SAMPATH FERNANDOPULLE FOREMOST SOUGHT AFTER LYRICIST WITH RHYMING SKILLS CUM AIRCRAFT DISPATCHER AT SRI LANKA AIRLINES – By Sunil Thenabadu
Sampath Fernandopulle is a renowned lyricist who specializes in creating words for a variety of songs , since year 2001. The primary task of a lyricist is to convey emotions, tell stories, and evoke moods through written words, thereby enhancing the musical composition with eloquent and relevant texts Sampath as a lyricist works across a range of musical genres, contributing his innate skills to songs from pop ,classical, rock ,country or whatever .Sampath is a native of Negombo had attended Maris Stella College Negombo his entire thirteen years education was spent at Maris Stella College but at no stage he had been categorised as a lyricist or with such ability. Sampath likes a sedate life very emotional not that socially active speaks very little likes to enjoy life without harming others.Apart from his parental duo he has a solitary sibling as elder sister…Been a lyricist is not his sole profession. Sampath had been attached to Sri Lankan airlines for two decades where he is now entrusted the gigantic accountability as a plane dispatcher, which is a twelve hour very responsible position where he is entrusted to give the green light to the Captain to take off confirming everything is in perfect in coordination with other related units . Citing the Covid 19 lockdown era with the catastrophe faced, Sampath augments that one needs to be involved in two professions. Been a Christian he had been involved in the Geethika group in the church when he was nineteen years old with a few colleagues also had sung at weddings and concerts too. Sampath recollects there had been a concealed aptitude within him for writing lyrics as he had recalled that when an essay was requested to be written when in lower classes he had ended the essay always with a verse .. After leaving school in the year 2000 the technology was at very low retreat with social media almost non-existent. Sampath reminisces he had even penned lyrics on AC bus tickets as he had travelled a lot in AC buses then. During this era unlike nowadays all folks has had time with less pressures to live sans social media intrusion . Sampath needed to be isolated at home to concentrate on penning lyrics in his room in the dwelling. Even after his late marriage four years ago his wife stomachs his passion to persist his much needed isolation . Sampath had met his beautiful wife at a Gym. Sampath had said in a television dialog he is only free to speak to even his wife when retiring to bed at nocturnal time of course that is only on days when he is tangled penning lyrics to songs. Sampath’s life had transformed to lofty elevations after meeting his wife as she get him to dress in a diverse custom than earlier when he was not at all that anxious or worried about his attire.
The primary task of a lyricist is to convey emotions, tell stories, and evoke moods through written words, thereby enhancing the musical composition with eloquent and relevant texts which are followed by Sampath. The protagonist of a lyricist is pivotal in the music industry as the lyrics form a significant part of all audience’s linking to a song. This linking can be an intricate interplay of rhyme, meter, and thematic elements, where the choice of words and the way they are arranged hold a significant weight to the ultimate success of a song.. An efficacious lyricist must thus possess a profound command of language with novel words, a deep understanding of poetic and musical structures, with an acute sensitivity to the tinges of human emotions. Through their articulate and artistic expression, lyricist like Sampath enable songs composed to resonate deeply with listeners, often leaving a lasting impact that surpasses the music itself. Sampath is also a producer of audios as augurs as a lyricist.
l Sampath Fernandopulle, was born in Negombo and started his career as a lyricist in 2001 just after completing his Advanced level in year 2000. Fiercely rooted in the masterpieces, Sampath embraces the music genre’s forward progression and is confident in what he wants to say throughout the elegant usage of language and words for his betterment. Such credits with the 500+ songs he has written the lyrics for the vocal legends in the music industry in Sri Lanka leaves Sampath of a privileged place in the contemporary music lyrics writing hall of fame. .His captivating writing style transports audiences back in time as he manages to blend musicianship, creativity, and tradition, thus enabling the past and the contemporary generations to enjoy the creations equally. He has begun his journey towards becoming a vocal artist too in year 2021 which he has not given priority yet.Sampath possess a pleasing personality with a caring heart, daily in his FaceBook page he publishes a pleasing message to all.
Sampath as an individual who is extremely emotional likes to remain isolated with sentiments is one like to enjoy life sans disturbing others. Sampath was educated at Maris Stella College Negombo up to advanced level had not excelled in studies particularly in the Sinhalese vernacular. After school Sampath was dragged to a music unit by Chathurangana de Silva and Shivantha Fernando. combined in a singing ‘Geethika” group. It was Chathurangana De Silva who had drawn Sampath to become a songs lyricist. According to Sampath Chathurangana De Silva is a musician in the mould of legendary Rohana Weerasinghe, he places him as the musician of this millennium . Sampath has professed that to become a lyricist one need not possess much educational qualifications only needs to transform into words once feelings. Sampath has written lyrics for over five hundred songs,he regrets for not having kept a record of them.The hallmark of his lyrics is that the set of lyrics are unique, dissimilar to one another deviate from one another. Sampath believes that many life incidents have given him breeding grounds in the composition of his lyrics. Along his journey over two decades at intermissions the songs with his lyrics have become hits which had kept Sampath always in the limelight.. Sampath had composed lyrics initially for Nalin Perera titled ‘Sandalu Thale’ with the guide by Shivantha which had become an instant hit. When Shivantha was grabbed by the Marians music group w had isolated Chanthurangana and Sampath. Then the duo had decided to concentrate fully to write lyrics, recollects once Sampath had been locked inside a room by friend Chathurangana stimulating to write lyrics. To the duo meeting Nalin Perera then was a huge hurdle hence had spent hours and days trying to meet him which was narrated by Sampath in a television discourse. For Nalin Perera’s first solo album ‘Bambarindu’ Sampath had contributed lyrics for five songs which had given an impetus for his intended passageway. Sampath reminisces for this exercise Sampath and Chathurangana had visited Nalin Perera’s Studio continuously for three months going in the morning returning late night , when buses were scarce, Sampath reminisces the duo had found the way back in lorries and containers. Sampath has distinctly professed that it was his friend Chathurangana who had been chiefly instrumental in making him a lyricist. Sampath of course had utilized his life experiences when lyrics were made of course deviating the meanings from one another been variant . Sampath from his first song to Nalin Perera to later songs compiled to Prasanga Tissera his belief is he had maintained to be inimitable not been repetitious and monotonous in his lyrics.
Sampath mostly had written lyrics for music tracks already made but his lyrics were at times made to coincide with ensuing music tracks..Damith Asanka’s song with lyrics “ Mata Heenayak Wela’, Bathiya Santhush’s ’Hitha Hiruwetuna Do’, Bachi Susan’s ”Hitha Wawannema Ne’:, Ruwan Hettiarachchi’s ‘Suranganawee Mage’; ,Prasanga Tissera’s ‘Sithin Prema Wadana” with Shashika’ also Heenayakda Me’., “Sanda Renu”,Umariya’s “Denuwan Piya”,‘ “Sangeeth Wijesuriya’s Lassana Lassana Mage Adare”,’ ‘Kohayanneda man Oya Desen Midila” were some others which became hits overnight , then the lyrics for the song of Iraj “Sweeti Manike’,Sampath has conveyed that ‘Sweeti Manike” did not produce any off spring( pataw) which is ample testimony to the characteristics sustained and upheld by Sampath. After a while a totally different ‘Wise Kari” was made to Bachi Susan thereafter composed the songs in a regular sequence for Bathiya ,Santhush , Umariya, Ruwan Hettiarachchi, Prasanga Tissera, Shashika Nissansala and Bachi Susan, . Sampath has disproved the belief that sans a video a song cannot be made popular by composing lyrics of songs ‘Visekari’ and ‘Kohe Yannada” to Bachi Susan. On songs with videos and deprived of videos Sampath complements, if one listens prudently to such songs with focus and attentiveness the identical desire could be achieved by listeners as in videos.
According to Sampath when a song is made into a music video the precise sense of the lyrics is not suitably portrayed or described in the video.. The song “Hitha Wawanne Nehe’; engraved to Bathiya and Santhush has a story. One day Bathiya had met Sampath at the BIA had wanted lyrics to be written similar in Damitha Asanka’s song ‘Mata Heenayak’ which was incidentally was carved by Sampath. The duo has had to sing in front of a deceased girl friend. This song had been declined by Bhathiya initially. But on the insistence of Sampath after consulting Bathiya’s team it got approved. No video was made for this song Sampath upheld. Sampath had used many words in his song lyrics like ‘Hiru Wetunado’, ‘Sanda’, ‘Hunuhuma’,,;’Suranganawe’ which were new words in lyric song writing culture which many other lyricists had hackneyed. Sampath has said that certain vocalists make requests to him to substitute some words as they are difficult to bite (‘Hapenne nehe”) while some request to substitute words that effortlessly rhyme to them One duet by Damith Asanka and Ashanthi de Alwis titled ‘Raththaran Mege’ was recorded shrewdly as the lyrics did not appeal to Ashanthi as well her usual genre styles ,Sampath added that the voicing had been done separately, yet it had become a hit to surprise Ashanthi,.
Some other song lyrics that come to mind penned by Sampath are ‘Eka Kandulu Bindak”,’ Punchiye’, ,’Dennam Haduwak’ , ‘Adare Obayi Amma”,’ ‘Rae Pura’, ‘Palamu Adare’, ‘Himanthara ‘, “Adara Amma Wage’,’Sitha Umathu Wela”., ‘Dennam Haduwak” etc this list goes on and on.
The music directors had been to name a few Amila Dilshan, BnS, Priyantha Nawalage,Chathurangana de Silva,’,Nadeera Nonis, Ashanthi De Alwis,Rookantha Gunatilleke Damith Asanka the names go on and on. Sampath has been able to succeed to negotiate with proper friendly dispositions with all musicians been enthusiastically and devotedly present at all recordings.
Sampath had earlier in his career as a lyricist had admired the work of many lyricists like Wasantha Dukgannarala, Sunil R Gamage,Nilar N Cassim, Sunil Ariyaratne ,Kelum Srimal etc who had stood tall, but is totally satisfied to be in the lime light and to be par to sit alongside of them in the last two decades along with Berti Galahitiyawa among the present day acclaimed lyricists..
Sampath does not work much with the new generation of vocalists. But continues to work with those he dealt since the advent of this millennium in the similar vein. Currently Sampath continues to make lyrics mainly to Bachi Susan and with Amelia leading the Onel Avatar Band to whom he has already recorded some songs with his lyrics. During a recent television dialog Sampath had avowed that he is ambitious to write lyrics for a song involving the ‘Vedi Daruwo’ , for which he awaits a sponsor.
Sampath is a lyricist is a skilled wordsmith who specializes in creating the words for songs, weaving emotions, narratives, and themes into poetic forms that resonate hugely with listeners. Unlike composers who focus on melodies and harmonies, lyricists dive deep into the human experience, crafting verses, choruses, and bridges that convey stories and evoke emotions. not only fit the musical structure but also connect with the intended audience on a profound level. From pop hits to soulful ballads and everything in between, lyricists play a crucial role in the music industry, giving voice to the melodies that move millions. By condensing the universal and personal experiences of life into their lyrics, they help create songs that leave lasting impressions and become anthems for generations.
Becoming a lyricist like Sampath involves a blend of creativity, passion for music, and keen observation of human emotions and experiences. Sampath always collaborate with musicians and producers to gain feedback and constructive criticism. All music lovers would wish Sampath Fernandopulle the very best in his already unblemished efficacious career in lyric inscription.
Sunil Thenabadu in Brisbane e mail sthenabadu@hotmail.com WhatsApp 0061444533242
