Coke Studio Nu.WAV continues with Maheya, bringing together Asim Azhar and AARYAN on a track produced by Rovalio that moves between longing, nostalgia, and a sense of discovery.
Maheya began long before it found its way to Nu.WAV. Producer Rovalio first wrote the musical idea more than a year ago and held onto it, convinced that it belonged at Coke Studio. When Nu.WAV took shape, the idea finally found its home. Asim Azhar joined Rovalio in the studio, developing the song alongside a close circle of longtime collaborators before emerging singer-songwriter AARYAN was invited into the process. One voice begins, the other answers, and gradually Maheya becomes a conversation between the two.
The track begins with a haunting motif, moving between contemporary pop and familiar South Asian textures. Rovalio’s production then builds around the vocal, with guitars, harmonium, and chorus gradually expanding the arrangement. By its closing stretch, the song opens fully into qawwali, taking something intimate and allowing it to grow into something much larger.
Directed by Kamal Khan, the visual world of Maheya turns that same idea of transformation towards cinema itself. Set within a film studio, the story follows a former child star moving through recording rooms, weathered sound stages and fragments of the many lives he has lived in front of the camera. Outside the lens, the world remains monochrome while colour takes over inside it.
The video moves from recording booths to film sets, taking in romance, horror and adventure along the way. Inspired by Pakistan’s cinematic golden age and iconic figures from classic films, it brings together painted backdrops, old studio spaces and handmade props that celebrate the craft of filmmaking.
Speaking about Maheya, Kamal Khan, Executive Producer of Coke Studio Nu.WAV, said, “Everyone brought something to this song. Rovalio had a particular feeling through the music, Asim brought his own emotion to the vocals, and AARYAN worked really nicely with what they were creating. Even though it’s a love song, we thought it would be interesting to interpret that love a little less literally in the video. Here, it’s his love for his father and his work, and we explored that as we moved through these different worlds.”
Maheya brings together artists at very different points in their journeys.
Asim Azhar has been part of Pakistan’s mainstream music landscape since childhood, beginning with commercial jingles before releasing independent music as a teenager. He made his Coke Studio debut at seventeen during Season 8 and went on to feature across subsequent seasons on songs including Tera Woh Pyar / Nawazishein Karam and Mahi Aaja.
AARYAN, meanwhile, represents a newer generation of artists building audiences beyond traditional industry pathways. Born in Karachi and raised between Gilgit and Hunza, the singer-songwriter first developed a following through intimate acoustic covers shared online, including her interpretation of Asim Azhar’s Tera Woh Pyar. It was through this cover work that Asim came across AARYAN and recognised her as an emerging voice, later sharing her work with Rovalio and encouraging her to explore the Nu.WAV platform, where she submitted her work and eventually became part of the Nu.WAV journey. Singing across six languages and drawing from the cultures and landscapes of Northern Pakistan, her work moves between regional folk traditions, acoustic songwriting, and contemporary pop. Her journey reflects Nu.WAV’s open approach to discovering new voices, where artists can enter the ecosystem through organic discovery, digital communities, and open submissions.
Behind the track is Rovalio, the Gilgit-born producer whose work has become part of South Asia’s increasingly producer-led music landscape. Entirely self-taught, he accumulated more than 700 million streams across platforms. His credits include Bikhra and Iraaday with Abdul Hannan, Hisaab from Karan Aujla and DIVINE’s Street Dreams, and Maand with Bayaan and Hasan Raheem, alongside collaborations with artists across Pakistan and the wider region.
With Kamal Khan as Executive Producer of Coke Studio Nu.WAV and director of the Maheya music video, and Aamir Mughal as Director of Photography, Maheya is composed by Asim Azhar, Azhar Hussain and Rovalio, arranged by Rovalio and Asim Azhar, and written by Asim Azhar, AARYAN and Kumail Abbas. Melvin Arthur contributes additional composition and guitars, and Haider Ali contributes additional programming and harmonium. The chorus features Shahrukh Abbas Khan, Rizwan Mirza and Khurram Ali, with mastering by Sean Tallman. Hashim Ali leads Production Design and Art Direction.
Maheya by Asim Azhar × AARYAN and Rovalio is out now across Coke Studio’s official digital platforms.
Maheya is the third of six Coke Studio Nu.WAV releases, following Dil and Rangeen, with further songs and creative worlds set to unfold over the coming weeks.
Watch Maheya: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ghajr4DFmSY
Listen: https://open.spotify.com/album/0il0NJaJAT6DIG5JedUIOK?si=XsBhEpbaQ5S3OhVKtf4VA
In the meantime, follow https://www.instagram.com/coke_studio for the Coke Studio Nu.WAV journey.
