By Chenelle Fernando
The De Lanerolle Brothers have been a household name for the longest of time and this year they will be celebrating their 10th year as a brand. Renowned to perform classical, sacred, Broadway, and pop hits, this charismatic duo are loved by the masses with their charm of mesmerising the audiences before them.
With powerful and vibrant voices such as theirs, “selling out” almost all shows conducted over the past was a given.
Reflecting back to the band’s inception, we were told they sang in school choirs and church choirs, and were never forced into the industry.
“Until such time I started singing solo, that was in the year 2000. I had just started work at Singapore Airlines, and it gave me the opportunity to go overseas, work with some teachers, and to see where I stood where singing was concerned,” said Rohan De Lanerolle.
His brother, Ishan De Lanerolle on the other hand, had received no formal education in singing, although it was a gradual learning curve for him. Interestingly, he is able to hit low notes – a profound talent, mostly in Russian singers. Nevertheless, the two are intertwined as they both learn from each other on the daily.
Since this, they have come a long way, reaching their 10th year as a brand. They’ve been fortunate to journey their way through both local and overseas audiences through their outstanding performances.
“We have been happy to carry the Sri Lankan flag with us to share everything we have gained over the years with everyone overseas and locally,” said Ishan.
As celebrations draw to a close, the duo hopes to mark their merits by organising 10 different concerts to cater to the local market, alongside another 10 for overseas audiences. Some of these local concerts are inclusive of a gospel concert, Sinhalese and Tamil concerts, a concert with their alma mater, St. Thomas’ College, as well as a Christmas show.
“We are glad to be able to spread enjoyment and the spirit of fellowship through our music, and the love we have received from our beloved audiences has been inspirational,” added Rohan.
They further wish to impart their musical knowledge to nurture young and aspiring singers. The Voice headed by Ishan De Lanerolle is testament to this notion.
