oke Studio Pakistan has been part of our musical lives for almost two decades. I was barely eight when its first season was launched, but I remember being struck by the music produced under Rohail Hayat.

Over the years, Coke Studio has introduced emerging artists alongside established singers and taken Pakistani music to audiences beyond the country. Now it is trying something different with Coke Studio Nu.WAV, a new platform bringing together established and emerging artists.

Nu.WAV is due to launch in September with six songs. Its line-up includes Aaryan SDQ, Afusic, Asim Azhar, Hasan Raheem, Izz Chughtai, Maanu, Sabaat Batin, Shae Gill, Young Stunners and Zoha Waseem. The project is reportedly the brainchild of filmmaker Kamal Khan, whose association with Coke Studio Pakistan stretches back 15 years.

The introductory session took place at Lahore’s historic Bradlaugh Hall on August 22. I had visited the more-than-century-old building in 2024 while restoration was still under way and written about its history for this paper. The Lahore Biennale was taking place at the time, with students from various universities exhibiting their work. I remember wondering what the restored hall might eventually become.

For the Nu.WAV launch, the red-brick walls and tall arched windows were lit in deep amber and orange. A minimalist modern set occupied the space without overwhelming its architecture. The contrast between the old building and the contemporary event seemed appropriate for a project attempting to look towards the future.

A new platform cannot rely indefinitely on legacy.

The evening also included food from Rina’s Kitchenette: feta cheese with crackers and vegetables, halwa puri bites and samosas with nihari. It was a pleasant accompaniment to the event, but the food was not the main attraction.

The more important question was the music. The launch offered an introduction to Nu.WAV and a taste of what the project will sound like. The songs presented suggest a contemporary, genre-blending direction. Whether they will give the project a distinctive identity remains to be seen.

For now, Nu.WAV exists largely as a promise. Coke Studio has built a considerable legacy, but a new platform cannot indefinitely rely on legacy. It will have to establish its own sound.

That, rather than the staging or the setting, will ultimately determine whether Nu.WAV has something memorable to say.

Usama Malick is a storyteller and literary critic. He can be reached at [email protected]