Sing to Remember

After eight years, Coke Studio was making its long-awaited return to India, and this time, it was more important than ever. We needed to reach not only loyal fans but also a younger crowd who felt a strong connection to their state's culture.

For these young adults, inclusivity isn't just a trendy idea, it's about recognizing and celebrating their unique experiences and backgrounds. They want to express themselves, see their cultures represented, and keep their languages alive.

Understanding this, we decided to meet them where they spend their time – on platforms like Instagram, YouTube and MOJ. By embracing these channels, with their strong regional presence, we could authentically engage with our audience.

Music has the power to inspire culture and take languages forward. But this time we wanted to use music to celebrate and preserve India’s linguistic diversity.

To launch Coke Studio in India after eight years, we wanted to make it a stage to preserve languages on the verge of being forgotten.

We collaborated with up-and-coming Gujarati artists like Aditya Gadhvi and Achint Thakkar to create “Khalasi” – a song that not only entertained, but also served as a cultural statement.

"Khalasi" beautifully weaved together traditional Gujarati folk elements with hook-step-worthy beats that appealed to both traditionalists and contemporary audiences.

Using influencers, choreographers and singers along with the topicality of Navaratri, a nine-day Gujarati dance festival, we got a billion people to dance, sing and celebrate in Gujarati.