Maloof Music.
Dil Khirki bested every other song for me personally in the first episode!
— sachin (@RoseCuir) December 6, 2020
Dil Khirki was some masterfully written stuff, I thought. He uses very simple words but he's said so much, and sung it so freely.
— Himanish Ganjoo (@hganjoo153) December 4, 2020
Really enjoyed listening to dil khirki
— Rehan Ulhaq (@Rehan_ulhaq) December 5, 2020
Dil khirki (coke studio) and eye to eye(tahir shah) are on tough competition.
— lowkey (@stfu_jujuu) December 6, 2020
Is #CokeStudio2020 that bad this year?
— Zee (@whatsis123) December 4, 2020
Dil khirki was such a loss. They had worked out a fantastic beat only to ruin it with below average and out of sink lyrics
— Omar (@Nostalgic_Grip) December 4, 2020
Dil Khirki // Mehdi Maloof
What a beautiful track!— Hain jee (@Bandookkhan) December 6, 2020
Unpopular opinion: I find Mehdi Maloof's music way more soulful than Ali Sethi ghazals.
— Rafay Mahmood (@Rafay_Mahmood) December 5, 2020
Mann this Dil Khirki of coke studio 2020 is so catchy you may find it weird but its pretty cool just listen to the lyrics close your eyes and feel the serenity
— Bisma (@anxiety_pk) December 6, 2020
Fans are going gaga over Shafi’s Gal Sunn too:
All time favorite Meesha Shafi is here with litt performance this season! ?#CokeStudio2020 #GalSunn
— Zia Zuberi (@ZuberiSpeaks) December 8, 2020
Meesha Shafi is slayyyinggg this season! #CokeStudio2020 #GalSunn
— Aisha Randhawa (@HariMirchein) December 8, 2020
Dil Tarpe, a classic tarana sung by music maestro Rahat Fateh Ali Khan and featuring the talented Zara Madani is winning hearts before its release:
Beyond thrilled for this one!!#CokeStudio2020 https://t.co/F3cPrQ9R3A
— Aysha Ahmed (@AyshaAh96390832) December 8, 2020
Now eagerly waiting for this #CokeStudio2020 Epi 2 #DilTarpe
— Aisha Randhawa (@HariMirchein) December 8, 2020
RFAK jo song gaa le wo mere liye already hit hai. ??
Here's the promo of his first song in #CokeStudio2020 https://t.co/hfm652POzI— Kanza Sohail (@KanzaSohail98) December 8, 2020
Reactions to Velo Sound Station:
I am loving VELO Sound Station
— ? (@lightning_buzz) December 7, 2020
Velo sound station mein kafi achay songs ban rahe hai
— BABAR (@Babar__says) December 7, 2020
@VeloSound is ?? every single song is fire ?? @stringsonline
My top 5
1.kadi te hans by @itsaadee
2.Gagar by @umairjaswal
3.Aaja by @AbdullahQureshi
4. Pyar ka rog @stringsonline
5.te queiro much /Baby baby @aimabaigoffcial @natashanoraani— ZAIN (@ZaYnHfz) December 7, 2020
Atif Aslam seems to have made up for his absence from Coke Studio with Velo’s Kadi Te Hans:
10 Million Views ??????#10MViewsOnKadiTeHans@VeloSound@itsaadee#KadiTeHans #KadiTeHansByAtifAslam #Aadee #Aadeez #AtifAslam #VeloSoundStation #PopDontStop pic.twitter.com/UYPcGbW0qT
— Abjel aaDeeZ ? (@Abjel_Aadeez) December 8, 2020
Ok..got to admit this VELO sound station is super awesome..the way Atif Aslam delivered this "kadi te Hans bol ve" and Aima Baig's 'Te Quero mucho" is just amazing ?..
Good work guys, keep it up??#VeloSoundStation
— ./muzamil (@mjk_ks) December 7, 2020
10M views completed on "Kadi te Hans" still the most viewed & liked video of Velo Sound Station ??@itsaadee @VeloSound#10MillionViewsOnKadiTeHans#AtifAslam #VeloSoundStation pic.twitter.com/X6nww0VIAY
— Musawer Mukhtiar (@musawermukhtiar) December 8, 2020
Kadi te hans bol ve ?@itsaadee #AtifAslam #Aadeez
— Atif Aslam Fandom?? (@AadeezHoonMain) December 8, 2020
Kadi Te Hans Bol Ve,
Na Zind Sadi Rol Ve.
Ve Aaja Dil Janea,
Ve Ker Meherbanian,
Na Dukhan Vich Rool Ve.Just in love with Atif Aslam new pop song.
— Sadia Naz Ghaznavi (@sarcastic_sadia) December 7, 2020
@VeloSound is ?? every single song is fire ?? @stringsonline
My top 5
1.kadi te hans by @itsaadee
2.Gagar by @umairjaswal
3.Aaja by @AbdullahQureshi
4. Pyar ka rog @stringsonline
5.te queiro much /Baby baby @aimabaigoffcial @natashanoraani— ZAIN (@ZaYnHfz) December 7, 2020
I really hate Kadi Te Hans Bol but my God, Atif Aslam has taken that song to new heights. Complete makeover.
— Nazu (@nazuksuratehaal) December 3, 2020
Umair Jaswal’s Gagar is making the rounds for all the right reasons:
Hated it when I first heard it, but heard it in the car today on full volume and fell madly in love with the tune. Check it out @raisinganchor | Umair Jaswal | Gagar | VELO Sound Station 2020 https://t.co/6MAeE8Ww8b via @YouTube
— Aisha Y | ?? ?? ?? (@TheAishaSY) December 7, 2020
Damn this new #Gagar song is dope AF, techno music meets Rock vocals meet nostalgia.. enough vibes from the old one and enough freshness of it’s own.@umairjaswal has outdone himself here.
— Modern Malang (@malang_baba1) December 8, 2020
I’ve been obsessively listening to gagar all day I love it so much
— nuur (@nuuur_l) December 1, 2020
At VELO; After MY BOYS ??
Gagar is THE winner! (So far) ??— Madiha Rahman (@MadihaRahman) December 7, 2020
Umair jaswals gagar is a wholee damn VIBEEEE!!!
— Sara (@bohatsaraaa) November 29, 2020
Meesha Shafi also has fans vibing to her cover of Nazia Hassan’s 80s hit Boom Boom:
Agree or not but Meesha Shafi's new song at Velo Sound Station is right in the feels??
— Gohar Gillani (@GoharGillani1) December 4, 2020
Finally, we can end 2020 with some melody! https://t.co/hyXEr1wMZn
— priyankal (@priyanka005) December 5, 2020
What a day for Meesha Shafi. A banger on Velo and another on Coke Studio.
— minz (@coffeetotheorem) December 5, 2020
Meesha Shafi literally did justice with #BoomBoom @ #VeloSoundStation
NAILED IT
Just wow !!! @itsmeeshashafi
In to my playlist for atleast a year!
— Noor (@Noor_eman01) December 5, 2020
So it's a double treat. First on Coke Studio and now this. This is excellent @itsmeeshashafi ma'am. https://t.co/4QVdoBc23x
— Ahmad Shahan (@HeelGimmick) December 5, 2020
Meesha Shafi's Boom Boom performance is just WOW! pic.twitter.com/CGVpiuQVab
— Bilal Farooqi (@bilalfqi) December 5, 2020
My heart goes #Boom #Boom ??#Awesome.. ?https://t.co/j4rf32UEVt
— Mizna (@Mizna_R) December 5, 2020
And Meesha shafi never disappoints ?? . It amazes me how much they changed the dynamics of the song yet still it's essence hit you like Nazia Hassan .#VeloSoundStation @itsmeeshashafi
— Feminarti (@feminarti) December 7, 2020
BEST BEST BEST, did justice to Nazia Hassan!
— Waliya Quadri (@QuadriWaliya) December 5, 2020
Comparions between the two:
Twitter users have also been drawing comparisons between the two shows. A handful of them feel Velo is giving tough competition to Coke Studio. “Great things are happening for Pakistani music. So happy to see a fresh sound with amazing visuals and performances,” wrote a user. A post added, “Another great challenge to Coke Studio after Nescafe Basement. “Velo sound station and Coke Studio running parallel, December, coffee, can’t get better than this. Pakistan Has Got Talent!!” Another tweet read, “I think this 1st season of #velosoundstation is far better than the last four seasons of #cokestudio.”
https://t.co/WUCjsMMdS5
Great things are happening for Pakistani music. So happy to see a fresh sound with amazing visuals and performances.Another great challenge to Cokestudio after Nescafe Basement. This time its a Niswaar company sponsoring music ? #VeloSoundStation
— Farrukh Ahmed (@heyfarrukh) December 8, 2020
velo sound station > coke studio his year
— minz (@minaaarants) December 8, 2020
Just encountered #dilkhirki in a youtube advertisement and it seems like a nursery rhyme without any rhyme. Now everyone have a chance to become a cringey singer #CokeStudio2020 needs a nescafe because #VeloSoundStation is giving better composition this year.
— Aniqa Khan (@AniqaKhan25) December 7, 2020
Velo sound station and Coke Studio running parallel, December, coffee, cant get better than this. Pakistan Has Got Talent!!
— Malik (@DesiBurger23) December 7, 2020
Velo Sound Station is actually good, Just checked out it with my cousin. It really is pop music for sure ?
— Ramiya 🙂 (@Yeh_tu_hoga) December 5, 2020
I think this 1st seoson #velosoundstation is far better than last 4 seasons of #cokestudio.
Wby?— alien?? (@garam_aandaaay) December 5, 2020
First Pepsi Battle of Bands, then Coke Studio, then Nescafe Basement, and now we have Velo Sound Station. ?
Kis kis ko pyaar karun ?
— Nofal (@AryyyyyChuppp) November 29, 2020
Backlash:
Of course, no show is complete without some amount of flak. Calling Velo Sound Station out for prerecorded songs, a user wrote, “At least Coke Studio and Nescafé Basement are recorded live. Velo has pre-recorded/auto-tuned songs where singers can’t seem to lip-sync. In my view Velo sound station is a disaster. Given the class, brilliance and calibre of Bilal Maqsood, Velo is far below my expectations.” Others lamented about how Coke Studio’s latest season cannot compete with its predecessors. Taking a dig at the music platform, a user noted, “But hey, at least they (used to) make decent coke studio songs and cute heartwarming ads.” Some are hoping for the next episode to be better though.
At least Coke Studio and Nescafé Basement are recorded live. Velo has pre-recorded/auto-tuned songs where singers can’t seem to lip-sync. In my view Velo sound station is a disaster. Given the class, brilliance and calibre of Bilal Maqsood, Velo is far below my expectations.
— Nejib Rahman (@nejibr) December 8, 2020
but hey, at least they (used to) make decent coke studio songs and cute heart warming ads. ?
— Mustafa Javed Bajwa (@m_j_bajwa) December 8, 2020
Just listened to Coke Studio's first episode.
Now going on a music cleanse with some AR Rehman.
Hope the next episode is better.
— daily updates on naseer's sleep? (@NaseerAFaraz) December 8, 2020
This entire Velo sound station is crap. I expected nothing less than class from Bilal Maqsood but airing pre-recorded, auto-tuned songs with singers unable to lip sync is a disappointment and disaster in my view. Not to mention the dancing girls & boys. So not classy.
— Selma Khan (@SelmaKhan14) December 8, 2020
PARENTS and ADULTS, THIS IS IMPORTANT!??
VELO sound station’s marketing is pretty cool. But the fact is, our YOUNG generation should understand that NICOTINE is not COOL at all. What is VELO? It is basically a nicotine pouch that you put in your mouth like a naswaar.
— ?????? (@kiyaHuaYaar) December 8, 2020
#VeloSoundStation how many times the same old songs will be remixed and re represented. Is talent over from pakistan?? Im really sick of the remixed songs.
Some guys are making new and worth listening songs but nobody is promoting them. What a shame !!!— Maria Ahmed (@MariaPervez11) December 7, 2020
#CokeStudio ready to disappoint us again 🙂
— Usama Tahir (@UsamaByTheWay) December 8, 2020
we need good songs like the ones in ssn 8 or 9 not this crap
— #freeTrashford (@footythought07) December 8, 2020
Velo Sound Station shows genuinely fake excitement similar to their ad with a maniac kicking containers of paint on floor.
Somebody in top tire of approving the branding and marketing strategies is… Whatever??
This gif is 10x more interesting than all of Velo's promotion pic.twitter.com/LyN0XE2wMs
— Dani? (@KaliChiriya) December 7, 2020
This is for all the people who thought it was ‘too controversial’ for #AliZafar to be named as a univ ambassador. This is the backlash for #MeeshaShafi for performing in Coke Studio & Velo Sound Station instead of showing up in court where she was summoned MULTIPLE times. #MeToo pic.twitter.com/nYujrKNh7B
— Mahwash Ajaz ?? (@mahwashajaz_) December 6, 2020
Singer Meesha Shafi has grabbed eyeballs for appearing on Coke Studio and Velo Sound Station but refusing to make an appearance in court in her longstanding legal feud with Ali Zafar. Echoing the sentiments, Dubai-based journalist Mahwash Ajaz posted, “This is for all the people who thought it was ‘too controversial’ for #AliZafar to be named as a univ ambassador. This is the backlash for #MeeshaShafi for performing in Coke Studio & Velo Sound Station instead of showing up in court where she was summoned MULTIPLE times. #MeToo.” Similarly, TV host and influence Waqar Zaka recently uploaded a video on Facebook in which he questioned Shafi for the same. He asked why Shafi disappeared right after levelling allegations of abuse against Zafar, adding that she previously claimed she had moved to Canada and would not return but instead made her way back for the two music shows while not being bothered about her court hearings. He also lashed out at Coke Studio for not banning Shafi, mentioning that had it been Zafar in her place, he would have been removed from the platform.
You can watch his video here:
https://fb.watch/2fbpzeu6eE/
