Dhanith Sri is a Sri Lankan singer and songwriter born on 22 December 1994 in Kandy. Dhanith is one of the most popular artists in the local music scene at present and this week, he took time off his busy schedule for a tête-à-tête with Major Maestro as part of The Sunday Morning Happinez. Dhanith was educated at Vidyartha and Kingswood Colleges in Kandy after which he pursued engineering at the University of Peradeniya. According to him, while he always had that spark for music, even since his childhood, he never had the intention to pursue a career in music. “I started playing the guitar after A/Ls with my friends and started making my own melodies and lyrics. My friends, workshops, and the internet were my music teachers. That’s how my musical journey began.” Dhanith entered the mainstream music industry with his 2018 hit Pandama. The exquisite production is an amalgamation of classical and modern music. The alternative rock feel of the song is complemented by his flawless high-pitched vocals as well as the fusion of local drum beats and western synthesisers. “Pandama went viral, and I didn’t expect it. It became number one both on TV and radio charts concurrently. It has more than 2.5 million YouTube views so far. I get a lot of good feedback from people all around the world as well.” Dhanith followed this up with back-to-back hits Naukawa and his latest Sandaganawa. Sandaganawa is a slow emotional ballad which departs from his fusion style to a heavier classical feel. Whilst Dhanith says he does not cater to a particular genre, the pop rock flavour in his records is evident. Dhanith has also been featured in other singles such as Lakmawuni (alongside various local artists in a tribute to the victims of the Easter Sunday tragedy) and Sebala Puthu (with Bathiya and Santhush). “I wanted to see a huge crowd go crazy for my songs and sing my songs along with me. I think I achieved those goals with my hit song Pandama.” An interesting fact about Dhanith is that he was a teen artist as well, releasing singles such as Jeewithe and Obe As. The young artist is also a very good dancer, a talent he showcased in his music videos back in the day. Dhanith just graduated from the Faculty of Engineering at the University of Peradeniya with a specialised degree in electrical and electronic engineering. He revealed that he is working on many projects, each different and unique from the other, as he wants to experiment, and that he will be releasing them in the near future.