ලීලන්ති කරුණානායක
3 songs performed
Lilanthi Karunanayake (ලිලන්ති කරුණානායක, sometimes written Lilanthi Karunanayaka) is a Sri Lankan vocalist associated with the early Sinhala pop era of the late 1960s and 1970s, the period shaped by Clarence Wijewardena and his bands. She is remembered mainly for her duets, where her voice paired with the leading male singers of that scene.
Karunanayake recorded during the years when Clarence Wijewardena was redefining popular Sinhala music with The Moonstones and the Super Golden Chimes. Most of her recordings carry his compositions, and she frequently sang alongside Annesley Malawana and Indrani Perera, two of the defining voices of that movement. Several lyrics for her songs came from noted writers of the time, including Karunaratne Abeysekara.
Her best known recording is the duet Kiyanna Sulange (කියන්න සුළඟේ) with Annesley Malawana, a Clarence Wijewardena composition that remains a favourite of the golden-era catalogue. The site also hosts her other recordings from this period.
Lilanthi Karunanayake belongs to the cluster of singers whose work with Clarence Wijewardena helped fix the sound of Sinhala pop for a generation. Her duets are still played by listeners who follow the Moonstones-era songbook, and the recordings continue to circulate among the Sri Lankan diaspora.
Every Sinhala lyric, composition, and song credit by Lilanthi Karunanayake.