From one Kella to others out there; you are not alone
View(s):Singing sensation Yohani talks to Shanali Fernando about what her first album means to her
Our very own Lankan Kella, Yohani de Silva, sat down with the Sunday Times at Tea Avenue this week to talk to us about her debut album and her journey from being just another girl who sings covers on YouTube to the highly sought-after Kella.
Kella launched in December 2023, was the fulfilment of a promise she made herself as a young singer. “In 2019 when I came down to Sri Lanka to pursue music as a career while training my voice, I set myself a goal that one day I will release my album. That year I did my first song, ‘Free to Love’ written by Dilanjan Seneviratne. “The title Kella came to me towards the end of the process as the album carries true stories of various women from all paths of life.
Pic by M.A. Pushpa Kumara
“I wanted it to be about us. We who fall in love, we who go through body shaming, we who go through a bad breakup, we who are struggling to get out of an abusive relationship. Stories about us. And I want you to know that you are heard and you are not alone.”
She hopes the album will empower girls all around the world to stand up for themselves. To be bold, be brave, and take that next step in confidence knowing that there is someone, somewhere, standing up along with them.
“It’s from Sri Lanka to the world,” she says proudly, which is why she came back home for the launch. “Having tied up with T Series, my career was set in India. Not knowing how the public would accept it was a huge risk and investment I was willing to take on as I knew these stories had to be heard. And the response makes it all worth it. It’s the best feeling in the world.”
Contrary to common perception, Yohani’s career was not an overnight turnaround. “My journey in music was a gradual one starting with my parents putting me for piano lessons and my self-taught guitar classes on YouTube. I started singing during my university years. Growing up, my parents were huge music lovers and the Bee Gees, Spice Girls, and Elton John were what I mostly grew up listening to,” she says.
From stepping out from behind the digital lens onto the actual stage, everything has changed around her. Everything but the fire that ignites within her whenever she steps onto a stage. Be it for five friends who gathered to see her singing at a pub all those years back or the 20,000 screaming fans she now performs in front of, “the love and adrenaline rush I get from singing is still untouched,” she says with a twinkle in her eye.
With fame and fandom come the pressure to be exceptional. Always. “I do a song to tell a story, to bring out an emotion; for me a song is successful as long as it tells the story, but now I have this constant pressure of every song I release to be a massive hit,” she says frankly.
From being a self-taught musician to a pop sensation Yohani is quite proud of how much she has grown as a person. As well as her confidence she says that her knowledge of music and skills have sharpened.
That an international audience has been discovering her fresh appeal and irresistible vocals is a humbling experience. “It’s amazing to be among a great company of those that worked hard for the world to talk about Sri Lanka. It always feels good when I hear someone say Ah Manike mage hithe alongside cricket when they hear about my country.”
Meeting superstars like Salman Khan, Ranveer Singh, and collaborating with Udith Narayan, Tony Kakar, and a three-city tour with Boyce Avenue when they came to India are all unforgettable moments in her still blossoming career. “When I was small my sister and I used to listen to Boyce Avenue and to be able to go on tour with them was a truly fan-girl moment for me.”
There’s much more ahead following her signing with huge record labels like T-Series. “I have done a Moroccan song with Pop Arabia and got to put in some Sinhalese lyrics to a song I’m doing with Red Bull Records which everyone can look out for in the coming months,” Yohani reveals.
For all her success, Yohani is clear about her purpose. “Know your ‘why’… why you’re doing this,” she smiles. “Because somewhere down the line with the challenges that come your way you might want to give up but if you know your ‘why’ there will be a solid reason for you to align yourself back into the path set ahead of you.”
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