By Lakna Paranamana
Q: Could you describe your new album?
A: Well, there are 21 tracks in it. The song list includes the number one hit singles: Aloke, Chanchala, Mata Sithanna Baa, A Hetha, Hithuwakkari and also the 2007 Sirasa Best Song of the Year – Hithumathe.
Q: Who are the featured artistes?
A: Well there are many. The main artistes are Ranidu, Samitha Mudunkotuwa, Delon, Killer Bee, Yawuwanan and Shani from Maldives.
Q: Who did the music for the album?
A: I composed and produced the entire album.
Q: How long did it take to make this album and how much work went into its completion?
A: It took two years for me to complete the album; obviously a lot of work went into it. But now when I look back I am really happy about the hard work I put into it because this was something I was planning to see fulfilled for a long time.
Q: What’s different about this album?
A: I introduced Tamil rap to Sri Lanka in my debut album and in this album I have introduced Sinhala rap.
Q: Are you excited about the album, now that it’s complete?
A: Yes, of course, I am definitely excited and really happy about it because a lot of hard work has gone into it.
Q: How do you think your fans will respond?
A: Well, they are already responding to it. Their comments about the album are really good. The young crowd especially seems to enjoy the album very much.
Q: How do you view the music industry in Sri Lanka?
A: The music industry in our country is still growing. But, as I always say, there is a big talented crowd and we can improve the industry if we work together.
For example, in countries like India, the artistes get paid each time their tracks are aired. But here in Sri Lanka only Sirasa FM seems to do it. In addition, the copyright laws and the record labels aren’t stable here, so I think that if we wish to improve the music industry in our country, these things should be taken into consideration.
Q: What’s your message to music lovers out there?
A: Most importantly what I have to say is, don’t steal music – pirated copies! Buy the original version. The quality of the pirate CD cannot be compared to the original.
Q: What are your future plans?
A: I am currently working with some people who are involved with the music industry in Maldives. We are re-voicing a couple of tracks that I previously launched in Sri Lanka in their native language – Dhivehi.I am also working in collaboration with the biggest Tamil rappers in Malaysia. The single A Hetha from my album Aloke, which features Shani from Maldives, is already a big hit worldwide.I will also be launching my clothing line shortly. I will also be shooting two music videos in Maldives and Malaysia next month. Both videos are scheduled to be launched in South and South East Asia. With all this, I am hoping to expand my market.
Nation Youth
