Atif Aslam on why Coke Studio Pakistan has an edge over Coke Studio Bharat

Pakistani singer Atif Aslam has opened up about the creative differences between Coke Studio Pakistan and Coke Studio Bharat, saying the latter leans too heavily towards commercialism. In a recent conversation, the singer also revealed the song he wishes someone else had sung and shared his thoughts on whether AI could eventually replace singers.When asked what Coke Studio Pakistan does that Coke Studio Bharat does not, Atif pointed to what he believes is missing from the Indian version — the roots of the music.“Jaadu. Compositions jo hain, wo dono taraf ki achhi hain, lekin jo hamara music hai, uski jo roots hain, I think wo missing hain (Magic. The compositions on both sides are good, but I think what’s missing is the roots of our music),” Atif said.He explained that he feels Coke Studio Bharat is more focused on commercial appeal, while the Pakistani version gives greater importance to original compositions and the artists’ individual styles. “Indian Coke Studio believes heavily in commercialism, whereas Pakistani Coke Studio has original compositions. A few people sit together and work on the composition, and it becomes a collaborative, two- or three-way process. It’s like, ‘This is it, sing it this way, but bring your own style to it,’” he said.According to Atif, that balance between a carefully created composition and an artist’s own musical identity is what gives Coke Studio Pakistan its distinct character.Atif Aslam reveals song he wishes someone else had sung The singer was also asked if there had been a song he performed despite not wanting to, or one he secretly wished another singer had recorded.Atif did not hesitate with his answer: Tere Liye, promptly came the reply. Atif added that he wished Tere Liye had been sung by someone else.The song, from the 2007 film Prince, was sung by Atif alongside Shreya Ghoshal and featured Vivek Oberoi. ‘Singing is replaceable by AI’The conversation also turned to artificial intelligence and its impact on music. Asked whether he believed singing could eventually be replaced by AI, Atif gave a straightforward answer.“Of course it is replaceable,” he said.However, he drew a distinction between a singer’s voice and the creative process behind a song. According to Atif, while AI may be able to replicate singing, composition and the subject behind a piece of music cannot be replaced so easily.Explaining his point, Atif said that even AI needs to be given direction about what the song or composition should be about.The singer also appeared to agree when the host suggested that AI tools such as ChatGPT could potentially be used for writing lyrics.Atif Aslam’s bond with Indian audiences dates back to his Jal days, when Aadat became a breakout hit before his Bollywood career. He later went on to deliver some of Hindi cinema’s most memorable songs, including Woh Lamhe, Tere Bin, Pehli Nazar Mein, Tu Jaane Na and Dil Diyan Gallan, cementing his enduring popularity among Indian listeners.- EndsPublished By: shweta keshriPublished On: Sep 3, 2026 10:02 IST