Song of the Week: Mai Dhai mesmerizes in ‘Kadi Aao Ni’

In its sixth episode now and nearing the end, Coke Studio season 8 has been a mixed bag with only one song shining amidst a sea of mediocrity in almost every episode. Mismatched collaborations remain a continuing flawwhile originality of lyrics, a success every time onewitnessed it, is a rare occurrence. Episode six suffers from the same redundancy. There are fresh faces and voices; some make an impression, others fade away in the background. Ali Haider makes his debut with a ’60s-inspired feel-good song ‘Jiya Karay’. It’s simple and nofuss and Sara Raza’s angelic voice retains an innocence. However, it’s time Ali Haider grew as an artist in terms of versatility. That said, the song was a comeback Ali needed. Shazia Manzoor’s ‘Hare Hare Bans’, with Rizwan and Muazzam, is melodious but fails to bring anything new to the table while Fizza and Mulazim are pleasant in their renditions. Coke Studio, in essence, began as a platform of blending tradition with the modern, folk with pop, and as clichéd as itmay sound, the East with the West. And in that regard, Atif Aslam and Mai Dhai’s collaboration turns out to be the real winner. Even though Siraikimay sound like gibberish to many, Mai’s infectious vocals turn the lyrics into nothing but sheermusic to one’s ears. Every word out of her mouth is filled with pathos and emotions until Atif Aslam steps in to balance the high notes with his sweet syrupy voice. The transition is the highlight. The house band, including Babar’s subtle, dholak beats and Aahad’s drums, is like a folk-rock fest, right down to the meditative strings that swell around the song. Mai, together with Atif, offers a straightforward strategy: Press repeat and devote yourself to the song. – Nida Ameen