Local talent make TNL Onstage a night to remember
The final round of TNL Onstage season 15 was a muddy affair with rain dampening the evening, however, it was very clear that the night belonged to the local talent battling-it out onstage.
Winners of the Best Band title: Cosmogyral
Youngest crew in the competition, “Cosmogyral” won the Best Band title for 2015. It’s been a cosmic ride for the four who were still letting reality sink-in when we met them.
“We were playing cards,” before going onstage for the final time. Hoping the skies would be forgiving “we didn’t want it to rain” during the performance.
Fortunately enough to rock-out during a clear spell, their act was carefully put together, they tell us. “We had two weeks to come-up with a song,” and decided to go with an interesting mash-up.
Combining the sultry tones of “Superstition” with their repeat rendition of “Uptown Funk” the boys admit “We’ve hacked it to death.” There is however, an enjoyable “groove” to the song that “all of us are comfortable with.”
Surviving tough rounds of competition, against seasoned performers Cosmogyral has been around for “two and a half years.” The 4 were students at St. Joseph’s College at the time and came together “to perform at Band Heroes.”
Crowds waiting in the rain
Sailing through auditions with just one practice session, the band was still short of a drummer. Christopher Perera, joined the next day they recall, and they “haven’t been able to get rid of him” since then.
The plan they share was “to audition for TNL Onstage last year.” Exams kept some of them otherwise occupied, in any case “we felt like we needed more experience.” Fine-tuning their act during their Onstage prep hours, post-win plans they say include possible original pieces and “a lot of live performances.”
For KamishkaMorais who bagged the title of Best Soloist, the finals took a few unexpected turns. It wasn’t an easy ride to the top for Kamishka, whose health took a tumble “I fell sick the previous day.” Losing his already strained voice just a day before his shot at the title was nerve-wrecking he admits.
“I had to cut short my last rehearsal” with the accompanying band, scheduled for a two-hour practice “I only managed 45 minutes.”
Indoors when his competition was taking stage, to avoid losing what was left of his voice he says “My mentors believed in me and pushed me.”
TNL’s official Vocal Consultant for season 15, Sheranga Perera has been inducement to enter the competition, “I’ve been a fan since I was in school.”
It was this prodding that encourage him to sing his best despite the distractions “like the rain” which was coming down hard during his performance. Winning the title has come as redemption for the soloist who didn’t make it far in last year’s competition.
Returning with a more focussed vision, his time competing has also brought a few revelations. “I found” he says, “rock suits me better” than his original genre of choice-Country music. “I think I’m going to stick to rock.”
Kamishka Morais
Owing much of his mileage in the musical journey to “Aunty Mary Anne David, Rev Prasad Fernando, Dylan from the Slipping Chairs and Buddi De Mel” the next step he says, is to begin his higher education in music.