Coca-Cola is bringing back Coke Studio™, a music platform that builds on the programme originally launched in Pakistan in 2008, to South Africa. The global Coke Studio programme is digital-first, always-on, and provides an opportunity for creative talents to partner, create and deliver new and exclusive creative collisions to new and existing audiences.
Launched internationally in May of this year, Coke Studio brought seven international artists together for a re-recording of Queen’s iconic ‘A Kind of Magic’ under the title ‘The Conductor’. The music video, which brings each artist’s unique style of music to the table, debuted on the Coke Studio YouTube Hub.
This global creative collision was born from the philosophy that in our unique differences lies our magic – it is in the real magic of creative collaboration that we find the collision, the impact that feeds new ideas and captures new minds. This is what we call Creative Collisions, and the DNA of this idea can be seen in the diverse talent that put this global masterpiece together in their own way; the artists include Grammy-nominated American R&B sensation Ari Lennox; British singer-songwriter Griff; Turkish electro-pop producer Ekin Beril; Latin urban pop powerhouse Mariah Angeliq; Canadian-Indian rapper and producer Tesher; colourful, multilingual K-Pop girl band TRI.BE and our very own African artist , Nigerian singer-songwriter and producer Tems.
Africa followed suit with its very own creative collision featuring South Africa’s Queen of Amapiano, Kamo Mphela, Nigeria’s vocal powerhouse Reekado Banks and the surprise element of Salma Rachid from Morocco collide with a North African flavour on a true collaboration that blends the sounds of Africa in a genre-less, and borderless compilation that is the epitome of cross-country, musical mastery. They have recently released their track ‘Juluka’, which has been gaining popularity on YouTube.
Here in South Africa, Coke Studio will come to life with some of the top talented local artists reimagining their hottest tracks into new and unique musical experiences. Collaborating with these artists, Coke Studio brings fans mash-ups of their favourite music and content, helping bring about deeper connections through music. It’s also their aim to deliver musical experiences that are unlike anything that has been seen before, magical moments that only Coke Studio can do. These speak to a new generation of listeners looking to immerse themselves in a digital-forward world of music. The local artists include DJ and producer DJ Zinhle; rapper Focalistic; R&B and soul singer Lloyiso; the amapiano duo Amaroto; the Hip Hop and R&B duo MajorSteez; and amapiano star Ch’ccoAlot.
Coke Studio, ‘The Conductor’ and now the collaboration with South African artists are the latest expressions of Real Magic™ – the global brand philosophy that Coca-Cola introduced late last year – with the belief that magic lives in unexpected moments of connection that elevate the everyday into the extraordinary. The core of the platform is the belief that our differences make the world a richer place in which to live – and that “Real Magic” also happens when we come together through shared experiences, both digitally and in real life.
“Coke Studio is a direct extension of Coca-Cola’s Real Magic™ philosophy,” says Silke Bucker, Senior Marketing Director, Coca-Cola Africa. “It celebrates and demonstrates the unique ability of music to unite people from different cultures, backgrounds, and interests,” she says, “while providing a unique connection point to come together and enjoy new experiences which will be remembered forever”
Coca-Cola has always had a strong connection with music, working with artists from across the globe. Silke adds that the platform will give freedom to collaborate, which leads to evolution and a revolution where creativity connects people on new levels. “And through this,” she says, “the very best of African music is celebrated, together. Africa is shaping the music space globally, artists are looking at us for inspiration. Let us share our heartbeat with the rest of the world..”
The launch will be the first step in the country to continue building on creative collisions; making more than just music but presenting tangible moments of value to audiences and further deepening the culture of music in South Africa. Keep an eye out on all of Coke Studio’s platforms, including Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube under the hashtag #cokestudio #realmagic.
