In the vibrant tapestry of Sri Lanka’s music scene, Achala Solomons stands as a maestro, seamlessly blending melody and emotion into unforgettable compositions. With a career spanning twenty years, Achala has not only made his mark as a renowned composer but has also captivated audiences as a lyricist and singer, especially his music score for hit TV show Koombiyo.
His journey, rooted in a deep connection to his faith, has led to the creation of soul-stirring music that resonates with listeners across genres.
See Achala performing live on February 2 at the Bishops auditorium at 7 pm. The concert will feature the original score from the hit TV show Koombiyo.
Q: Hi Achala, what’s new?
A: I have numerous plans for this year, anticipating it to be my busiest yet. I am currently engaged in two movie projects as a music composer, in addition to working on a teledrama series.
I am collaborating with professional singers and newcomers, serving as a lyric writer for several new songs. Apart from these ventures, I am also in the process of planning the release of a few of my original songs.
And one of the major plan is to host my inaugural music concert featuring my original creations.
The concert, titled “Koombiyo Live in Concert with Achala Solomons,” is presented by Elementa. With two decades of experience as a lyric writer, music composer and singer, I believe it’s the perfect time to treat my fans to a memorable live music experience showcasing a collection of my song creations.
The repertoire includes the renowned track “Payana Kaldei” from the Koombiyo Teledrama, which I both sung and composed.
Additionally, the concert will feature my well-known lyrical works such as “Sanda Mithuri,” “Anawakiyak,” “Mathmal Sena,” “Nawathi Methekin,” and collaborations with artists like Kasun Kalhara, Mihidu Ariyaratna, Iman Perera, Natsha Perera, Kushani Sandarecka, Billy Fernando, Surenie De Mel, Amandya Uthpali, and more. The event will also include captivating dance performances.
I extend a warm invitation to all my fans to join me for this musical extravaganza and indulge in a delightful music experience.
Q: Can you tell us how you got into music?
A: Since my school days, I have possessed the ability to sing, a talent recognised and nurtured by my parents.
This musical inclination, inherited from my father, who possesses a commendable voice, led to my selection of Music as my aesthetic subject in school. Following that, I pursued music for my A/L exams.
Post-schooling, I delved deeper into my musical pursuits under the guidance of various teachers specializing in both Western and Eastern music.
During my music studies, a fascination with music technology, commonly referred to as Computer Music, developed.
Influenced greatly by veteran musicians in the field, Dulip Gabadamudalige and Ranga Dassanayaka, I was inspired to explore this avenue further.
Supported by my parents, who invested in a Music Workstation keyboard, I engaged in reprogramming popular Sri Lankan songs, thereby enhancing my skills in music orchestration and arrangement.
I owe a great deal of gratitude to our senior musicians, as they have been akin to teachers, offering valuable lessons through their creations.
After a period, I collaborated on songs for Bhadraji Mahinda Jayathilaka, contributing to two of his CDs and providing music for his DVD.
Subsequently, I joined Turning Point production house as a music composer and also held a position at Tech Sri Lanka as an Audio Engineer and Music Composer in their studio.
Following these experiences, I established my own home studio, dedicating my efforts to composing music and creating new songs.
During the process of composing my original pieces, my song writing ability spontaneously flourished.
This caught the attention of my friend, the renowned music director Raj Thillaiyampalam, who expressed a desire to collaborate on his original Tamil song with a Sinhala singer.
I suggested Kasun Kalhara, and this collaboration resulted in the creation of the song “Sanda Mithuri.”
This marked the beginning of my journey as a lyric writer, and since then, I’ve continued to add more creations to my burgeoning career.
Q: Who are your main inspirations?
A: My inspiration stems from a spiritual connection, functioning as a divine device. The more I manage to detach from my ego and human limitations, the more it flows through me. It’s a unique phenomenon not everyone can comprehend. Therefore, I can confidently state that it originates directly from the gift and guidance of God.
Q: Tell us the story behind the Koombiyo theme song Payana Kaledy.
A: One of my friends, Striner Adams, who serves as the director of photography for the Koombiyo Tele Series, introduced me to this project.
The director and writer, Lakmal Dharmarathna, along with the editor and co-writer, Damith Chandrasiri, visited me to provide details about the project. Initially, I didn’t fully grasp the concept, but after reading the well-crafted script, I was genuinely impressed.
During this process, I was struck by a melody, inspired by the familiar lyrics from our childhood children’s song, “Payana Kaldei.”
I decided to recreate it with a hard rock flavour and a new melody that suited the theme. This inspiration felt like a divine intervention, and I believe it’s the reason behind its popularity.
As an artist and creator, I hold the belief that true art is a divine manifestation that flows through us when we free ourselves and align with higher powers.
This assistance, unknown to us, becomes tangible through meditative states.
After completing the demo, I shared it with Lakmal, who was not only happy but also pleasantly surprised and satisfied with the song.
Following that, I crafted theme tracks to capture the various moods of the drama.
Damith and Lakmal seamlessly incorporated these tracks into the series based on the situations and emotional tones.
This effort led to my nomination at the Raigam and State Television Awards in the Best Music and Song categories, a recognition that brings me immense joy.
Above all, I express gratitude to the divine power for these achievements and especially appreciate the positive response and feedback from the fans on my work.
Q: Walk us through your creative process.
A: As I mentioned, when I attempt to egoistically create something solely relying on my human capacity, it tends to fall short consistently, resulting in a stressful experience.
However, when I shift away from that mindset and permit the creative process to unfold through me, the experience becomes truly inspiring and blissful, devoid of stress. Notably, the work produced in this state tends to be recognized, eliciting positive feedback and responses from the listeners.
Q: What do you think local creatives need the most?
A: Artists should seek creative exposure and essence from senior musicians, lyric writers, and their works. It is crucial to respect and acknowledge the contributions of these experienced individuals.
Aspiring artists need to maintain an open and free mind, continuously enhancing their knowledge and engaging in experimentation. Uniqueness is key, and incorporating a spiritual connection with their work, aligning with divine inspiration, can guide them through this journey.
Maintaining humility is essential. Always keeping an open heart to learn is pivotal in escaping the constraints of ego and fostering personal and artistic growth.
Q: The song Naatu Naatu from the Indian movie RRR won an Oscar last year. Do you think Sri Lankan musicians will be able to clinch international awards as well?
A: Yes, we recently witnessed the potential within our local talent pool.
Notably, Yohani and the accomplished musician Chamath Sangeeth, a friend of mine, successfully broke into Bollywood, gaining international fame and recognition for their work.
Presently, they are actively involved in international projects, showcasing the unique talent and technological advancements present in our local scene.
With the prevalence of social media platforms and streaming services, the gap between local and international exposure has significantly diminished. Platforms like Fiverr, designed for freelancers, have enabled numerous Sri Lankan musicians and graphic designers to collaborate with international companies. Additionally, there are ghost producers crafting music for Hollywood trailers.
This trend suggests that soon we may see Sri Lankan artists receiving international awards. It’s worth noting the achievements of our senior veteran musician, Pandith Amaradeva, who was honoured with the prestigious Indian Padma Sri Award.
Similarly, senior musicians Bathiya and Santhush have garnered international recognition with awards. Artists in various fields, especially in movies, direction, and cinematography, have already earned acclaim from international awards.
With these achievements in mind, I am optimistic and hopeful that our musicians will soon receive prestigious international accolades on the scale of the Oscars.
