Coca-cola officially launched “Coke Studio Bangla” in a grand ceremony held in Radisson Blue Dhaka Water Garden hotel on Monday. The event was held in the grand ballroom of the hotel and began at 7pm in the evening.
Coke Studio is a music program, which is massively popular among music lovers for the fusion of various genres of music.
Music practitioners from all walks of life, starting from folk singers to pop singers, rock vocalists to hip-hop artists, classical singers to a big group of chorus vocalists, and folk instrument players to electric instrumentalists, all collaborate together in various old and classic tracks and re-imagines them in the studio. The artists include both veteran and popular artists and also new talents of the music industry, including underground musicians.
The first season of Coke Studio Bangla have been already been recorded, and the launch ceremony was attended by the house band and the artists featured in the season. State Minister for ICT Division Zunaid Ahmed Palak and State Minister of Cultural Affairs KM Khalid were present at the launch event as special guests.
The launch ceremony began with a dance performance by Prachyanat. Then the official theme song of Coke Studio Bangla was played for the first time for the present guests.
The theme song for the pilot season of Coke Studio Bangla is titled “Ekla Cholo Re,” which is a fusion track sung by Bangladeshi singers Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Bappa Majumdar, Samina Chowdhury, Momtaz Begum, Dikshad Nahar Kona, Pantho Kanai, Rituraj, Masha Islam, Mizan, Nandita, Rubayat, BogaTaleb, Animesh Roy, and Sheikh Ishtiaque.
The theme song starts off with a performance of “Ami Kothay Pabo Tare,” which was written and tuned by Baul singer Gagan Harkara. Then the medley progresses to the words of “Ekla Cholo Re.” Then the song finishes with a chorus version of “Abar Hashimukh.”
Regarding the theme song, Shironamhin’s vocalist Sheikh Ishtiaque told the Dhaka Tribune Showtime, “It is good news that Shironamhin’s ‘Abar Hashimukh’ was used in the theme song of Coke Studio Bangla. I make an appearance in the song. Shironamhin’s lyricist Zia Bhai (Ziaur Rahman) is one of the most amazing song-writers of this generation.”
Popular singer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob told the Dhaka Tribune Showtime “GaganHarkara’s ‘Ami Kothay Pabo Tare’ is the song that inspired Rabindranath Tagore to write our national anthem ‘Amar Shonar Bangla.’ We wanted to capture that musical journey from Gagan Harkara to Rabindranath Tagore’s ‘EklaCholo Re’ to the modern Bangla songs, such as Shironamhin’s‘Abar Hashimukh.’ We wanted to capture that particular soundscape for the theme song of Coke Studio Bangla.”
Before the official launch of the Coke Studio Bangla speeches were given by the special guests of the event.
State Minister for Cultural Affairs KM Khalid said in his speech, “We are a culture and music loving nation. Since the 52’s Language Movement to the Liberation War, music has been an important part of our major milestones and historical movements. Bringing ‘Coke Studio Bangla’ for Bangla speaking people from around the globe during the month of International Mother Language Day is a wonderful gesture by Coca-Cola Bangladesh.”
ICT State Minister Zunaid Ahmed Palak said in his remark, “The launch of ‘Coke Studio Bangla’ on digital platforms is a testament to the ‘how’ our people are consuming and engaging with content online. When I first heard this was being launched, as a music enthusiast I became very excited and contacted Gausul Alam Shaon to attend this event.”
Arnob, who is also the Music Producer for Coke Studio Bangla, said in his speech, “Coke Studio is the embodiment of cultural fusion and soothing mixture of diverse melodies. And being able to join the platform as a music producer is a matter of great pride for me.”
After the speeches, the present guests were asked by the event host to visit the Coke Studio Bangla official YouTube channel for the first time and subscribe to it, as an act of officially launching the music program in Bangladesh.
The event was hosted by the widely popular fashion designer and stunning model of Bangladesh Azra Mahmood.
The ten episodes of the first season will be released one-by-one on the official Facebook page, YouTube channel and the Spotify playlist of Coke Studio Bangla in the month of February.
The program was first launched by Coca-Cola in Pakistan in the year 2008. It is the longest running music program ever since its launch in that country. Coke Studio launched in India in the year 2011 and ran for four consecutive seasons there. There is an iteration of it in the Middle East and also in Philippines as well.
Regarding the reasons behind this wonderful initiative, Managing Director of Coca-Cola Bangladesh Ta Duy Tung said, “We want to create real magic in Bangladesh and make life interesting with wonderful moments for everyone.”
