Giving young talent a much-deserved platform in the country is Centrestage, a teen and youth talent contest organised by Chokolaate magazine, and the 2022 finals took place at the Royal MAS Arena, Colombo on 25 November.
The night was one of beatboxing battles, singing talent, band performances, and food and drink. Singing duo Bathiya and Santhush took the stage, as did hip-hop queen Ashanthi De Alwis.
The winner of the solo category was a tie between Hashen Silva and Dinul Fernando, while Illusion Vibes forged ahead emerging victorious in the band category. It was Pahan and Santhush who were crowned winners of the group category and also winners of the Black Knight Social Media Sensation competition, scoring the highest likes online. Krishan Imaduwa (Lemon) rocked his way to the top by securing the title of best beatboxer, while Sarla De Silva not only came second runner-up in the solo category, but also claimed the title of crowd favourite by a landslide.
Centrestage is one of the main events organised by the magazine, and aims at bringing out the performing talents of Sri Lanka’s youth. Pictured are some of the solo acts that night, as well as a section of the guests who graced the occasion.
Photos Eshan Dasanayaka