Indrachapa Liyanage (; born 13 May 1981) is a Sri Lankan singer, musician, record producer, and composer known for his contributions to rock and pop music, as well as his work in film music and social activism.
Biography
Indrachapa Liyanage was born in
Colombo
Colombo, ( ; , ; , ), is the executive and judicial capital and largest city of Sri Lanka by population. The Colombo metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of 5.6 million, and 752,993 within the municipal limits. It is the ...
, Sri Lanka, on 13 May 1981. He attended Royal College, Horana, and later
Ananda College
Ananda College () is a Prestigious Buddhist school in Colombo, Sri Lanka. It is often known as "The Pinnacle of buddhist education " It is the largest national Buddhist school for boys in Sri Lanka, with a student population exceeding 8000 ac ...
, Colombo. His music career began in the late 1990s at Ananda College, where he collaborated with schoolmates, including
Kasun Kalhara, under the guidance of
K. M. Rathnapala. They formed a band and released the album ''Haritha Nimnaye'' in 2001, which gained popularity among local audiences. By 2005, the group disbanded, and Liyanage pursued a solo career, focusing on rock music with influences from Sri Lankan musical traditions.
Career
Liyanage has released three albums: ''Haritha Nimnaye'' (2001, with Kasun Kalhara), ''Radical Premaya'' (2004, with Kasun Kalhara), and ''Abinishkramanaya'' (2007).
He has performed at numerous concerts in Sri Lanka and internationally, often with artists like Kasun Kalhara,
Nadeeka Guruge, and Nadeeka Jayawardena. Notable performances include the ''Culture Shock'' concert in 2013, Nadeeka Guruge's ''Echo in the Mountain'' in Nuwara Eliya in 2015, and the 4U concert at Ave Maria Stadium, Negombo, on 24 September 2024. In 2023, he performed two concerts with Kalhara and others, drawing significant crowds.
Liyanage has composed music for films, debuting with ''
Avilenasului'' (2020), for which he won the Best Musical Score at the Signis Awards. He also sang songs for the film ''Saho'' (2020).
Social activism
In 2022, Liyanage and actress
Samanalee Fonseka performed a Sinhala cover of
Bella ciao
"Bella ciao" () is an Italian song dedicated to the partisans of the Italian resistance, who fought against the occupying troops of Nazi Germany and the collaborationist Fascist forces during the liberation of Italy.
The exact origins are not ...
titled ''Enawado'' during the
2022 Sri Lankan protests
The 2022 Sri Lankan protests, commonly known as Aragalaya (), were a series of mass protests that began in March 2022 against the government of Sri Lanka. The government was heavily criticized for mismanaging the Economy of Sri Lanka, Sri Lankan ...
, released with the National People's Power.
In 2024, they were among 26 Sri Lankans arrested and released in Kuwait during a musical event organised by the JVP-affiliated ''Ethera Api''.
In 2015, Liyanage was among artists attacked during a political campaign in Kumbukgeta, supporting Maithripala Sirisena.
Personal life
Liyanage is the youngest of four brothers, including actor
Saumya Liyanage. His father,
Hemasiri Liyanage, was a prominent Sri Lankan actor. He is married to actress
Samanalee Fonseka.
Discography
Albums
* ''Haritha Nimnaye'' (2001, with Kasun Kalhara)
* ''Radical Premaya'' (2004, with Kasun Kalhara)
* ''Abinishkramanaya'' (2007)
Singles
* "Enawado" (2022, with Samanalee Fonseka)
External links
*
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Liyanage, Indrachapa
21st-century Sri Lankan male singers
1981 births
Living people
Sinhalese singers
Sri Lankan composers