Now Strings are coming back with ‘Titliyan’ – another video from their last record. One version of the song is running on airwaves via Coke Studio where Strings debuted the song earlier this year.

The new video will be the official one from Strings and has been directed by Soheb Akhtar (famous for directing Mizraab’s ‘Ujalon Mein’).

“Titliyan’s video is ready and is looking good. It is something that will take all of us in our own past. It should come out right after Eid,” says Bilal who is tight-lipped about the video concept.

But that’s not all. As UN Goodwill Ambassadors, Strings are taking the problem of HIV and AIDS head-on.

“We’ve just recorded four PSA’s (Public Service Announcement) with UNICEF which will be aired soon on TV. We interviewed people in Karachi, Lahore and Islamabad who are living with HIV or are vulnerable to contracting HIV. We spoke to mothers who are HIV positive and successfully delivered, with the help of appropriate medicines, HIV negative babies. These interviews will be like small documentaries which will air around the AIDS day,” says Bilal about their further plans.

And after Ramadan, get set for Strings setting the stage on fire. “We’re planning a Pakistan college tour… 15 concerts in three cities. We’re working on this plan with our sponsors,” concluded Bilal.

What’s the story, morning glory?

Superstars Atif Aslam and Strings are collaborating for the first time…

Maheen Sabeeh, (Instep, The News) Karachi

What’s cooking in the studio?

One fine day, a picture leaked. It was one of those ordinary days when daily news drips of poison and pain. But then came a picture that brought with it… a dash of hope and some excitement. The picture was of Strings men Bilal Maqsood and Faisal Kapadia with Atif Aslam. It first surfaced on Strings’s official website (www.stringsonline.net). Soon it turned into one of those uncontrollable cyberspace stories that gets picked up almost instantly. And speculation brews with each passing day. The news cycle runs on its own. And that of course is because of the collective power of Atif Aslam and Strings.

Both Atif Aslam and Strings have confirmed the newsbyte. Something is definitely cooking in the studio.

“Bilal (Maqsood) suggested the idea of doing a song. We met up later and had four meetings, we came to some solid conclusions and it began from there,” says Atif while speaking with Instep Today.

“Something is definitely cooking. We are recording a song together and soon we’ll be hitting the studios. The structure of the song and the lyrics have been finalized. It’s quite uplifting. All of us are really excited about it. This song has nothing to do with United for Pop. It’s our own little effort towards something positive. So, I guess, you just have to wait for that…” trailed off Bilal Maqsood of Strings.

Recording together has brought the young Atif and the pros of pop Strings closer.

“Atif is a great guy. He’s down to earth and easy to work with. He is young but there is no doubt that he is hugely talented. He is successful yet grounded and a lot of fun,” says Faisal Kapadia about Atif.

And Atif is all praises for Strings just the same.

“They are what… 13 year older to me, maybe? I grew up with the sound of Strings. I’ve sung their songs at schools and college competitions. I am humbled that I’m working with them. It’s been an interesting process.”

The tune that is still going through the creative process of recording has input from both artists.

According to Atif, the lyrics are written by Bilal Maqsood whereas his interest was more towards song structure.

“We worked together on some melodies and structure because I am really interested in that part. The composition towards the end, its direction was mine whereas the rest is Bilal,” says Atif candidly.

Champagne supernova

Atif Aslam is a pop chameleon. He can roll with commercial Bollywood (remember those days of ‘Aadat’ remixes and ‘Lamhey’) and in the same vein, he can sing with Ustad Riyaz Ali Khan with vigour, respect and a doze of infectious youth as seen and heard on Coke Studio.

They call him the star of this decade. But Atif Aslam’s latest fixation is neither being a star nor looking back. Between Olper’s raging hit commercial and researching how an actual music industry should function and what it entails in the local scene, Atif is also excited about working with Strings. This isn’t the first collaboration for him. He sang with Hadiqa Kiyani the tune, ‘Meray Pass Pass’ for a television series. And it was absolutely brilliant. And after the experience of Coke Studio, this should be a walk in the park for the boy who has become such an aadat for us in the past few years.

On the other hand, if Atif is pop chameleon of this decade, Strings have been doing it for almost two decades with five solid records to their credit. With gems like ‘Sar Kiye’ ‘Aaj Din Bhar’, ‘Jab Say Mein Ne’, ‘Duur’, ‘Anjaane’, ‘Khirki’, ‘Na Jaane Kyun’ among countless others – this is one band that can’t be written off even if they take wee bit longer in releasing a full-fledged record. Their collaboration with Indian act Euphoria, ‘Jeet Lo Dil’, in 2004 was also a positive musical blast from the duo. This one is more personal because it brings together two generations that define contemporary music in Pakistan.

With their last record Koi Aanay Wala Hai, Strings roped in John Abraham for the video. But John Abraham tied up with Sony Music via his own company and was more than just a model in the video. It was the first music product John’s company had put out. That’s Strings for you. And their talent that hasn’t ceased yet.

Now imagine the power of these three men together. We do hope though that Strings and Atif release this tune as an official single, as is the norm with collaborations around the world. And that a video is in the works soon.

Strings at Coke Studio

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Image of Strings Recording for BBC

Strings has recorded a ‘jugalbandi’ of sorts with Indian Ocean across the border, for a joint Independence Day programme to be aired on BBC Urdu and Hindi Services.

Faisal Kapadia and Bilal Maqsud have performed with Indian Ocean during their frequent trips to India, and were greeted warmly by Sushmit and Rahul who were glad to re-establish contact, even though sitting thousands of miles apart in Karachi and Delhi studios of BBC.

‘A video link is not the same as meeting in person, but it’s a pleasure even to see you guys on screen in real time,’ said Sushmit, while expressing the frustration felt by artistes on both sides of the border for the freezing of cultural exchange since Mumbai terror attacks of last year.

Masud Alam, BBC Urdu Service’s desk editor and the programme host said in his opening remarks that the Independence Day celebrations in both countries connect the two peoples who worked and fought together to earn their freedom. ‘We want to celebrate with both peoples, in the language understood and appreciated by both, which is music,’ he added.

The programme will be aired in two parts on 14th and 15th August on the Urdu Service’s SW/MW platform, while its FM partners in 28 cities will run the hour-long programme on the 14th. It’s web site,bbcurdu.com will stream the video of joint performance starting Friday.