[1][2] Musicians Ali Hamza and Zohaib Kazi were announced as a new producers and directors for the series,[3][4][5][6] after Strings stepped down from the role to pursue their own music.

As a part of new module, Kazi and Hamza created a spin-off series Coke Studio Explorer which was released on 3 July 2018 and featured regional but largely unknown artists across the country where their performances were recorded live.

[17] Fahad Qadir who is a director of public Affairs and communications of Coca-Cola, revealed on approaching Kazi and Hamza saying, "I think it was a natural evolution.

They had long discussions about the responsibility that Coke Studio had to be spread across the country to attract both; urban and rural areas; as "the regions and its people collectively make Pakistan.

As a part of a new module,[22] a spin-off series Coke Studio Explorer was created before the launch of season, on a concept similar to Kazi's previous work on his album Fanoos that featured relatively unknown artists across the country where recordings were done live and edited later.

Hamza said, "we established the criteria for selection before embarking on our search for musicians", they "had to be talented" and had "to represent a unique aspect of the culture, history and spirit of Pakistan.

[24][25] The duo discovered a sixteen-year old pair of Amrina and Ariana from Kalash, Chitral,[26] the brother-sister duo of Vishnu and Shamu Bai from Deewan Lal Chand a village in interior Sindh,[27] while from Sohbatpur District, Balochistan they found throat-singers Mangal, Darehan and Shayan (now known as Bloach Throat singers),[28] a fusion band Qasamir led by Altaf Mir with Ghulam Mohammad Daar, Manzoor Ahmed Khan, Saifuddin Shahfrom from Muzaffarabad, Azad Kashmir,[29] and the fifth and final collaboration was with Mishal Khawaja a Pakistani born-Canadian singer, who was discovered through her Instagram covers.

[30] The Explorer series has received largely positive reviews from critics, with particular praise given to its new module, diversity, performances and Coke Studio efforts in showcasing and bringing the indigenous art form of Pakistan to the mainstream media.

"[45] First episode was screened in a special event at Pearl-Continental Hotel in Lahore, attended by Coke Studio team, artists and notable personalities including Allama Iqbal's family.

[46] During the release the marketing director Abbas Arslan revealed the show features "12 languages, 35 instruments with 70 artists who've composed more than 40 songs.

[52][53] On continuing the tradition of title song, Kazi and Hamza said that this season's journey of began with Coke Studio Explorer, "we couldn't be more confident about the power of human stories coming together to form a bigger picture", so "there couldn't be a better choice for a track than: "Hum Dekhenge" – A song by sung the people of Pakistan, for the people of Pakistan!

"[67] Actor turned musician Arshad Mehmud said, "the new season of Coke Studio comes with a message of love, unity, passion and pride that is exceedingly relevant to the current times.

[10] Imane Babar Wahedi of The Express Tribune was more critical of the show saying, "the producers focus on delivering decent performances, rather than trying too hard to be innovative," she further said, "their efforts have been praiseworthy in terms of bringing diversity to Coke Studio, but on a separate note, they shouldn't be neglecting the quality of their music.

[74][75] Writing for The Express Tribune, Ramsha Vistro remarked, "the episode managed to display an array of formations and stood for change featuring transgenders and an all-female band.

The Esakhelvi duo brought something fresh, Fareed Ayaz, Abu Muhammad Qawwal and Brothers gave us a taste of what we originally loved about the show, and Bagga topped it all off with a melody nostalgic of an era long gone.