music
Music often finds its meaning in a familiar voice, an unfinished thought or a feeling that is difficult to put into words. Pakistani music has also seen artists experiment more freely with sound, storytelling and collaborations. It is in this setting that Coke Studio Nu.WAV begins its six-track run with ‘Dil’, bringing together Afusic and Zoha Waseem.
Produced by Ali Soomro, the song explores love, distraction and the person who remains at the centre of it all. It began almost instinctively, with Soomro starting on his guitar and shaping a beat within twenty minutes. Later that night, Afusic received it and sent back a voice note with bare vocals recorded on his phone. By the next morning, there was little desire to change what had arrived so naturally. Soomro describes that moment as aamad: an idea finding you before you go looking for it.
What emerged is a personal love song. Afusic’s verses speak to the woman who knew him before success brought greater attention and distractions. When Zoha enters, the song shifts from a private address into a conversation, offering another side of the relationship.
The song brings together two artists with different musical backgrounds. Hyderabad-born singer, songwriter and rapper Afusic has grown from an independent digital-first artist into an emerging voice in contemporary South Asian pop and hip-hop. His breakout hit ‘Pal Pal’ reached audiences beyond Pakistan, while Zoha Waseem brings classical and ghazal influences into contemporary pop. After gaining recognition through classical performances in Lahore, her releases, including ‘Majboor’, have introduced her to a growing digital audience.
Directed by Kamal Khan, the visual world of ‘Dil’ takes the idea of disruption into surreal territory. Loosely inspired by classic hero’s journey tales, it follows Afusic as he struggles to find his way home, while Zoha lives in a world that has literally been turned upside down. Furniture hangs from the ceiling and everyday objects are out of place. When they finally find themselves in the same room, everything falls back into place. Speaking about the song, Kamal Khan, Executive Producer, Coke Studio Nu.WAV, said, “This felt like the right song to open because it captures what we want this platform to be about: artists bringing something personal and making it their own. The song comes from a very real place and visually we took the idea of love being tested by distraction and built a slightly surreal world around it. Afusic moves through all that noise while Zoha gives the song another perspective and eventually both worlds come together.”
The song is written and composed by Afusic and Ali Raza, with music arranged and produced by Ali Soomro and mastered by Sean Tallman. The film is directed by Kamal Khan, with Aamir Mughal as Director of Photography and Syed Hammad Sohail leading production design. The project is produced by Gali Films, with Iman Khan as Producer.
As the first of six releases, ‘Dil’ sets the tone for a series centred on individual artists, distinct sounds and stories, with the remaining releases to follow in the coming weeks.
– You! desk
