Coke Studio’s new release, “Oxygen Around U,” unites BINI, Peking Duk, Kita Alexander, Drax Project and the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth in a multi-country musical collaboration. Built through hidden clues, surprise performances and fan-driven storytelling across ASEAN and the South Pacific, the campaign celebrates connection, creativity and shared discovery through music.
Coke Studio has built a reputation for pushing boundaries, but its latest cross-regional collaboration, “Oxygen Around U,” marks one of its most imaginative and fan-driven projects yet. Released as a full music video featuring an unlikely mix of artists from the Philippines, Australia, New Zealand and beyond, the song represents months of storytelling, digital sleuthing and shared excitement across the ASEAN and South Pacific region. What began as a series of cryptic musical breadcrumbs evolved into a multi-country treasure hunt, uniting fans through hidden clues, surprise performances and a shared passion for discovering new sounds. As the final music video dropped, so did the curtain on a meticulously crafted narrative that Coke Studio had been weaving for months — one that embraced the simple idea that music becomes more powerful when fans themselves help shape the journey.
At the heart of “Oxygen Around U” is a collaboration no one expected but quickly embraced. Leading the track is BINI, the Filipina girl group whose billion-stream career and massive online following made them the ideal centrepiece for a cross-regional musical experiment. With over 17 million followers combined, the eight-member group already had a global audience primed for something fresh. They were joined by one of Australia’s biggest modern acts, Peking Duk — the ARIA-winning duo behind anthems like “High” — and Kita Alexander, the chart-topping Australian artist who recently completed a high-profile tour with Dua Lipa. Adding to the mix were multi-platinum New Zealand favourites Drax Project, known for touring with Christina Aguilera and Camila Cabello, and the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth, whose stirring classical sound brought unexpected emotional depth to the project.
This grouping of artists, separated by geography, genre and generation, might have seemed unlikely on paper. But it is precisely this unpredictability that defined Coke Studio’s 2025 regional rollout. The project was designed to be discovered piece by piece, allowing fans to slowly uncover a larger, interconnected storyline. The foundations were laid back in August when BINI and the Orchestra of the Filipino Youth released “OXYGEN” in the Philippines. The song instantly went viral, amassing more than 16 million views on YouTube and inspiring online chatter about cryptic symbols and subtle visual cues hidden throughout the music video. Fans pored over frames, comparing interpretations and debating theories, unaware that they were stepping into a much larger game orchestrated by Coke Studio, OpenX and Universal Music Group For Brands’ BRING agency.
From there, the campaign expanded across the region as emerging artists on TikTok began posting their own reinterpretations. One of the standout covers came from Australia’s Bella Mackenzie, who put a country spin on the track, while New Zealand’s Matthew Ifield offered a dreamy, ethereal version. These posts acted as connective tissue between the Philippines launch and the next wave of releases, building anticipation without revealing too much. For fans, especially those deeply embedded in online music communities, the sudden wave of covers was a clue in itself — something bigger was happening, and it was happening across borders.
That next reveal came through “Around U,” Coke Studio Australia and New Zealand’s major spin on the song. But instead of a straightforward track drop, the rollout took an experiential twist. Peking Duk surprised fans at a Newcastle pizza shop by debuting their version live, transforming an ordinary weeknight into an impromptu gig. Kita Alexander delivered her rendition from inside a small surf shop on Sydney’s northern beaches, while Drax Project stunned customers at a McDonald’s in Christchurch, performing live inside the restaurant — the first event of its kind. These unexpected activations wasn’t just publicity; they were clues sent into the world, drawing fans into a scavenger hunt that blurred the lines between digital and real-life experiences.
By the time “Around U” officially dropped in October, fans across multiple countries had become active participants in the campaign, decoding hints and eagerly waiting for the final, unified track. The song quickly surpassed 3.6 million views and received strong radio support, but the numbers, while impressive, told only part of the story. What Coke Studio built was not simply a music release — it was a constellation of moments, each designed to deepen fan engagement and celebrate the emotional power of musical discovery.
Tin Le Trung, Coca-Cola’s trademark lead for ASEAN and the South Pacific, said the campaign intentionally placed fans at the centre. For Coca-Cola, the belief that music creates togetherness is foundational, and “Oxygen Around U” served as a showcase of that philosophy. The hidden clues, spontaneous performances and interconnected storylines were all crafted to embody what Coca-Cola calls “Real Magic” — moments of genuine connection that feel personal and shared at the same time. Trung noted that this year’s Coke Studio activation “turned up the volume,” creating a single song that travelled across borders both literally and creatively.
Behind the scenes, the rollout required intense coordination across teams. OpenX and BRING worked hand-in-hand to plan not only the production of each version but the strategic sequencing of reveals. Executive creative director Nikhil Panjwani of OpenX described the final track as the culmination of a carefully plotted arc, where each music video — including the final animated piece — paid tribute to the fans who kept uncovering clues. The final video connects each artists’ universe through portals, a visual metaphor that bridges not only sound but online fandoms. Created by Robot Fights Monster and directed by Haein and Paul, the animation carried hints of fantasy, adventure and digital community, echoing the idea that each fan journey is its own story world.
From the music to the visuals, each part of the project relied on an understanding of modern fan culture. Brooke Pilton, general manager at BRING, said the team intentionally crafted surprises that rewarded fans for paying attention — whether in the form of hidden symbols, narrative threads or unexpected drop locations. Pilton emphasised that when brands respect fan behaviour and understand the social dynamics that shape how people engage with music, they can join the conversation in a way that feels meaningful rather than intrusive. The Coke Studio team aimed to honour that dynamic, delivering a campaign that felt playful, expansive and deeply participatory.
The release of “Oxygen Around U” also represents a milestone for Coke Studio itself. Now nearing its tenth year in the Philippines and its second in Australia and New Zealand, the platform has grown far beyond its early days of intimate recording sessions. Its partnerships have expanded, previously collaborating with names like Tones and I, Young Franco and CHAII, and now with multi-country lineups that reflect the cultural fluidity of a connected region. The collaboration between OpenX and Universal Music Group’s BRING signals an evolution in brand-music partnerships in general — one where storytelling, creativity, technology and fan culture intersect more seamlessly than before.
Ultimately, “Oxygen Around U” is more than a song. It is a multi-layered experience that embraces the thrill of discovery, the joy of connection and the global language of music. Whether fans discovered it through a TikTok cover, a surprise performance at a fast-food restaurant, or a hidden visual clue, each entry point contributed to a shared regional moment. For Coke Studio, it is a testament to how music can break boundaries, create new communities and invite audiences not just to listen, but to take part in the story.
