Veteran singer Nihala Nelson has passed away at the age of 76.
Nihal Nelson was a Sri Lankan vocalist, songwriter and composer. One of the most influential singers in Sri Lanka considered the ‘undefeated on the concert stage’, Nelson holds the record for the most albums recorded by a Sri Lankan artist with 113 albums.
He 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 2021, a lane has been named as a tribute to the vocalist in his home town, Moratuwa. The lane which has been named as Nihal Nelson Mawatha is Rawana Watte’s third lane.
