Fusion fete

As Coke Studio@MTV debuts in India, mentor Leslie Lewis talks to Lakshmi Ajay about the show with no judges, anchors or SMS voting

He is still known as the über-cool “Colonial Cousin”. But almost a decade later, Leslie Lewis awaits another musical turn as he launches the Indian edition of Coke Studio. Starting in Brazil in 2007, Coke Studio has come to India after a hugely popular four-season run in Pakistan. June will see a line-up of artists like Shaan, Shafqat Amaanat Ali, Shankar Mahadevan, Sunidhi Chauhan, KK, Hariharan jamming with little-heard folk artists and new musical talent. Busy shooting for Coke Studio@ MTV, technical director and mentor Leslie Lewis does a quick take on the cult music format’s Indian innings.

How different is the Indian edition of Coke Studio going to be?
Coke Studio has always had a signature fusion music format. So while we are borrowing the format, the flavour will be largely Indian with our own sound and colour. In eight episodes, there is a slice of Bollywood starting from Naushad to our music now and fusion like you have never heard before. From a popular singer like Shanker Mahadevan or Shaan jamming with a folk artist to Wadali brothers, anything is possible here. The idea is to mix two genres of music and recreate songs.

How much of Bollywood will we get to hear?
Bollywood is and has always been the biggest platform for music in our country. So, yes, there is the best of Bollywood to whet the appetite but there is more of India than we had imagined. There is untapped talent from across the country that one might have heard before but never put together in this way.

Indipop, which blended into Bollywood, has lost its case. Is a revival on the cards through a show like this?
I think Indipop has run its course and died out. Be it with Colonial Cousins, Anaida or even Asha Bhosle, I explored fusion in as many ways as possible. There is no return of Indipop, but there is an attempt to create something more contemporary with Coke Studio.

With reality shows ruling the roost on Indian television, can fusion still make the cut?
Reality shows are all about entertainment but with CokeStudio@MTV you will also get music. For the first time people are going to watch a no-strings-attached musical format without judges, anchors and SMS voting. There will be moments of pure music in the first season that will have eight episodes spread across eight weeks.

Do you think Coke Studio@ MTV was late coming in?
I think the timing is right. The impact is already huge with international names showing an interest, but rest assured the flavour will be Indian.