Written by Faiz Ahmed Faiz and first sung in the voice of Mehdi Hassan Khan, Gulon Main Rang is a ghazal that shows the magic that is created when poetry joins music. Written in 1954 during his imprisonment in Montgomery Prison, Gulon Main Rang showcases Faiz’s ability to interweave classical idioms of romance and Divine Love with those of revolution and social justice. Its surreal beauty is now revived on Coke Studio in Ali Sethi’s voice. This rendition of Gulon Mein Rang stays true to the traditional essence of the ghazal, featuring the harmonium and tabla, while refreshing it with contemporary instruments and accents. For Ali, doing a rendition of this ghazal is a chance for him to evolve as an artist by attempting to learn from the masters of bygone eras. “When you express your feelings through your voice and poetry, you are inviting people to recognise their own emotions. Music is a miracle. If you move someone’s heart with music, all differences between you and them are wiped away for a bit.” said Ali Sethi.