Iman’s voice reawakened
Uvindu Illeperuma
Breaking a long silence Iman Perera will entertain Lankans with his
enchanting voice which has won the hearts and minds of the music lovers.
Iman Perera will be staging a concert synonymous with the launch of
his song album – Iman: Melodious Vocal Performance at Kularathna Hall of
Ananda College, Colombo on August 12.
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Iman Perera |
Bread and butter
Singing is not his bread and butter, but it is in fact his first love
since his childhood days.
Ever since being graduated by the University of Sri Jayawardenapura
in Business Administration he has been continuing as a singer.
Iman currently works at Singer Finance Lanka Limited as the Manager
of Business Development.
In his schooldays he not only studied but also obliged his friends by
singing at Dharmashoka College, Ambalangoda.
Iman’s inborn ability to sing and his enthusiasm to go an extra mile
in the field was flowering within him. But to receive recognition took a
long journey and demanded much dedication.
Till he came to the University of Sri Jayawardenapura he had still
been an uncarved stone as his talents were not recognized in national
level to a considerable extent.
What he studied was not a problem for him to carry on with his
singing.
Pandith Amaradeva
In 1996 Iman won the Pandith Amaradeva Award for the best singer of
the year in Nalamudu Suwada, the Arts Festival annually organized by
University of Sri Jayawardenapura. Bagging such a great award Iman
received the limelight of the Sri Lankan music field and it paved the
way for him to rub elbows with the veteran artistes of the field.
Wasanthaye Mal was sung by Iman to the Nalamudu Suwada competition. The
lyrics were by Thilina Ruwan Malalasekara and the music for the song was
by his schoolteacher Sudarman Ranjith.
Amiththa Weerasinghe, the concert director of the Iman’s performance,
admired the efforts to sing after about 10 years silence.
“Iman is a diverse character. It was during mid-90s Iman emerged as a
singer. It was a time that many sang songs to a speedy beat and Iman
confronted to the trend with his intrinsic and calm voice. Iman emerged
as the winner of the match. This will not be a mega event, but an
occasion from which every music-loving fan can derive an aesthetic
ecstasy which would be unprecedented.” Said Amiththa.
New generation
Bandara Eheliyagoda introduced Iman as a representative of the
generation which manifested after their generation.
“Iman is exemplary. Though the tendency is towards the western songs
Iman tries to secure the identity of the genuine Sinhala song.
“We studied language, poetic strategies and earlier creations to
write a song but now it is only a pen and a paper is needed to write a
song as many are doing now. I like to help artistes like Iman because he
loves Sri Lankanness. At a time the Sinhala song is deteriorated having
an opportunity to hear Iman’s voice is particularly important.” Said
Bandara Eheliyagoda
Iman was introduced to mini screen through television programs such
as Yathra, Nadun Uyana, Nihinsara of channel Rupavahini.
His songs Wasathaye Mal, Suwada Mal, Lassana Niliye, Kaneru, Sada
Dura Nam, Ganga Addara Kale and Suwada Mal could address the artistic
souls of Sri Lankans.
He sang his first song for cinema in the film Nil Diya Dahara by
Dayarathna Ratagedara. |
