Nihal Nelson
{{Short description|Sri Lankan singer and composer (1946–2022)}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2022}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Nihal Nelson
| native_name = {{nobold|නිහාල් නෙල්සන්}}
| other_names =
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| birth_name =
| birth_date = {{Birth date|1946|1|9|df=yes}}
| birth_place = Moratuwa, British Ceylon
| death_date = {{Death date and age|2022|12|13|1946|1|9|df=yes}}
| death_place = Moratuwa, Sri Lanka
| resting_place =
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| nationality = Sri Lankan
| alma_mater =
| education = {{ubl|Rawathawaththa Methodist College|Moratu Maha Vidyalaya}}
| father =
| mother =
| spouse = {{marriage|Malini Sriyalatha|1974|2020|end=d}}
| children = 1
| awards = Moratu Puthra Abhimani
| signature = Signature of Nihal Nelson.svg
| website =
| relatives =
| occupation = Singer, songwriter, musician
| module = {{Infobox musical artist|embed=yes
| instrument = Vocals
| background = solo_singer
| genre = {{hlist|Pop|soul|{{nowrap|rhythm and blues}}|Baila}}
| years_active = 1963–2022
| label = DKRS, Torana, Nilwala, Tharanga
| associated_acts =
}}
}}
Nihal Nelson ({{langx|si|නිහාල් නෙල්සන්}}; 9 January 1946 – 13 December 2022) was a Sri Lankan vocalist, songwriter and composer.{{cite web |url=https://gossip.hirufm.lk/33862/2019/06/nihal-nelson.html |title=When I saw Mali I knew about her |publisher=Hiru FM |access-date=20 October 2017}} One of the most influential singers in Sri Lanka, and considered 'undefeated on the concert stage',{{cite web |url=http://archives.sarasaviya.lk/2013/03/07/?fn=sa13030722 |title=Welcome here, '50 years, Nihal has come' |publisher=Sarasaviya |access-date=20 October 2017}} Nelson holds the record for the most albums recorded by a Sri Lankan artist, at a total of 113.{{cite web |url=http://www.lankadeepa.lk/world_news/නිහාල්-නෙල්සන්-පැරීසියේ/14-466404 |title=Nihal Nelson in Paris |publisher=Lankadeepa |access-date=20 October 2017}}{{cite web |url=http://archives.dinamina.lk/2013/03/14/_art.asp?fn=f1303142 |title=Nihal, who climbed the other side, is still at the top of the hill |publisher=Dinamina |access-date=20 October 2017}}
Personal life
Nelson was born in Moratuwa on 9 January 1946 as the only child in the family.{{cite news |title=කැසට් පට ගීත යුගය වර්ණවත් කළ නිහාල් නෙල්සන් ජීවන වේදිකාවට සමුදෙයි. |trans-title='The flower shot I brought today will never fall to the ground': Nihal Nelson, who coloured the era of cassette songs, bids farewell to the stage of life. |url=https://www.bbc.com/sinhala/articles/ce70ky3egrko |access-date=16 December 2022 |work=BBC News සිංහල |date=13 December 2022 |language=si}} His father, D.C. Hendrick was a businessman and his mother, D.P Weerawardena was an English teacher.{{cite web |url=https://mirrorarts.lk/featured/4021-lassanata-pipunu |title=Nelson with Lassanata Pipunu Wana Mal |publisher=Mirror Arts |access-date=20 October 2017}}
He started primary education at Innocent Maria Mixed School (now known as Rawathawaththa Roman Catholic College). After passing grade 8, he entered Moratu Maha Vidyalaya where he completed his GCE Advanced Level schooling in 1960. It was here that he began to focus on making music.
Nelson married Malini Sriyalatha, the second in a family of four, on 16 May 1974.{{cite web |title=My bird flew away |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/features/2020/07/09/17970/මගේ-කිරිල්ලී-ඈ-ගියා-ඉගිල්ලී |access-date=20 October 2017 |publisher=Sarasaviya}} The couple have one son, Kanchana Tharanga, who was born on 10 January 1978 and works as a radio sound administrator. Nelson's wife Malini died in July 2020.{{cite web |url=https://gossiplankaralla.com/2020/07/24/ගයක-නිහාල්-නෙල්සන්-ගේ-බිර/ |title=Farewell to Nihal Nelson's wife |publisher=gossiplankaralla |access-date=20 October 2017}}{{cite web |url=https://gossip.hirufm.lk/48624/2020/07/rip.html |title=Death of Veteran artist Nihal Nelson's wife |publisher=Hiru FM |access-date=20 October 2017}}
Career
Nelson was popular on the school stage as well as in Moratuwa as a singer. However, he had to polish his musical ability to enter the music world. During this period, he met Sarath Munasinghe (now a monk, Meegahawela Sumanashantha Thero) who had written many songs. In 1962 during a wedding, he met popular musician A. J. Kareem, who introduced him to composer R. A. Chandrasena.{{cite web |url=http://www.gossiplankahotnews.com/2013/03/50-years-of-nihal-nelsons-music.html |title=50 years of Nihal Nelson's music |publisher=gossiplankahotnews |access-date=20 October 2017}} Nelson's first recording Lassanata Pipunu Wanamal, written by Munasinghe, was released in SLBC as an EP on 31 March 1963 under the guidance of Chandrasena. Later, he joined Kandy Lake Club with Chandrasena.
Nelson was among the first Sri Lankan vocalists to release a cassette in 1978 with Gune Ayyage Kamare. The release was on Wijaya Ramanayake's Tharanga label, which introduced the format to Sri Lanka. Nelson was also among the first to release a compact disc in the region.{{cite web|url=http://www.island.lk/2001/02/11/leisur05.html|title=Nihal Nelson releases 'Ransilu'|access-date=20 January 2008|year=2001|publisher=Upali Group}}
Nelson's 110th album Nihal 110 Dot Com was released in 2000. It was recorded at Sunflowers Studios in Mahawewa, Chilaw, with Neil Warnakulasooriya conducting and music by the Sunflowers. At this point Nelson had been singing on the concert stage for 55 consecutive years.{{cite web |url=https://www.thetruth.lk/archives/34063 |title=Here's why Nihal Nelson does not produce a new album |work=The Truth |access-date=20 October 2017}}
He also worked as a playback singer for many films. His maiden playback singing came through the film Pem Kurullo with the song "Kasii Basili Na". It was written by Chandradasa Fernando and the music was composed by Tony Weeratunga. He then did playback for the films Sakvithi Suwaya, Loka Horu, Rodaya, Hari Yanakota Ohoma Thamai, Sanda Wata Rantharu, Loku Thaththa, Mal Warusa, Valampuri, and Diyamanthi. He also sang a song called Hitha Honda Minihage for Gamini Fonseka.
On 15 March 2013, a "50 years old, Nihal Awith" concert was held at the Musaeus College Auditorium to celebrate his 50 years of singing.{{cite web |url=http://www.boondi.lk/article.php?ArtID=3287 |title=A Genuine Half Century from Nihal Nelson |publisher=Boondi |access-date=20 October 2017}} In 2015, Nelson was awarded the 'Moratupura Ratnavibhushana' award.{{cite web |title=Ratnavibhushana Award winner Nihal Nelson |url=http://www.dinamina.lk/2015/10/09/විශේෂාංග/මම-ඒකපුද්ගල-සංගමයක් |access-date=20 October 2017 |publisher=Dinamina}}
Death
On 13 December 2022, Nelson died in his residence after suffering a heart attack, at age 76.{{Cite web |title=Veteran singer Nihal Nelson passed away |url=https://www.newswire.lk/2022/12/13/veteran-singer-nihal-nelson-passed-away/ |access-date=13 December 2022 |website=NewsWire|date=13 December 2022 }}{{Cite web |title=Veteran Sri Lankan vocalist Nihal Nelson has died |url=https://colombogazette.com/2022/12/13/veteran-sri-lankan-vocalist-nihal-nelson-has-died/ |access-date=13 December 2022 |website=Colombo Gazette|date=13 December 2022 }}
Legacy
In January 2021, it was announced that the third lane of his hometown, Rawathawatte, Moratuwa, would be named after the veteran singer.{{Cite web |title=Third Lane in Moratuwa named Nihal |url=http://www.sarasaviya.lk/news/2021/01/07/19636/මොරටුවේ-තුන්වැනි-පටුමග-නිහාල්-නමින් |access-date=7 January 2021 |website=Sarasaviya}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- Nihal Nelson Official YouTube https://www.youtube.com/@NihalNelsonOfficialYoutube
- {{discogs artist|Nihal Nelson}}
- {{imdb name|9570228}}
{{Authority control}}
{{Sinhala Music|state=collapsed}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Nelson, Nihal}}