The ninth season of the

Pakistani music The Music of Pakistan ( ur, , lit=pákistáni mosíqi) includes diverse elements ranging from music from various parts of South Asia as well as Central Asian, Middle Eastern, and modern-day Western popular music influences. With these multiple ...

television series A television show – or simply TV show – is any content produced for viewing on a television set which can be broadcast via over-the-air, satellite television, satellite, or cable television, cable, excluding breaking news, television adverti ...

'' Coke Studio'' commenced airing in Pakistan on 13 August 2016, concluded on 24 September 2016 and contained seven episodes. Season nine aired Fridays (digitally) and Saturdays (televised), on various timings and channels across the country. The

Strings String or strings may refer to: *String (structure), a long flexible structure made from threads twisted together, which is used to tie, bind, or hang other objects Arts, entertainment, and media Films * ''Strings'' (1991 film), a Canadian anim ...

and

Coca-Cola Coca-Cola, or Coke, is a carbonated soft drink manufactured by the Coca-Cola Company. Originally marketed as a temperance drink and intended as a patent medicine, it was invented in the late 19th century by John Stith Pemberton in Atlanta ...

returned as an executive producers, while for the first time in series history, season was composed by six music directors, namely

Noori Noori ( ) is a Pakistani rock band from Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan, formed in 1996. The group was formed by songwriter, lead vocalist, and guitarist, Ali Noor, along with his younger brother Ali Hamza, who were soon joined by bassist Muhammad A ...

Shani Arshad Shani Arshad is a Pakistani film music director, songwriter, TV jingle composer, playback singer and record producer. He has composed music for various television serials and films including ''Actor in Law'', '' Na Maloom Afraad'', ''Load Wed ...

Jaffer Zaidi Jaffer Zaidi ( ur, ) is a Pakistani musician, singer-songwriter, composer and pianist. He is best known as the lead vocalist of semiclassical band Kaavish. Propelled to success with the release of three singles "Bachpan", "Choti Khushiyaan", "T ...

Faakhir Mehmood Faakhir Mehmood ( ur, ) is a Pakistani actor, singer, keyboradist, composer and music producer. He started out his career with the Pakistani musical group Awaz. However, due to conflicts of interest, the band split in 2000 and they all went t ...

Shiraz Uppal Shiraz Uppal ( ur, شیراز اپل; born 29 January 1975) is a Pakistani singer, songwriter and music producer. His popular songs are “ Tu Kuja Man Kuja”, “Tera Te Mera”, "Raanjhanaa",“Mann Ja Ve”, “Roya Re”, Rabba", “Saiyan ...

, and

Shuja Haider Shuja ( ar, شجاع‎, ur, شجاع‎, bn, সুজা) is a surname and male given name. Notable people with this name include: * Shuja al-Khwarazmi, was the mother of Abbasid caliph Al-Mutawakkil (r. 847–861) * Ahmad Shuja Pasha (born ...

under the supervision of Strings.

Qawwali Qawwali ( Punjabi: (Shahmukhi), (Gurmukhi); Urdu: (Nasta'liq); Hindi: क़व्वाली (Devanagari); Bengali: কাওয়ালি (Bengali)) is a form of Sufi Islamic devotional singing, originating from the Indian subcontinent ...

singer Amjad Sabri marked his debut and final appearance with this season shortly before his assassination on 22 June 2016.

Artists

Featured artists

Following is the list of forty-one featured artists line-up, including this years' five of six music directors, that performed as individuals, duos and with chorus: * Abida Parveen *

Ahmed Jahanzeb Ahmed Jahanzeb Usmani ( ur, ; born 28 May 1978) is a Pakistani pop singer and composer.Ali Azmat * Ali Khan *

Ali Sethi Ali Aziz Sethi (Urdu/; ; born July 2, 1984) is a Pakistani singer, songwriter, composer, and author. Sethi rose to prominence with his debut novel, '' The Wish Maker'' (2009). In 2012, Sethi began focusing on his musical career and made his film ...

* Amjad Sabri *

Asim Azhar Asim Azhar (; born 29 October 1996) is a Pakistani singer, songwriter, musician and an actor. He started his career as a singer on YouTube, covering contemporary Western songs before he became a public figure. Career Asim Azhar was born o ...

Basit Ali Basit Ali (Urdu: باسط علی, born 13 December 1970) is a Pakistani cricket coach and former cricketer who played in 19 Test cricket, Test matches and 50 One Day Internationals from 1993 to 1996. A right-hander, he has the relatively uncomm ...

Damia Farooq Damia Farooq (born 3 December 1998) is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and musician. Starting her career at the age of thirteen in 2012, she released her debut album ''Damia Debut'' which consisted eight tracks including three music videos. Later ...

Haroon Shahid Haroon Shahid is a Pakistani musician and actor. He is known for his portrayals in several television serials including Do Bol , Qayamat (TV series), Muqaddar, Amanat (2021 TV series), Hum Kahan Ke Sachay Thay and Aakhir Kab Tak. He made his c ...

Jabar Abbas Jabar Abbas is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and musician who started his career in 1997 as child artist. He gained notability during his presidential tenure of Nazir Ahmed Musical Society at Government College University, Lahore from 20032007. ...

Javed Bashir Javed Bashir ( Punjabi, ur, ; born 8 August 1973) is a Pakistani playback singer who mainly sings classical songs. Javed has sung songs for many Bollywood movies including ''Cocktail'', ''Kahaani'', ''Rush'', ''Bombay Talkies'', ''Bhaa ...

Junaid Khan Junaid Khan may refer to: * Junaid Khan (de facto ruler of Khiva), political leader in the Khanate of Khiva and the Basmachi movement *Junaid Khan (cricketer), Pakistani cricketer *Junaid Khan (actor) Junaid Khan (born as Junaid Khan Niazi 2 ...

Kashif Ali Kashif Ali can refer to: * Kashif Ali (cricketer, born 1998) * Kashif Ali (cricketer, born 2002) * Kashif Ali (singer) {{hndis, Ali, Kashif ...

Masuma Anwar Masuma Anwar is a Pakistani pediatric doctor, singer-songwriter and musician. She rose to prominence with her cover singles of folk-songs such as "Ve Asaan Tenu Ki Akhna", "Ve main chori chori" and "Neyu La leya".Meesha Shafi Meesha Shafi ( ur, ) is a Pakistani-born Canadian singer, actress and model.Mehwish Hayat Mehwish Hayat (born 6 January 1988) is an Pakistani actress who primarily works in Urdu films and former television. She made her debut in film with comedy ''Jawani Phir Nahi Ani'' (2015) and later went on to ''Actor in Law'' (2016). Hayat is ...

Mohsin Abbas Haider Mohsin Abbas Haider ( ur, ) is a Pakistani actor, singer, writer and television presenter. He is the recipient of a Lux Style Award from five nominations. Haider is best known for his acting roles in the successful films ''Na Maloom Afraad'' ( ...

Momina Mustehsan Momina Mustehsan (; born 5 September 1992) is a Pakistani singer, musician, and social activist. In 2017, BBC named her one of the 100 Women (BBC), 100 most influential women, and the following year, ''Forbes'' featured her among its "30 Under ...

Naeem Abbas Rufi Naeem Abbas Rufi is a Pakistani singer. He is known as a band singer in morning shows '' Utho Jago Pakistan'' and ''Mazaaq Raat''. Career Naeem Abbas Rufi emerged as a Pakistani singer in the early 1990s both on Pakistani television and in th ...

Naseebo Lal ''Nasibo'' (also spelled as ''Naseebo'') is a 1994 Indian Punjabi-language film, directed by Manmohan Singh, starring Raj Babbar, Kavita Kamal (Kimi Verma), Preeti Sapru, Amitoj Maan and others. Gurdas Maan gave a special appearance. Plot ...

Natasha Khan Natasha (russian: Наташа) is a name of Slavic origin. The Slavic name is the diminutive form of Natalia. Notable people * Natasha, the subject of '' Natasha's Story'', a 1994 nonfiction book * Natasha Aguilar (1970–2016), Costa Rican s ...

Nirmal Roy Nirmal Roy (in Urdu نرمل رائے) (born August 6, 1996) is a Pakistani singer. Born in Lahore, she started her career at the age of twelve. Roy has performed and won many music competitions on national level, including the '' Voice of Kinnai ...

Noor Zehra Madam Noor Zehra Kazim is a Pakistani musician and Sagar Veena player. She is the daughter of lawyer and activist Raza Kazim who invented Sagar Veena - a stringed instrument similar to Vichitra veena and Chitra Veena. Together with her father she ...

Qurat-ul-Ain Balouch Quratulain Balouch ( ur, ) is a Pakistani American singer-songwriter. Also known as QB or the Humsafar Girl, she became popular for her title track " Woh Humsafar Tha" in Hum TV's serial '' Humsafar''. Career Balouch has no formal music educa ...

Rachel Viccaji ''Coke Studio'' ( ur, ) is a Pakistani television programme and international music franchise which features studio-recorded music performances by established and emerging artists. It is the longest-running annual television music show in Pakis ...

Rafaqat Ali Khan Ustad Rafaqat Ali Khan is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and musician. Trained as a classical singer, he is the son of the classical music singer Nazakat Ali Khan and nephew of Salamat Ali Khan of Sham Chaurasia gharana. He is the cousin of cla ...

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan Rahat Fateh Ali Khan ( Punjabi, ; born 9 December 1974) is a Pakistani Singer, primarily of Qawwali, a form of Sufi devotional music. Khan is one of the biggest and highest paid singers in Pakistan. He is the nephew of Nusrat Fateh Ali Kha ...

Rizwan Butt Rizwan Butt is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and musician. He is best known as a lead vocalist and guitarist of music reality series ''Nescafé Basement''. With the career over decade Butt has collaborated with many artists as their music direct ...

Saieen Zahoor Saieen Zahoor Ahmed or Ali Saain Shafiu ( Punjabi: سائیں ظہور, born 1936) is a leading Punjabi Sufi musician from Pakistan. He has spent most of his life singing in Sufi shrines, and didn't produce a record until 2006, when he was nom ...

Sanam Marvi Sanam Marvi ( sd, ) (born : 17 April 1986) is a Pakistani folk and sufi singer. She sings in Sindhi, Punjabi, and Balochi languages.Sara Haider Sara Haider is a Pakistani singer-songwriter and musical and film actress from Karachi. She started her music career as a backing vocalist and later became singer at Coke Studio. She has also won a Lux Style Award after making debut in Coke ...

Shahzad Nawaz Shahzad Nawaz is a Pakistani film director, actor, singer, advertiser and graphic designer. He started his career as an advisor to many news agencies and media publications, and served as a CEO of Nai Baat Media Network for a year. He also worke ...

Shilpa Rao Shilpa Rao (born Apeksha Rao; 11 April 1984) is an Indian singer born and raised in Jamshedpur. She completed her Post Graduation in Applied Statistics from St. Xavier's College, Mumbai, before working as a jingle singer for three years. During ...

Umair Jaswal Umair Jaswal is a Pakistani actor, singer-songwriter and music producer from Islamabad. He was also lead vocalist of the rock band ''Qayaas''. Umair is the brother of singers Yasir Jaswal and Uzair Jaswal. Personal life Jaswal, whose fa ...

Zebunnisa Bangash Zebunisa Bangash (born 7 March 1982), better known as Zeb Bangash, is a Pakistani singer-songwriter from Lahore, Punjab. Her family originally comes from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Apart from her solo career, she was the member of music group Zeb and H ...

Note:

is the only featured artist who served as a narrator.

Music directors

Following is the listing of artists that were assigned one of each, six music directors who composed, wrote and rendered songs with them, under Strings' supervision.

Musicians

Following is the three

backing vocalist A backing vocalist is a singer who provides vocal harmony with the lead vocalist or other backing vocalists. A backing vocalist may also sing alone as a lead-in to the main vocalist's entry or to sing a counter-melody. Backing vocalists are us ...

s that serves as a

vocal harmony Vocal harmony is a style of vocal music in which a consonant note or notes are simultaneously sung as a main melody in a predominantly homophonic texture. Vocal harmonies are used in many subgenres of European art music, including Classical chora ...

with the

lead vocalist The lead vocalist in popular music is typically the member of a group or band whose voice is the most prominent melody in a performance where multiple voices may be heard. The lead singer sets their voice against the accompaniment parts of t ...

. Among them Nimra and Shahab marked their debut while Rachel returns, both as a backing vocalist and a featured artist for the second time.

Episodes

Initial promo songs

On 3 August 2016, a rendition of Madam

Noor Jehan Noor Jehan ( Punjabi: ) (born () Allah Rakhi Wasai ; 23 September 1926 – 23 December 2000; sometimes spelled Noorjehan),Ashish Rajadhyaksha and Paul Willemen, ''Encyclopaedia of Indian Cinema,'' British Film Institute, Oxford University Pres ...

's cult-classic song "Zalima Coca-Cola Pila Dey" as a tribute to her, was released with also revealing the premier date of season. It featured vocals by season 9's featured artists

Meesha Shafi Meesha Shafi ( ur, ) is a Pakistani-born Canadian singer, actress and model.Umair Jaswal Umair Jaswal is a Pakistani actor, singer-songwriter and music producer from Islamabad. He was also lead vocalist of the rock band ''Qayaas''. Umair is the brother of singers Yasir Jaswal and Uzair Jaswal. Personal life Jaswal, whose fa ...

. Following previous year format, at the 69th

Independence Day of Pakistan Pakistan Establishment Day (colloquially the Fourteenth of August) is a state holiday in Pakistan commemorating the nation's establishment from the United Kingdom on 14 August 1947, establishing the Dominion of Pakistan. Pakistan came into ...

, ''Coke Studio'' released another rendition of a song "Aye Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedo"a mili naghma (patriotic song) originally sung by

Naseem Begum Naseem Begum ( ur, ), (24 February 1936 – 29 September 1971) was a popular, and well known Pakistani film playback singer. She was known as ''The Tradegy Queen'' for singing sorrowful and downhearted songs in films. She rose to promine ...

, on 6 August 2016. The song opens with a dedicated monologue, voiceover by filmmaker

. The song was also as a tribute to those who sacrificed their lives during the

Partition of India The Partition of British India in 1947 was the Partition (politics), change of political borders and the division of other assets that accompanied the dissolution of the British Raj in South Asia and the creation of two independent dominions: ...

for the creation of

Pakistan Pakistan ( ur, ), officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan ( ur, , label=none), is a country in South Asia. It is the world's List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of almost 24 ...

and reads, "Dedicated to those who sacrificed their todays for tomorrow's". "Aye Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedo" featured all the artists that were scheduled to lined-up for this season. It was well received by critics. Sharing their idea behind the song, the ''Coca-Cola'' team explained, "''Coke Studio'' is all about bridging barriers and bringing people together through music. During this difficult period in our history, we wanted to unite the nation in recognition of all the heroes who have sacrificed their lives so that the rest of us can live in freedom. Together with Strings, we felt this song would be a beautiful tribute to them, and to their families and loved ones on behalf of our beloved country. Bringing together artists of all ages, cultures and geographies of Pakistan to perform this heartfelt rendition, originally sung by Naseem Begum, was our way of saying thank you." The song was used in closing credits of television film ''

Ek Thi Marium ''Ek Thi Marium'' ( ) is a 2016 Pakistani biographical television film based on the life of Pakistani female fighter pilot Marium Mukhtiar. Produced by Nina Kashif, it is directed by Sarmad Sultan Khoosat and written by Umera Ahmad. It feature ...

'' aired on

Defense Day Defence Day ( ur, ALA-LC: ) is celebrated in Pakistan as national day to commemorate the sacrifices made by Pakistani soldiers in defending its borders.Taha SiddiquiDear Pakistanis, this Defence Day, please stop celebrating hate Al Jazeera ...

Regular episodes

The season began airing its weekly episodes Saturdays and releasing all episodes digitally on Fridays a day prior to its original broadcast.

Production

Format

For the first time in series history, each episode of season was composed and produced by six music directors –

, and

. While

Bilal Maqsood Bilal Maqsood (Urdu: بلال مقصود) is a Pakistani guitarist, composer, and a founding member of Strings. He has also directed a number of music videos. For Bilal and his band Strings, success came in 1992 after the launch of the song ''S ...

and

Faisal Kapadia Strings () was a Pakistani pop/rock band composed of two members, plus four live band members from Karachi, Pakistan. The band was initially formed by four college students—Bilal Maqsood (vocals and guitars), Faisal Kapadia (vocals), Rafiq ...

served as executive producers and show runners for season along with

. For this particular season, all the lined-up artists were selected by assigned music director/producer of each episode for their team with the final approval of Strings, whereas the songs' lyrics and compositions were done by producers. Performers were mutually selected by each producer and Strings, who would perform them. Season 9 featured mostly original songs. The format of the show was initially planned to be instilled when Strings held the reins of show. However, the duo wanted to stay with the original format and started making changes in

season 7 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's tilted orbit around the Sun. In temperate and po ...

and

season 8 A season is a division of the year based on changes in weather, ecology, and the number of daylight hours in a given region. On Earth, seasons are the result of the axial parallelism of Earth's axial tilt, tilted orbit around the Sun. In tempera ...

, bringing new artists and more original songs. The format would not be adapted in next seasons of series. In an interview with '' Samaa,'' Strings said, "We've always believed in collaborations because this is how the industry grows. After the monumental response of season 8, we decided to bring onboard 6 of Pakistan's leading music directors to be a part of Coke Studio. Our vision since season 7 has been to involve more and more people from our music industry and make this platform a collective dream. When we presented the idea to Coca-Cola, they loved it and were fully supportive. It was a challenging task and our guidance was required throughout the process, but today we are extremely satisfied that we took this initiative."

Debutants

Pakistani actors

Mehwish Hayat Mehwish Hayat (born 6 January 1988) is an Pakistani actress who primarily works in Urdu films and former television. She made her debut in film with comedy ''Jawani Phir Nahi Ani'' (2015) and later went on to ''Actor in Law'' (2016). Hayat is ...

and

made their singing debut in the season, while Indian singer

was announced as a featured artist, under

's supervision. Rao explained, "I met

in Delhi for lunch at a common friends’ gathering, we hung out, sang songs together and that is when they asked me to come to Pakistan and sing for ''Coke Studio''. I agreed – Ali took it very seriously and actually got me here to record the song. It's basically musicians bonding with each other. One song can make you friends for life – that is the power of music," sharing her experience she stated, " It 'Coke Studio'' Pakistanis a place where all the musicians are in an environment where they have their instruments, their space and the freedom to choose anything and convey it to the people in their own style; it's very powerful." Atif Aslam announced that he would not return to season 9. Veteran

singer Amjad Sabri made his final and debut appearance on ''Coke Studio'', before his death on 22 June 2016 in a

targeted killing Targeted killing is a form of murder or assassination carried out by governments outside a judicial procedure or a battlefield. Since the late 20th century, the legal status of targeted killing has become a subject of contention within and betw ...

, where he recorded a rendition of qawali, "Aj Rung Hai" with

. Coca-Cola GM Rizwan U. Khan said, "''Coke Studio'' is the ultimate manifestation of

's music strategy and Season 9 will further strengthen Coca-Cola's cultural leadership, celebrating diversity while bridging barriers relevant to the youth of today, it is very distressing that Amjad Sabri himself will not be with all of us to see Season 9 go on air in August. His death is a huge national loss."

''Coke Studio'' for the deaf

On 30 July 2016, preceding to the launch of season, a special musical segment called "''Coke Studio'' for the Deaf" was launched in association with Deaf Reach program of the Family Education Services Foundation (FESF), for

hearing-impaired Hearing loss is a partial or total inability to hear. Hearing loss may be present at birth or acquired at any time afterwards. Hearing loss may occur in one or both ears. In children, hearing problems can affect the ability to acquire spoken l ...

persons with a setup invented by China that mainly comprises a special sofa/couch embedded with hundreds of vibration engines and LED lights that are synced with the sound of the song being played. A grand LED installation around the couch provides synchronized mood lighting to elevate the experience visually, lastly an LED screen in front of the sofa displays the video playback, while the studio is propped with guitars on stands, a drum kit and a keyboard on a stand adding to the overall ambience. In an interview, Coca-Cola Pakistan's GM Rizwan U. Khan stated, "Coca-Cola, because of its all inclusive brand trait, revolves around bringing people together. It shrinks social barriers and encourages people to share their emotions and experiences. However, despite reaching the masses, an estimated 9 million of our population have some form of hearing impairment, and have not experienced the magic of Coke Studio. We are really happy that we are now able to make them a part of this unique experience and keep them connected with other people who have been enjoying Coke Studio for the past 8 years." Richard Geary, founder and director of the Deaf Reach Program commented, "Our collaboration with Coke Studio reflects our approach towards opening new experiences for the Deaf Community and creating enabling opportunities for their inclusion and success. Coke Studio's new initiative will not only draw a circle to include those who are often marginalized, but serve to create more awareness and acceptance from the mainstream audience, helping them to better understand the challenges faced by those with a hearing impairment."

Reception

General

''Coke Studio''s season 9 became one of the most anticipated series, after the immensely positive reception of the previous season. The change of format drew wide attention leading to the speculations that having six music directors on the show would bring chaos. Record producer Faisal Rafi said, "multiple-producer idea, if implemented, will be the last nail in the coffin." He went on to say that, "Producers are selfish people. They wouldn't want others to share their limelight." In contradiction to Rafi's statement, house band member and ''Coke Studio'' long-term drummer Gumby said, "The initial success of ''Coke Studio'' lay in the fact that we had an ensemble of producers joining forces. People like Asad Ahmed, Omran Shafique and I used to work in coordination," and said, "Hyatt did hold the reins but the show had our input as well." Speaking on the format change he explained, "it is ridiculous that a single producer churns out 25 to 30 songs alone." Citing the example of the

-produced "

Tajdar-e-Haram "Tajdar-e-Haram" () is a qawwali performed by the Pakistani musical group, Sabri Brothers and written by Mirza Muhammad Hakim, a 16th century Mughal prince and brother to Emperor Akbar. 1982 version In 1982, Sabri Brothers recorded this q ...

" in season eight, he said "tracks like these prove that the formula works." Receiving mixed reception from media on the change of format,

said, "Bringing in new people was the need of the hour. It's going to shake things up and keep audiences riveted. It is our job to assess what works and to make changes accordingly. And honestly, with or without us, Coke Studio identifies Pakistan's pop industry. We don't just own it; the whole nation does." The death of Qawwali singer Amjad Sabri brought wide media attention to series before it premier or any press release, when it was revealed that he was a debut featured artist on show before being killed in a targeted killing on 22 June 2016, just 25 days after he recorded his debut performance. His appearance on show became one of the most awaited performances on the ''Coke Studio''. In an interview Faisal said, "On recording day, after a small briefing session, we skipped the rehearsal and went straight into recording. Sabri started singing in his grand sonorous voice and blew everyone away. We all cried that night. These two masters took us to a very different journey, a journey we can never forget. Just 25 days later, Sabri is not with us. We still can't believe it." Sabri became the first featured artist whose performance was aired posthumously. The appearance of actress turned singer

was met with mixed response from critics leading the singer to comment on all the speculation saying, "Critics have not even heard me sing, people should wait and hear the song before they judge it. There are people who will hate, regardless, but all the haters who are talking negative about my Coke Studio debut, saying that I cannot sing, should know and realize that someone like

or Faisal and Bilal would not have asked me to perform on one of the most prestigious music platforms if they didn't think I could. This is a HUGE opportunity for me. This whole season is special and I can predict it’ll have the maximum number of hit songs." The pre-release television commercial of

announcing the premier of season 9 was highly applauded and received worldwide attention. As a part of show launching campaign, the ad featuring a duet of

called "Zalima Coca-Cola Pila Dey" was released on 3 August 2016, which itself was a rendition of Madam

's song, become instantly hit and successful. Following the tradition of previous season, ''Coke Studio'' released a rendition of

's patriotic song "Aye Rah-e-Haq Ke Shaheedo" as an Independence tribute to Pakistani soldiers and to those who died in 1947 Separation for the creation for

, and became immediate success both domestically and internationally. It features the entire line-up from the season and was praised heavily – in particular the composition, music arrangements and last of appearance Sabri. It garnered more than five million views in less than five hours from its release and reached no. 1 on Twitter trend for eight-hours. Indian newspaper ''

Firstpost ''Firstpost'' is an Indian online news and media website. The site is a part of the Network 18 media conglomerate owned by Reliance Industries, which also runs CNN-News18 and CNBC-TV18. The ''Network 18'' group was originally owned by Raghav ...

'' called, "Pakistan has the better version of ''Coke Studio''" and went to say that, "as long as Bollywood continues to be the showrunner in India's music industry, Pakistan will be marked as the Coke Studio that's always been much more memorable." Season 9 received generally mixed reviews from critics. After shows on-air, it received criticism regarding change of format and mere involvement of Strings. In response to such reviews and criticism on show former drummer and '' Nescafe Basement'' founder Xulfi said, "just stop hating" and expressed that "we are lucky to have music shows like ''Coke Studio'' and ''Nescafe Basement'' in our country." In India, ''Coke Studio Pakistan'' is one of the most anticipated and watched show during its airing, with critics and artists applauding the show more than country's own version. Marwari Punjabi-folk-singer

who appeared after a long time on a national platform was met with extravagant reception, because of her association with "Stage Dramas" and singing controversial songs for it, she was under the negative impression of public, though popular among stage fraternity. After her ''Coke Studio'' debut she received immensely positive response both from public and media, in an interview she said,"singing for Coke Studio was a unique experience. I think this is a turning point in my career, people from everywhere are congratulating me for my song and it has gained more popularity than I expected it to." Singer and actor

Ahmed Jahanzeb Ahmed Jahanzeb Usmani ( ur, ; born 28 May 1978) is a Pakistani pop singer and composer.Umair Jaswal Umair Jaswal is a Pakistani actor, singer-songwriter and music producer from Islamabad. He was also lead vocalist of the rock band ''Qayaas''. Umair is the brother of singers Yasir Jaswal and Uzair Jaswal. Personal life Jaswal, whose fa ...

was highly applauded by critics, commenting on its success Jahanzeb said, "honestly, I was running the kitchen even before the song came out but now that people have appreciated our work so much, I may release a few singles or something, you never know. What I really want to create now is a platform to launch young talent." Despite receiving criticism from Pakistan, ''Coke Studio'' season nine was one of the most popular seasons among Indians in show's history. In a season review, Maheen Sabeeh said, "After six years under Rohail Hyatt as music producer and another two years under Strings, this season ''Coke Studio'' diversified its format in a manner that can only be described as courageous; it opened its doors to six, distinct music names that took on the role of music directors," and said, "the amount of scrutiny the show inspires is also a marvel," she concluded saying, "In the end, it all comes down to the evolving direction of the show and whether as a listener, it's a direction, an evolution that you had hoped for. Under Rohail Hyatt's term as producer, the show was not necessarily about just Pakistan but the sound of this region and the cultures that have past through this land. The current season has a much more contemporary flavor and whether that's a good thing or bad is in the end, a matter of choice and taste. How you rate the show in your own mind, is, therefore, a thing of mystery and for now that's okay."

Episodic

The first episode generally received mixed reviews from critics and audiences. Writing for ''

The Express Tribune ''The Express Tribune'' is a daily English-language newspaper based in Pakistan. It is the flagship publication of the '' Daily Express'' media group. It is Pakistan's only internationally affiliated newspaper in a partnership with the ''Interna ...

'', Ali Raj gave the episode three and half stars out of five, and commented, "If

are still as involved as they were last season, then this is somewhat a redemption. If they aren't, then we have diagnosed what was wrong previously." In a lukewarm review, Zahra Salahuddin of '' Dawn News'' said that episode one was "saved" by

's "Aaja Re Moray Saiyaan" and reviewed, "Overall, this episode added something new to the ''Coke Studio'' formula with a diversity of production styles. However, only one song stood out, making this a very lukewarm start to the season." The second episode also received less than enthusiastic reviews. In a three star review, Ali Raj wrote, "With these two episodes, it is either the total absence of a plan or the simultaneous implementation of several that is telling us that things do not look good," and further said, "the episode was a winner had Momina Mustehsan, Haroon Shahid and Ali Azmat not been forced to feature on the songs." However,

's version of "Afreen Afreen" received mixed reviews, with

's debut in the spotlight. The song was an instant hit but was criticized for its re-composition, and the style of singing. It was called it a "Bollywood" type song, with some also feeling Momina's presence unnecessary. After the song Momina became

social media celebrity An Internet celebrity (also known as a social media influencer, social media personality, internet personality, or simply influencer) is a celebrity who has acquired or developed their fame and notability through the Internet. The rise of social m ...

and was one of the most sought out person on internet in Pakistan. Aspiring singer Abdullah Qureshi took to his official Facebook page and criticised the ''Coke Studio'' team for leaving some lyrics from the original song and sang his own version which was met with huge positive response. Episode three received positive reviews from critics, mostly praising Abida Parveen's "Maula-i-Kull" and

Ahmed Jahanzeb Ahmed Jahanzeb Usmani ( ur, ; born 28 May 1978) is a Pakistani pop singer and composer.Mehwish Hayat Mehwish Hayat (born 6 January 1988) is an Pakistani actress who primarily works in Urdu films and former television. She made her debut in film with comedy ''Jawani Phir Nahi Ani'' (2015) and later went on to ''Actor in Law'' (2016). Hayat is ...

performance was also praised who made her first on-screen singing debut. Episode four received widespread critical acclaim, particularly the performance of

with the song "Uddi Ja" that he wrote, and composed himself.

's performance in folk-track "Paar Chanaa De" was also met with positive reception, on the success she said "'Par Chanaa' De is a very beautiful song. It is literally a theatrical saga because the song has emotion, anxiousness, longing to meet your loved one and hope. It's a folk song and the words are very hard hitting." In an enthusiastic review of ''

'' Srikanth Prabhu wrote, "Bringing in great diversity of genres, instruments and musicians – the composers have made sure this season stands out," he praised the episodes versatility saying "each song is very different and gracing perfection in its own way. It's wonderful to be welcomed with such a musical delicacy on a Friday ensuring that your weekend is sorted." Episode five was also reviewed positively particularly the performances of

and

Kashif Ali Kashif Ali can refer to: * Kashif Ali (cricketer, born 1998) * Kashif Ali (cricketer, born 2002) * Kashif Ali (singer) {{hndis, Ali, Kashif ...

. The song "Jhalliya" received mixed reception from public gaining criticism and acclaim at the same time, however in a lauded review, Ali Raj wrote "''Jhalliya'' does not demand a lot from the listener and yet it pleases," further praising,

as "undisputed king of his territorial limits" and called

Masuma Anwar Masuma Anwar is a Pakistani pediatric doctor, singer-songwriter and musician. She rose to prominence with her cover singles of folk-songs such as "Ve Asaan Tenu Ki Akhna", "Ve main chori chori" and "Neyu La leya".Faakhir Faakhir Mehmood ( ur, ) is a Pakistani actor, singer, keyboradist, composer and music producer. He started out his career with the Pakistani musical group Awaz. However, due to conflicts of interest, the band split in 2000 and they all went t ...

deserves all the praise in the world for putting this together," and concluded "''Jhalliya'' does stand among the best, if not on top, of what the Strings era of this cherished show has given us." Music critic Srikanth Prabhu wrote, "Largely, this was not a disappointing episode for sure and mind you, achieving something like this is no small feat given some of the masterpieces that have emerged this season. The musical dose should definitely last for a week I hope. Or else, you can always go back to "Afreen Afreen" or "Paar Chanaa De."" Episode six received mixed to average reviews from critics, with critics mostly praising

Sanam Marvi Sanam Marvi ( sd, ) (born : 17 April 1986) is a Pakistani folk and sufi singer. She sings in Sindhi, Punjabi, and Balochi languages.Saeen Zahoor Saieen Zahoor Ahmed or Ali Saain Shafiu ( Punjabi: سائیں ظہور, born 1936) is a leading Punjabi Sufi musician from Pakistan. He has spent most of his life singing in Sufi shrines, and didn't produce a record until 2006, when he was nom ...

's performance who cam back to the series after three years singing a second duet together. Monina and Asim Azhar's rendition of "Tera Woh Pyaar" and "Nawazishein" re-composed by

, who originally performed them were also praised. Season's final and seventh episode was the most waited episode in ''Coke Studio'' history, particularly because of Sabri's final performance that was released posthumously before his death in June 2016, a little over a month before series premier. He performed a qawwali, "Rang" with

, the same qawwali was sung by Sabri's father

Ghulam Farid Sabri Ghulam Farid Sabri (1930 – 5 April 1994) was a qawwali singer and member of the Sabri Brothers, a qawwali group in Pakistan in the 1970s, 1980s and 1990s. The Sabri Brothers received the Pride of Performance award by the President of Pakistan ...

and Khan's uncle

Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan ( pa, ; born Pervez Fateh Ali Khan; 13 October 1948 – 16 August 1997) was a Pakistani singer, songwriter, and music director. He was primarily a singer of qawwali — a form of Sufi music, Sufi devotional music. ...

forty years ago. Their performance received overwhelming response from critics and people all over the country.