COLOMBO : Internationally popular artist Yohani de Silva will be honoured with a state award as a token of recognition of her contribution to Sri Lanka’s music industry.
The announcement was made by the State Minister of Cultural Affairs Vidura Wickremanayake said in Parliament on Monday, October 4.He made this statement during the oral questions session.
In early September, as Yohani Diloka De Silva’s cover of ‘Manike Mage Hithe’ went viral in India, the Sri Lankan musician expressed a desire to tour India and interact with not just Indian fans but artistes too. Cut to October, Yohani is sitting in Hyderabad’s Le Meridien hotel in Gachibowli, during a busy tour with Zee Live’s newly-launched sub IP ‘Supermoon #NowTrending’ across India, having completed a set in Gurugram.
Originally performed by Satheeshan Rathnayaka, ‘Manike Mage Hithe’ is a Sinhalese ballad sung by a man to a woman, to express his admiration of her character and beauty. But more than the sweet lyrics, Yohani’s soprano tones and gazes into the camera give it a simple teen-pop vibe that enraptured millions. The cover also features Satheeshan rapping and — at the time of writing this — the video has crossed 139 million views. She has received shout-outs from Amitabh Bachchan and Sri Lankan cricketer Sanath Jayasuriya.(Pix -The Hindu)
