Paul’s musical passion for Sri Lanka
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Many  music  lovers  in Sri Lanka perhaps would not know the guitar strumming singer Paul Goonewardene domiciled in Stavanger, Norway . He in silence is very much involved doing active work musically in Sri Lanka. By profession, Paul is a petroleum engineer working overseas, but visits Sri Lanka for small vacations quite often. His main  passion during his brief  holidays is to be engrossed in his musical activities. Paul began his somewhat recent  musical career by shooting three music videos with famous songstress Indrani Perera. Being  an amateur – music wise , he is naturally elated that he is the first  and the soitary Sri  Lankan  to  do such videos with her. Since then, Paul has been active in the production of many more music videos during his past visits .
Paul is ‘one of  a kind’ when it comes to singing , innovative ideas or in the selection of titles for his works. His love for his motherland reflects on many of his songs and the video scenes .
‘I find  it  difficult  at times  to  pronounce  certain  Sinhala  words  which  are new to  me . But yet I love to sing  about  the  lifestyles of our  people and about my country .
Although  I  am  living abroad for the  past  45 years from my childhood, I am totally Sri Lankan’ Paul remarked.On his recent  visits Paul has completed a further five music videos – namely  ‘Bath Mula’ (lunch  packet), ‘Galu Kumari’ ( a trip from Galle Face to Galle ), ‘Wananthare’ (diminishing forest cover), ‘Issara wagemai’ (love song about a village damsel) and ‘Dhoni’(tribute to a daughter).
Paul is much beholden to Madhura Attanayaka ,who performed the music  on keyboards ably advised  by Priya Peiris of La Bambas, veteran guitarist Upali Fernando,  Saman Chandranath Weerasinghe well-known lyricist and Thushari Ranasinghe for composing and co-ordinating the project. Mahesh Fernando of Mahee recording studios in Moratuwa did the mastering of the audio tracks.
Paul hails from the famous Goonewardene family in Kalutara. His father,  the  late Srinath and his uncle  Douglas were both well-known educationalists  while two of his other uncles Leslie and Cholomondly were both illustrious ministers in previous parliamentary regimes .
With  Paul’s enthusiasm and musical works , Sri Lanka is certain  to  hear  more  about  his deeds  in  the  not  too  distant  future .