Coke studio’s episode 3 featured many artists and while it was deemed mediocre overall, there were fans and haters anxiously awaiting Mehwish Hayat’s debut.
The self-taught artist and performer started off as an actor and made her way to the runway, finally also dipping her feet in singing.
The journey might be heavily criticized but it isn’t uncommon. Vocal powerhouse Ali Zafar wears many hats as a a model, painter, singer and actor and lest we forget, Noor Jehan, Meesha Shafi and Fawad Khan also discovered their many talents in a similar fashion.
While many are unaware of her prior endeavors, Mehwish has lended her vocals previously to ‘Pani Barsa’ from Man Jali, ‘Mujhse Ab Meri Mohabbat Ke Fasane Na Kaho’ from Talkhiyaan and a duet with Fariha Pervez for the Mirat-ul-Uroos theme song.
Even before the episode went live, the internet was particularly unforgiving.
If coke studio is a android phone, mehwish hayat is a round pin charger, In short useless.
— زوار دی شیخ ?? (@ZawarDeShaykk) August 15, 2016
Coke Studio execs: "How do we destroy the show even more?"
Season 9 Producer: "Add Mehwish Hayat as a singer, hahaha jk"
CS: Do it.— JugMug (@anthonypermal) June 15, 2016
Mehwish Hayat is coming guys brace yourself pic.twitter.com/0L6TwGcxdR
— nojokefound (@k3wlbwoyy) August 25, 2016
A verdict was passed.
Mai Laanat bhejti houn aisay Coke Studio par ke jis mai Mehwish Hayat tou gaa sakti hai lekin Altaf Hussain nahi
— Zubeda Aapa (@AapaZubeda) August 13, 2016
Finding the logic behind Mehwish Hayat's appearance in coke studio pic.twitter.com/a0WOc667FU
— Saad. (@Saad__H) August 6, 2016
Bilal Maqsood claims that 70% of the songs on Coke studio 9'll be original. The 30% unoriginal element is Mehwish Hayat's plastic surgeries.
— Fariha Awan (@Fay_Alif) July 4, 2016
And plenty of jokes were made
Remember those times in school assembly when u didn't sync with ur whole batch during national anthem?
That's mehwish hayat in coke studio
— Pandicorn (@sabinughhh) August 6, 2016
Cricket main hafeez ka or
Coke studio main Mehwish Hayat ka hona
Samaj say Bahir hay.— Rimsha Sheikh. (@ITheLeoo) August 8, 2016
Mehwish Hayat reached coke studio and I'm still struggling with winged eyeliner
— Khalilaah (@Albatrouz_) August 6, 2016
Mehwish hayat in coke studio is like elaichi in biryani
Useless tasteless
— x (@a4afzaal) August 6, 2016
as Ignored as *Mehwish Hayat* in Coke Studio.
— Hassam (@iHassamayy_____) August 9, 2016
We couldn’t help but get in on some innocent banter:
Umair Jaswal prob wondering what Mehwish Hayat is doing next to him or he's being taunted by ali amzat #CokeStudio9 pic.twitter.com/bzBJG4HGqr
— MangoBaaz (@mangobaaz) August 6, 2016
Many critics were wondering whether she was included because of the star-power:
Mahwish Hayat is in Coke Studio Season 9. This is absolutely unbelievable. So many deserving artists out there and they go for spectacle.Ugh
— Khalid Bajwa (@hisBaajaness) June 15, 2016
Coke Studio Episode 3 will start with Abida Parveen's awesomeness, and will then feature Mehwish Hayat and Faakhir to neutralize the effect
— Saiber Bullie (@QasimZaidi_) August 26, 2016
And then the episode went live
There were mixed reviews.
Tbh, Mehwish Hayat did better than I expected.
— ɐʍɹɐ (@cliolyssa) August 26, 2016
Surprisingly, Mehwish Hayat has made a good effort! 'Tu hi tu' is good. #CokeStudio9
— Shanzay Kaleem (@ShanzeyKaleem) August 26, 2016
Heard Tu hi Tu twice to know what Mehwish Hayat actually sounds like but my hearing senses are all damn numb.
— Misstache (@Unduckwithable) August 26, 2016
Mehwish-Autotune-Botox-Hayat.
— Saad Amjad (@SenorSaadAmjad) August 26, 2016
Need some coldplay after listening to Mehwish Hayat's nails-on-chalkboard voice.
— تحريم سلمان علی (@Chaudharyysaab) August 26, 2016
Mehwish Hayat wasn't as bad as everyone is saying. Twitter's just a sad sack of nasty haters.#CokeStudio9
— Sarmad Amer (@TheRedGlasses) August 26, 2016
Pretty sure Mehwish trolled everyone by doing the unexpected: Not be as terrible as everybody predicted but also, so very mediocre that it’s almost…forgettable. We were just bored throughout the performance.
Like, basically:
Quite honestly, we think this one’s asking the right questions:
LOL everyone's so focused on bitching about Mehwish Hayat in this year's Coke Studio when the guy who sang Saathiya is also on it! #how #why
— karachikhatmal (@karachikhatmal) June 18, 2016
What did you think of Mehwish Hayat’s debut appearance in Coke Studio?