Coke Studios @ MTV is back with a brand new season (Season 4), with a year-long show of soulful music. The new season, which went on air with its first episode on March 1, is curated and composed by some of the best musicians in the industry, the show has always churned out songs that feature a diverse mix of genres like Hindustani, Carnatic, hip- hop, rock and pop music.
This month’s Coke Studio has the talented and critically-acclaimed composer, Ram Sampath, who is all set to recreate the magic with a bunch of new songs. “My work will largely reflect the theme ‘love of the land’,” says the ace composer, over a telephonic interaction.
His experiments with different genres have resulted in a quite distinct set of songs for Season 4, including tracks with semi-Punjabi, Rajasthani and South Indian influences. “The song decides its genre. The melody and the lyrics are the heart of a song. Once I decide those aspects, the genre becomes clearer,” he explains.
“ The song decides its genre. The melody and the lyrics are the heart of a song. Once I decide those aspects, the genre becomes clearer. ”
Ram enjoys exploring rock and live music, those being two elements popularly used in the compositions for the show. His passion and excitement are almost palpable as he adds: “This season my work will involve a hybrid of musical influences. There’s a bit of dubstep and rap, besides rock and roll, Hindustani and other genres.”
His career of nearly two decades started with catchy ad jingles for top brands and subsequent pop albums, the most memorable being “Tanha Dil” by Shaan. His first break as a film composer came with the movie Let’s Talk (2003), following which he composed for various films like Khakee (2004), Family (2006), Jumbo (2008) and Luv Ka The End (2011) to name a few.
However, his most notable work came with Delhi Belly , the track “Bhaag DK Bose” going on to become a raging sensation. His next film, Talaash (2012), earned him critical acclaim for the soulful compositions like “Jee Le Zaraa” and “Jiya Lage Na”.
Talking about his work, he says, “Each platform is different and has its own benefits.” He does agree that his experience with Coke Studio has been “fantastic and special. The team is a delight to work with. They give me a free hand and a chance to express my whole vocabulary within the ambit of cross-cultural music. It’s as much about the band as it is about the music.” He describes the experience as gratifying due to the exploratory nature of the show. “For instance, this time, I’ve experimented by trying to fuse strong, classical based forms with more modern ones.”
The other changes this season explains Ram is, “ It was more driven by the videos. This time it’s an interesting mix of the two.” “As a composer, I’ve been and still am on a journey, rediscovering myself, my ‘Indianness’. Coke Studio has been an important part of this journey.”
Watch out for Ram in the next episode of Coke Studio @ MTV Season 4 on July 5, at 8 p.m.
