The official logos of two properties of Coke Studio India, the first being rebranded as Coke Studio Bharat and the newly launched edition, Coke Studio Tamil.
Coke Studio is an Indian music series featuring live musical performances by various artists, recorded in the studio. It showcases classical musical genres of the
Indian subcontinent such as
Hindustani,
Carnatic,
Indian folk, as well as contemporary
hip hop,
rock, and
popmusic.[2] The program's concept originated in
Brazil and has subsequently expanded its reach worldwide.[3]
History
The Coke Studio phenomenon emerged in
Brazil in 2007. It was conceived as a studio-based adaptation of Brazil's existing live concert platform, Estúdio Coca-Cola. This new format aimed to foster musical fusions by bringing together two Brazilian artists and blending their styles.[4][5] The concept found international application in 2008 with the launch of
Coke Studio Pakistan. Through a partnership between Nadeem Zaman, then Marketing Head of Coca-Cola, and
Rohail Hyatt, a former member of the Pakistani band
Vital Signs, the
inaugural season of
Coke Studio Pakistan achieved significant success. This initial format featured live audiences, which transitioned to a closed studio setting from
season two onwards, remaining so until
season thirteen.[6][7]
In June 2012, Coke Studio launched an Indian adaptation titled Coke Studio @ MTV.
Leslee Lewis produced the
first season, with subsequent seasons seeing a rotation of producers. This collaborative effort between
Coca-Cola India and
MTV India saw MTV India serve as the official broadcaster for all four seasons.[8][9][10] Following an eight-year hiatus, Coke Studio revived its Indian program in February 2023. The show was rebranded as Coke Studio Bharat, signaling a shift towards a focus on India's rich musical heritage.[11] In the same month, Coke Studio also introduced its
Tamil-language edition, titled Coke Studio Tamil.[12]
Format
The show retained the essence of
Coke Studio, featuring a unique combination of artists accompanied by a house band and additional musicians.[13] The recorded performances are available on various streaming platforms, showcasing both the lead vocalists and the ensemble, captured through close-up shots during live recordings.[14][15]
While Coke Studio @ MTV was aired on both television and digital platforms, maintaining a consistent episodic structure throughout its four seasons, the introduction of Coke Studio Bharat and Coke Studio Tamil altered the format.[18] These new editions, exclusively accessible on digital platforms, transitioned to releasing individual songs instead of featuring multiple songs within each episode.[19][20]
Coke Studio @ MTV
The initial version of the show, also known as Coke Studio @ MTV, ran for four seasons in partnership with MTV India. The first season of the show debuted on MTV India on June 17, 2011.[21] The second season aired a year later on July 7, 2012, on both MTV India and DD National.[22] The third season premiered on August 17, 2013, on MTV India, Big FM, and DD National, and was later broadcast on All India Radio on August 24, 2013.[23] The fourth season started on March 1, 2015.
Coke Studio @ MTV's first season aired from June 17, 2011, to August 12, 2011, featuring a total of 51 songs across nine episodes and one "best of season 1" episode.[24][25] Produced by Leslie Lewis, the season showcased multiple genres, including carnatic and Hindustani music, new compositions, revamped Bollywood tracks, and exclusive productions for the show. The director for the season was Supavitra Babul.[26][27]
Season 2 (2012)
The second season of Coke Studio @ MTV premiered on 6 July 2012 and came to an end on 25 August 2012.[28] The season introduced a new format where each episode showcased a different composer and their own original tracks.[29] The season featured a total of 13 music producers including
Agam,
Amit Trivedi,
Clinton Cerejo,
Dhruv Sangari, Ehsaan Noorani and Loy Mendonsa,
Hari & Sukhmani,
Hitesh Sonik,
Karsh Kale,
Nitin Sawhney,
Papon,
Shantanu Moitra,
Shilpa Rao, and Zila Khan.[30] The season consisted of 8 episodes and two "best of season 2" episodes.[31]
The third season premiered on August 1, 2013, and concluded on October 7, 2013, airing a total of eight episodes with 47 songs.[32] The season followed the previous year's format of multiple music composers producing their own songs and featured 13 music producers, including
A. R. Rahman, Aditya Balani,
Amit Trivedi,
Clinton Cerejo, Func.,
Hitesh Sonik, Orange Street,
Papon,
Ram Sampath,
Salim–Sulaiman, Sonam Kalra,
Vijay Prakash, and Winit Tikoo.[33]
Memu Aagamu (We Won't Stop!)" is a song released on 22 August 2022 featuring vocals by
Armaan Malik and
Tri.be. The track is composed by
Lost Stories and ELLY, with lyrics penned by
Kunaal Vermaa, ELLY, and S.TIGER.[37] The music video, directed by Colin D'Cunha, stars
Allu Arjun,
Armaan Malik, and
K-pop group
Tri.be.[38] The project management was handled by Motion Content Group, while Dharma Productions oversaw video production, led by producers
Karan Johar and
Punit Malhotra.[39]
Revival and Rebranding
In 2023, Coke Studio returned to the Indian music scene after an eight-year hiatus following the conclusion of its fourth season. This resurgence was part of a branding initiative led by
Coca-Cola India.[40] The series underwent significant changes, rebranding itself as Coke Studio Bharat, potentially signaling a shift in focus towards the nation's musical heritage.[41] This relaunch included the introduction of Coke Studio Tamil, a separate edition dedicated to the Tamil language.[42][43] Both editions are exclusively available on digital platforms, departing from the televised format of its predecessor, Coke Studio @ MTV. The revamped format aimed to modernize the program's presentation while emphasizing collaborations between diverse artists.[44][45] Prior to the relaunch,
Coca-Cola tested the digital sphere with
Coke Studio Bangla in 2022.[46][47] Arnab Roy, VP of Marketing for India and Southwest Asia, emphasized the preference for a self-owned branded channel over partnerships with video streaming services.[48]
Coke Studio Tamil's first season began airing on February 1, 2023, concluding its run on July 27, 2023.[49] This season showcased a collection of seven songs curated by
Sean Roldan and Arivu. Production management was handled by Open X and Motion Content Group, while
Universal Music India partnered in distributing the show.[50][51]
Season 2 (2024)
On December 20, 2023, Coca-Cola introduced the second edition of Coke Studio Tamil. This season includes nine tracks and is scheduled for gradual release throughout 2024. The title track, "Idhu Semma Vibe," was released alongside the season's launch.
Sean Roldan has returned to curate the season, preserving the artistic direction, while Open X and Motion Content Group have continued their roles in production management, and
Universal Music India has remained the distributor.[52][53]
The first season of "Coke Studio Bharat" began airing on 7 February 2023 and concluded on 9 October 2023.[54] The season was curated by Ankur Tewari, who collaborated with poet and lyricist
Kausar Munir and music producer
K. J. Singh.[55][56] Colosceum Media Pvt Ltd managed the visual aspect of the production, while Misfits Inc oversaw audio production.
Universal Music India served as the season's executive producer and official distributor.[57]
Season 2 (2024)
The ongoing broadcast of the second season of "Coke Studio Bharat" began on 7 February 2023.[58] Ankur Tewari is overseeing the curation of this season, with the creative team comprising lyricists
Swanand Kirkire and
Kausar Munir, along with sound engineer and music producer
K. J. Singh.[59]Universal Music India is managing marketing and distribution, and Colosceum serves as the production house.[60]
Reception
The debut season of Coke Studio @ MTV in 2011, produced by Leslie Lewis, faced criticism despite its blend of mainstream and folk artists.[61] Aditya Swamy, who was then the Executive Vice President and Business Head of
MTV India, expressed that requesting a single producer to create 50 songs in 60 days was an excessive expectation.[62] The subsequent seasons, however, garnered praise for improved music quality and composition, exemplified by popular tracks like 'Ki Banu Duniya Da' and 'Laadki' from season 4.[63][64] Similarly, debut season hits like 'Khalasi' from Coke Studio Bharat and 'Sagavaasi' from Coke Studio Tamil gained significant traction on their respective YouTube channels.[65][66]