On Saturday night, Coke Studio Bangla wrapped up its much acclaimed second season with 'Dilaram', a soulful tribute fusion to Sylhet’s legendary music icon and poet-lyricist Hason Raja.
Sang by Sylhet’s own Hamida Banu, the fusion was accompanied by Coke Studio Bangla creative producer Shayan Chowdhury Arnob’s “Amay Dhore Rakho” – a song that was written back in 2009 as the first song to be released by Arnob & Friends as a part of a world tour to raise funds for underprivileged children organized by Dristipath.
"Dilaram is an emotion, a plea to keep your loved ones close to your heart. Life comprises moments - some of which at times put our hearts to the test. These are the moments we turn to our Dilarams who appear in the form of a confidant, or inner voice."
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"The great Bangladeshi poet from the 19th century, Hason Raja, pens this emotion in “Dhoro Dilaram”, where in the song, he urges Dilaram, his closest companion to hold on to him tight at times he feels that he is slipping away.
"The same emotion can be felt in the song "Amay Dhore Rakho" in which Arnob too calls out to anyone who was ever close to him, to stay by his side because at the time life seemed to be struggling. Decades apart the hearts of two musicians sang the same appeal for togetherness because in togetherness there is #RealMagic," Coke Studio Bangla described.
Mixed and mastered by Saadul Islam, the song is originally written and composed by Hason Raja, and "Amay Dhore Rakho" is written and composed by Shayan Chowdhury Arnob himself.
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Arnob dedicated this song to the memories of Rajib Ashraf, the young revered lyricist who recently passed away. "Remembering Rajib very much on this occasion. May everyone find some peace," Arnob wrote on his Facebook, sharing the song.
After its successful season one last year, Coke Studio Bangla returned at this year's Pahela Falgun and Valentine's Day,
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The much acclaimed second season showcased 12 songs: 'Murir Tin’ (Riad Hasan, Pollob and Towfique Ahmed), ‘Bonobibi’ (Meghdol), ‘Nahubo’ (Animes Roy, Daughter of Coastal), ‘Darale Duaarey’ (Mukul Mojumder Ishaan, Sanzida Mahmood Nandita), ‘Deora’ (Pritom Hasan, Fazlu Majhi, Islam Uddin Palakar and Ghaashphoring Choir), ‘Nodir Kul’ (Ripon Kumar Sarkar), ‘Kotha Koiyo Na’ (Arfan Mredha Shiblu, Aleya Begum), ‘Dewana’ (Murshidabadi, Tasfia Fatima Tashfee, Shuchona Shely), ‘Shondhatara’ (Shayan Chowdhury Arnob, Sunidhi Nayak), ‘Ghum Ghum’ (Fairooz Nazifa), ‘Anondodhara’ (Adity Mohsin, Bappa Mazumdar) and ‘Dilaram’ (Hamida Banu, Shayan Chowdhury Arnob).