Music of Sri Lanka
Encyclopedia
The music of Sri Lanka
originates in cultural traditions deriving from three influences: the religious practices of Buddhism
, the aftereffects of Portuguese
colonization, and the commercial and historical influence of India
n culture - specifically, Bollywood
cinema. The Theravada
sect of Buddhism
has influenced Sri Lankan Music since Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka two millennia ago.
Portuguese colonizers arrived centuries after the Buddha, in the mid 15th century, bringing with them cantiga
ballad
s, ukulele
s and guitar
s; as well as desendants of africa (referred to, historically, as kaffrinhas), who brought with them a style of music now referred to as baila
. The people of these two regions, and the musical traditions they brought with them, served to contribute further to the diverse musical roots of modern Sri Lankan music.
Kavi also exists that accompany folk rituals. The rituals are rarely performed today but the songs survive among folk musicians.
Another traditional Sri Lankan folk style is called the virindu. It involves an improvised poem sung to the beaten melody of a rabana. In the past there were contests in which two virindu singers would compete with verse.
1. Gáta Béra - Also referred to as the Kandyan Drum; it is a double-headed, barrel-shaped drum, that is played by hand).
2. Thammátama - A twin-drum (similar to the bongo
) that is played with two sticks instead of by hand.
3. Yak Béra - Also referred to as the Low Country Drum; it is a double-headed, barrel-shaped drum, that is played by both hands (one in one side).
4. Udákkiya - A small, hour-glass shaped drum, that is played with one hand while the other hand modifies the tension of a cloth wrapped around its centere (thereby changing the pitch of the drum-head) .
5. Hand Răbāna - A drum similar to the tambourine
(except in that it does not possess metal jingles)
6. Daŭla - A double-headed, barrel-shaped drum played by hand (on one side), and by a stick (on the opposite side).
7. Bench Răbāna - Similar to the hand rabana, except larger (it is often played by three to eight individuals simultaneously).
In addition to these drums, a new drum was recently created (in 2000) by Sri Lankan musician Kalasoori Piyasāra Shilpadhipathi, referred to as the Gaŭla - it is a barrel-shaped instrument containing one head from the Gáta Béra, and one from the Daŭla. A set of rudiments (practice rhythms) were also created by him to accommodate the instrument's unique tone.
Also in addition to these drums, the dhōlki is also used by many musicians - though this drum is believed to have descended from those brought to Sri Lanka from India - unlike the aforementioned instruments; which are believed to have existed in Sri Lanka prior to the arrival of the first Indian explorers (though this is difficult to verify due to the proximity of the two nations to one another - it is impossible to say, with any degree of certainty, that no cultural exchange occurred between the peoples of southern India and Sri Lanka prior to any particular date in history).
In 2011, an eBook and a small print book were published with basic playing technique for the Thammattama drum, using Western Notation as a basis. The title is "Sri Lankan Drumming: The Thammattama," published by BookBrewer.
is one of the oldest western orchestras in South Asia. The foundation of the National Youth Orchestra has helped increase interest and participation more widely in society and among young people outside Colombo. Many Sri Lankans have continued to reach the upper echelons of classical performance, including world renowned cellist Rohan de Saram
, pianist Rohan de Silva http://www.accnct.org/biodesilva.html, and many other composers, organists, and orchestral performers.
. The station, which had long held a monopoly over Sri Lanka's airwaves, had been established in 1925, and one of Sri Lanka's pioneering broadcasters, Vernon Corea
, almost immediately grasped the opportunity to introduce Sri Lankan Music on the English Services of Radio Ceylon.
In the wake of western and Indian proliferation in music, composer and singer Ananda Samarakoon emerged from training at Rabindranath Tagore's school at Shanthiketalan to develop a uniquely Sinhalese music tradition in 1939. His work such as "Punchi Suda", "Ennada Manike" and notably "Namo Namo Maatha" (adapted as Sri Lanka's national anthem later) established the sarala gee genre. Another artist Devar Surya Sena with his Western education was pivotal in popularizing folk songs of Sri Lanka to the English elite that bore higher status in the country at the time.
Kadawunu Poronduwa
in 1947 brought about a film industry in Sri Lanka. In the late 1940s and 1950s Sinhala film music became the most popular with audiences; it was drawn heavily upon melodies found in Hindi
and Tamil
films - adapted to a Sri Lankan audience by substituting their original lyrics with Sinhala lyrics. Meanwhile, musicians like W. D. Amaradeva, Sunil Santha
, W.B. Makulolouwa etc. began experimenting with developing a Sinhalese music style.
Amaradeva, trained at shantiniketan like Samarakoon, took up the "Sarala Gee" tradition along with experimentation of raaga forms. This became popular in the country especially through sarala gee programs broadcasted in Radio Ceylon. Late musicians such as Victor Ratnayake
, Austin Munasinghe, Rohana Weerasinghe, Sanath Nandasiri
, Gunadasa Kapuge
, Sunil Edirisinghe
, Edward Jayalody, Iraj & Ranidu, Ranga Dasanayaka and Ekvin Peiris more or less followed the same footpath.
C de S Kulatilake,Makulolouwa believed Sinhalese music should follow the traditions of its folk music called "Jana Gee". He gathered a great many of Sinhalese folk poems by travelling around the country and tried to develop a unique style. Late musicians like Lionel Ranwala
, Austin Munasinghe and Rohana Beddage contributed in developing Makuloluwa's "Jana Gee" style.
Sunil Santha took a Western approach in his work inspired from Church music. He opposed of getting elements from Hindustani "Raaga" music to develop Sinhalese music. This was evident when he was later banned from Radio Ceylon after refusing to audition for Indian musician Ratanjankar, whom the corporation had brought from South India to oversee the direction of music on their stations.
Premasiri Khemadasa
also known as "Khemadasa Master" is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan music. Inspiring from Western Classical music, Hindustani music and also Sinhala folk music he composed in his own style which became popular since late 1960s. He is one of the highly regarded film, stage and TV drama composer and his music is used by the best directors in the country. Khemadasa Master is also famous for creating operas and cantatas.
Pivotal to the works of these musicians were songwriters like Mahagama Sekara
and Chandraratne Manawasinghe who in their lyrics presented deeply poetic, and honestly expressed, ideas - many of which also promoted a sense of nationalism
in a nation that had received independence less than a generation before in 1948.
With the dawn of the 1960s and government restrictions on travel to India original compositions became in vogue in film music though a few popular films continued to tout stolen melodies under the hands of music arrangers like P. L. A. Somapala and Mohomed Sally.
The mid-1960s, saw the introduction of pop groups such as Los cabelleros led by Neville Fernando, The La Bambas
, The Humming Birds and Los Muchachos; all of whom played calypso-style baila
borrowing their style from Caribbean folk-singer Harry Belafonte
. This mixture of Caribbean
calypso
with native baila was dominated by two groups: The Moonstones
, and The Golden Chimes led by musicians Annesley Malewana
and Clarence Wijewardene.
Sri Lankan pop/film music managed to hold a large portion of Sri Lanka's market during the late 1960s and early 1970s, but by 1980, Indian film music had again displaced local musicians as the highest-selling sector of the Sri Lankan music industry. In the 1980s the disco-pop musician Rookantha Gunathilake emerged to become one of the most popular artists of the time. Many young musicians followed Rookantha and his style in 1980s and 1990s.
Since 1998, Many Pop/R&B groups have emerged in Sri Lanka - the most prominent of which is known as Bathiya and Santhush
-- who draw inspiration from the Europop groups that visited the island. Among their accomplishments; they are the first Sri Lankan group to be signed to an international record label (Sony BMG), and were an integral component in the label's entrance into the nation's music industry in 2002/2003. They have received international awards for their compositions, and have performed in several countries - including on BBC radio in the UK.
, Chitral Somapala
, Whirlwind, Old Castles Massacre, Funeral In Heaven, Paranoid Earthling
. The main rock radio station is Sri Lanka is 'TNL Rocks' which is a very popular radio station among the youth of Colombo
, Kandy
and some other suburbs of the island.
Many other bands too have emerged ever since the 1990's making the Heavy Metal underground much bigger. While Colombo being a breeding ground for many hard rock bands like Stigmata
,Kandy gave birth to the pioneer Grunge
outfit Paranoid Earthling
which was the first rock band to emerge from the Hill Capital. Kandy is also the strong hold for Black Metal
bands like "Pariah Demise" "Lieu De Fault" and some Doom Metal bands as well.
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...
originates in cultural traditions deriving from three influences: the religious practices of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
, the aftereffects of Portuguese
Portugal
Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...
colonization, and the commercial and historical influence of India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
n culture - specifically, Bollywood
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
cinema. The Theravada
Theravada
Theravada ; literally, "the Teaching of the Elders" or "the Ancient Teaching", is the oldest surviving Buddhist school. It was founded in India...
sect of Buddhism
Buddhism
Buddhism is a religion and philosophy encompassing a variety of traditions, beliefs and practices, largely based on teachings attributed to Siddhartha Gautama, commonly known as the Buddha . The Buddha lived and taught in the northeastern Indian subcontinent some time between the 6th and 4th...
has influenced Sri Lankan Music since Buddhism arrived in Sri Lanka two millennia ago.
Portuguese colonizers arrived centuries after the Buddha, in the mid 15th century, bringing with them cantiga
Cantiga
A cantiga is a medieval monophonic song, characteristic of the Galician-Portuguese lyric. Over 400 extant cantigas come from the Cantigas de Santa Maria, narrative songs about miracles or hymns in praise of the Holy Virgin...
ballad
Ballad
A ballad is a form of verse, often a narrative set to music. Ballads were particularly characteristic of British and Irish popular poetry and song from the later medieval period until the 19th century and used extensively across Europe and later the Americas, Australia and North Africa. Many...
s, ukulele
Ukulele
The ukulele, ; from ; it is a subset of the guitar family of instruments, generally with four nylon or gut strings or four courses of strings....
s and guitar
Guitar
The guitar is a plucked string instrument, usually played with fingers or a pick. The guitar consists of a body with a rigid neck to which the strings, generally six in number, are attached. Guitars are traditionally constructed of various woods and strung with animal gut or, more recently, with...
s; as well as desendants of africa (referred to, historically, as kaffrinhas), who brought with them a style of music now referred to as baila
Baila
Baila is a form of dance music popular on the island of Sri Lanka. The genre originated centuries ago among the 'kaffir' or Afro-Sinhalese communities and was later amalgamated with European instruments and eastern and western rhythms, especially rhythms found in Spain and northern European folk...
. The people of these two regions, and the musical traditions they brought with them, served to contribute further to the diverse musical roots of modern Sri Lankan music.
Folk Music
There are sets of folk poems (kavi) unique to members of different castes (farmers, cart drivers, miners, etc). These originated as a way to pass time for the individual groups as they engaged in their work. Today, they are sung as a form of cultural expression.Kavi also exists that accompany folk rituals. The rituals are rarely performed today but the songs survive among folk musicians.
Another traditional Sri Lankan folk style is called the virindu. It involves an improvised poem sung to the beaten melody of a rabana. In the past there were contests in which two virindu singers would compete with verse.
Endemic Instruments (The Béra)
According to the historical record available today, it is believed that several instruments originated within the tribal groups that once inhabited the island presently known as Sri Lanka. Among these, seven remain in use:1. Gáta Béra - Also referred to as the Kandyan Drum; it is a double-headed, barrel-shaped drum, that is played by hand).
2. Thammátama - A twin-drum (similar to the bongo
Bongo drum
Bongo or bongos are a Cuban percussion instrument consisting of a pair of single-headed, open-ended drums attached to each other. The drums are of different size: the larger drum is called in Spanish the hembra and the smaller the macho...
) that is played with two sticks instead of by hand.
3. Yak Béra - Also referred to as the Low Country Drum; it is a double-headed, barrel-shaped drum, that is played by both hands (one in one side).
4. Udákkiya - A small, hour-glass shaped drum, that is played with one hand while the other hand modifies the tension of a cloth wrapped around its centere (thereby changing the pitch of the drum-head) .
5. Hand Răbāna - A drum similar to the tambourine
Tambourine
The tambourine or marine is a musical instrument of the percussion family consisting of a frame, often of wood or plastic, with pairs of small metal jingles, called "zils". Classically the term tambourine denotes an instrument with a drumhead, though some variants may not have a head at all....
(except in that it does not possess metal jingles)
6. Daŭla - A double-headed, barrel-shaped drum played by hand (on one side), and by a stick (on the opposite side).
7. Bench Răbāna - Similar to the hand rabana, except larger (it is often played by three to eight individuals simultaneously).
In addition to these drums, a new drum was recently created (in 2000) by Sri Lankan musician Kalasoori Piyasāra Shilpadhipathi, referred to as the Gaŭla - it is a barrel-shaped instrument containing one head from the Gáta Béra, and one from the Daŭla. A set of rudiments (practice rhythms) were also created by him to accommodate the instrument's unique tone.
Also in addition to these drums, the dhōlki is also used by many musicians - though this drum is believed to have descended from those brought to Sri Lanka from India - unlike the aforementioned instruments; which are believed to have existed in Sri Lanka prior to the arrival of the first Indian explorers (though this is difficult to verify due to the proximity of the two nations to one another - it is impossible to say, with any degree of certainty, that no cultural exchange occurred between the peoples of southern India and Sri Lanka prior to any particular date in history).
In 2011, an eBook and a small print book were published with basic playing technique for the Thammattama drum, using Western Notation as a basis. The title is "Sri Lankan Drumming: The Thammattama," published by BookBrewer.
Western Music
Western classical music has been studied and performed in Sri Lanka since its introduction during the British Colonial period of the 19th century. The upper middle-class and upper-class citizens of the country traditionally formed the pedagogues, students, and audience of the Western classical tradition in the country, although western music is also offered as a subject at secondary schools and at tertiary level. The Symphony Orchestra of Sri LankaSymphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka
The Symphony Orchestra of Sri Lanka is based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, and is one of the oldest orchestras in South Asia.Its first concert was on 13 September 1958 under the baton of Hussain S. Mohamed, and the repertoire was Geminiani's Second Concerto Grosso, Haydn's Symphony no. 92 "Oxford" and...
is one of the oldest western orchestras in South Asia. The foundation of the National Youth Orchestra has helped increase interest and participation more widely in society and among young people outside Colombo. Many Sri Lankans have continued to reach the upper echelons of classical performance, including world renowned cellist Rohan de Saram
Rohan de Saram
Rohan de Saram is a British-born Sri Lankan cellist. Until his thirties he made his name as a classical artist, but has since become renowned for his involvement in and advocacy of contemporary music....
, pianist Rohan de Silva http://www.accnct.org/biodesilva.html, and many other composers, organists, and orchestral performers.
Recorded Music
The earliest stars of Sri Lankan recorded music came from the theater at a time when the traditional open-air drama (referred to in Sinhala as kolam, sokari or nadagam) remained the most popular form of entertainment. A 1903 album, entitled Nurthi, is the first recorded album to come out of Sri Lanka via Radio CeylonRadio Ceylon
Radio Ceylon is the oldest radio station in Asia. Broadcasting was started on an experimental basis in Ceylon by the Telegraph Department in 1923, just three years after the inauguration of broadcasting in Europe.- Edward Harper :...
. The station, which had long held a monopoly over Sri Lanka's airwaves, had been established in 1925, and one of Sri Lanka's pioneering broadcasters, Vernon Corea
Vernon Corea
Vernon Corea was a pioneer radio broadcaster with 45 years of public service broadcasting both in Sri Lanka and the UK. He joined Radio Ceylon, South Asia's oldest radio station, in 1956 and later the Sri Lanka Broadcasting Corporation...
, almost immediately grasped the opportunity to introduce Sri Lankan Music on the English Services of Radio Ceylon.
In the wake of western and Indian proliferation in music, composer and singer Ananda Samarakoon emerged from training at Rabindranath Tagore's school at Shanthiketalan to develop a uniquely Sinhalese music tradition in 1939. His work such as "Punchi Suda", "Ennada Manike" and notably "Namo Namo Maatha" (adapted as Sri Lanka's national anthem later) established the sarala gee genre. Another artist Devar Surya Sena with his Western education was pivotal in popularizing folk songs of Sri Lanka to the English elite that bore higher status in the country at the time.
Kadawunu Poronduwa
Kadawunu Poronduwa
Kadawunu Poronduwa was the first film to be made in the Sinhala language; it is generally considered to have heralded the coming of Sinhala Cinema. The film was produced and filmed in India however, and was highly influenced by South Indian melodrama...
in 1947 brought about a film industry in Sri Lanka. In the late 1940s and 1950s Sinhala film music became the most popular with audiences; it was drawn heavily upon melodies found in Hindi
Bollywood
Bollywood is the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai , Maharashtra, India. The term is often incorrectly used to refer to the whole of Indian cinema; it is only a part of the total Indian film industry, which includes other production centers producing...
and Tamil
Kollywood
Kollywood is a word referring two different movie industries in India and Nepal, derived from the word Hollywood and their local movie centers.* Tamil cinema, the Tamil language film industry based on Kodambakkam, Chennai, Tamil Nadu,...
films - adapted to a Sri Lankan audience by substituting their original lyrics with Sinhala lyrics. Meanwhile, musicians like W. D. Amaradeva, Sunil Santha
Sunil Santha
Sunil Santha was a renowned and influential Sri Lankan composer, singer and lyricist. He was pivotal in the development of Sinhala music and folk songs in the mid to late 1940s and early 1950s. He composed the beloved soundtracks to Lester James Peries' Rekava and Sandesaya in 1956 and 1960...
, W.B. Makulolouwa etc. began experimenting with developing a Sinhalese music style.
Amaradeva, trained at shantiniketan like Samarakoon, took up the "Sarala Gee" tradition along with experimentation of raaga forms. This became popular in the country especially through sarala gee programs broadcasted in Radio Ceylon. Late musicians such as Victor Ratnayake
Victor Ratnayake
Victor Ratnayake is a popular Sri Lankan musician. He was the first Sri Lankan musician to hold a live one man concert; His concert known as "SA" was first performed in 1973, and was an instant success...
, Austin Munasinghe, Rohana Weerasinghe, Sanath Nandasiri
Sanath Nandasiri
Professor Sanath Nandasiri is a critically acclaimed Sri Lankan classical musician.Nandasiri has received several awards for his compositions; he composed the music to Sandamalige Kathawa, the first TV serial on Rupavahini.-Early life and education:Nandasiri was born to businessman and building...
, Gunadasa Kapuge
Gunadasa Kapuge
-Early life:Kapuge was born on August 7, 1945 either in the village of Miriswatte in the Galle District or in the tiny village of Thanabaddegama in Elpitiya. He was the second of eight children. He went to school until grade five at Karandeniya Central College and later at Dharmasoka College in...
, Sunil Edirisinghe
Sunil Edirisinghe
Patikirige Sunil Jayapreethi Edirisinghe is a critically acclaimed Sri Lankan classical musician....
, Edward Jayalody, Iraj & Ranidu, Ranga Dasanayaka and Ekvin Peiris more or less followed the same footpath.
C de S Kulatilake,Makulolouwa believed Sinhalese music should follow the traditions of its folk music called "Jana Gee". He gathered a great many of Sinhalese folk poems by travelling around the country and tried to develop a unique style. Late musicians like Lionel Ranwala
Lionel Ranwala
Lionel Ranwala was a prominent Sri Lankan musician.Ranwala's main interest was Sinhala folk music of Sri Lankan...
, Austin Munasinghe and Rohana Beddage contributed in developing Makuloluwa's "Jana Gee" style.
Sunil Santha took a Western approach in his work inspired from Church music. He opposed of getting elements from Hindustani "Raaga" music to develop Sinhalese music. This was evident when he was later banned from Radio Ceylon after refusing to audition for Indian musician Ratanjankar, whom the corporation had brought from South India to oversee the direction of music on their stations.
Premasiri Khemadasa
Premasiri Khemadasa
Dr.Premasiri Khemadasa also known as "Khemadasa Master" is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan music. Exploring the various styles of music around the world Khemadasa endeavored to develop a unique style of music...
also known as "Khemadasa Master" is one of the most influential composers in Sri Lankan music. Inspiring from Western Classical music, Hindustani music and also Sinhala folk music he composed in his own style which became popular since late 1960s. He is one of the highly regarded film, stage and TV drama composer and his music is used by the best directors in the country. Khemadasa Master is also famous for creating operas and cantatas.
Pivotal to the works of these musicians were songwriters like Mahagama Sekara
Mahagama Sekara
Mahagama Sekara is one of Sri Lanka's well known poets and was a significant figure in Sinhalese poetry. He was also a teacher, lyricist, playwright, novelist, artist, translator and a filmmaker. Sekera is best remembered as a poet and songwriter with several of his works even becoming popular...
and Chandraratne Manawasinghe who in their lyrics presented deeply poetic, and honestly expressed, ideas - many of which also promoted a sense of nationalism
Nationalism
Nationalism is a political ideology that involves a strong identification of a group of individuals with a political entity defined in national terms, i.e. a nation. In the 'modernist' image of the nation, it is nationalism that creates national identity. There are various definitions for what...
in a nation that had received independence less than a generation before in 1948.
With the dawn of the 1960s and government restrictions on travel to India original compositions became in vogue in film music though a few popular films continued to tout stolen melodies under the hands of music arrangers like P. L. A. Somapala and Mohomed Sally.
The mid-1960s, saw the introduction of pop groups such as Los cabelleros led by Neville Fernando, The La Bambas
La Bambas
La Bambas was an influential Sri Lankan music group, composed of Priya Peiris, Rolinson Ferdinando, Brian Fernando, Erinton Perera and Lasla Fernando...
, The Humming Birds and Los Muchachos; all of whom played calypso-style baila
Calypso-style baila
Calypso-style baila is a genre of Sri Lankan music. It grew out of Sri Lankan musicians' fascination with the music of the Caribbean in the 1960s, particularly Harry Belafonte and calypso music...
borrowing their style from Caribbean folk-singer Harry Belafonte
Harry Belafonte
Harold George "Harry" Belafonte, Jr. is an American singer, songwriter, actor and social activist. He was dubbed the "King of Calypso" for popularizing the Caribbean musical style with an international audience in the 1950s...
. This mixture of Caribbean
Caribbean
The Caribbean is a crescent-shaped group of islands more than 2,000 miles long separating the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, to the west and south, from the Atlantic Ocean, to the east and north...
calypso
Calypso music
Calypso is a style of Afro-Caribbean music that originated in Trinidad and Tobago from African and European roots. The roots of the genre lay in the arrival of enslaved Africans, who, not being allowed to speak with each other, communicated through song...
with native baila was dominated by two groups: The Moonstones
The Moonstones
The Moonstones was an influential Sri Lankan band, led by Clarence Wijewardene and Annesley Malewana. Originating in Ratnapura, the group was one of the most popular Sri Lankan bands during the 1960s.-Formation:...
, and The Golden Chimes led by musicians Annesley Malewana
Annesley Malewana
-Life and career:Malewana was born in Ratnapura , and attended St. Joseph’s College in the capital city of Colombo. Upon leaving school, he met Clarence Wijewardena, who formed the group Moonstones...
and Clarence Wijewardene.
Sri Lankan pop/film music managed to hold a large portion of Sri Lanka's market during the late 1960s and early 1970s, but by 1980, Indian film music had again displaced local musicians as the highest-selling sector of the Sri Lankan music industry. In the 1980s the disco-pop musician Rookantha Gunathilake emerged to become one of the most popular artists of the time. Many young musicians followed Rookantha and his style in 1980s and 1990s.
Since 1998, Many Pop/R&B groups have emerged in Sri Lanka - the most prominent of which is known as Bathiya and Santhush
Bathiya and Santhush
Bathiya & Santhush are one of the biggest names in the Sri Lankan music industry who were pop/rap duo composed of Bathiya Jayakody and Santhush Weeraman, who met while at Mary Anne David's school for singing in Colombo .Bathiya Jayakody was educated at Ananda College Colombo while his partner,...
-- who draw inspiration from the Europop groups that visited the island. Among their accomplishments; they are the first Sri Lankan group to be signed to an international record label (Sony BMG), and were an integral component in the label's entrance into the nation's music industry in 2002/2003. They have received international awards for their compositions, and have performed in several countries - including on BBC radio in the UK.
Rock music
Sri Lanka has a significant underground metal and hard rock community which is growing in popularity among upper middle class teenagers and young adults. Some internationally known Sri Lankan metal bands include StigmataStigmata (band)
Stigmata is a Sri Lankan heavy metal band based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, formed in 1999. This band is not to be confused with the legendary hardcore/metal band, Stigmata, from Troy, Ny.-Early years:...
, Chitral Somapala
Chitral Somapala
Chitral "Chity" Somapala is a Sri Lankan hard rock and heavy metal vocalist and former lead singer of power metal band Power Quest. He is better known for his work with the now disbanded European Power Metal band Civilization One...
, Whirlwind, Old Castles Massacre, Funeral In Heaven, Paranoid Earthling
Paranoid Earthling
Paranoid Earthling is a Sri Lankan Rock band from Kandy. Its music can be described as a blend of Experimental Rock, Grunge, Psychedelic and Stoner Rock. It was founded in 2000 by Mirshad Buckman - the lyricist, vocalist and guitarist, Shanka Samarasinghe – Drummer, Asela Bandara – Bassist and...
. The main rock radio station is Sri Lanka is 'TNL Rocks' which is a very popular radio station among the youth of Colombo
Colombo
Colombo is the largest city of Sri Lanka. It is located on the west coast of the island and adjacent to Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte, the capital of Sri Lanka. Colombo is often referred to as the capital of the country, since Sri Jayawardenapura Kotte is a satellite city of Colombo...
, Kandy
Kandy
Kandy is a city in the center of Sri Lanka. It was the last capital of the ancient kings' era of Sri Lanka. The city lies in the midst of hills in the Kandy plateau, which crosses an area of tropical plantations, mainly tea. Kandy is one of the most scenic cities in Sri Lanka; it is both an...
and some other suburbs of the island.
Many other bands too have emerged ever since the 1990's making the Heavy Metal underground much bigger. While Colombo being a breeding ground for many hard rock bands like Stigmata
Stigmata (band)
Stigmata is a Sri Lankan heavy metal band based in Colombo, Sri Lanka, formed in 1999. This band is not to be confused with the legendary hardcore/metal band, Stigmata, from Troy, Ny.-Early years:...
,Kandy gave birth to the pioneer Grunge
Grunge
Grunge is a subgenre of alternative rock that emerged during the mid-1980s in the American state of Washington, particularly in the Seattle area. Inspired by hardcore punk, heavy metal, and indie rock, grunge is generally characterized by heavily distorted electric guitars, contrasting song...
outfit Paranoid Earthling
Paranoid Earthling
Paranoid Earthling is a Sri Lankan Rock band from Kandy. Its music can be described as a blend of Experimental Rock, Grunge, Psychedelic and Stoner Rock. It was founded in 2000 by Mirshad Buckman - the lyricist, vocalist and guitarist, Shanka Samarasinghe – Drummer, Asela Bandara – Bassist and...
which was the first rock band to emerge from the Hill Capital. Kandy is also the strong hold for Black Metal
Black metal
Black metal is an extreme subgenre of heavy metal music. Common traits include fast tempos, shrieked vocals, highly distorted guitars played with tremolo picking, blast beat drumming, raw recording, and unconventional song structure....
bands like "Pariah Demise" "Lieu De Fault" and some Doom Metal bands as well.
External links
- eBook: Lesson book for How to Play the Thammattama eBook: Lesson book for How to Play the Thammattama
- Sinhala Songs Free Download
- [Web Link - http://helanada.com/ Srilankan New Songs Download
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