Sri Lanka bids farewell to a timeless voice whose songs shaped generations and defined an era of music and cinema.
Sri Lanka’s legendary vocalist Latha Walpola, fondly celebrated as the eternal “Queen of Songs,” passed away today (15) at the age of 91, marking the end of a remarkable musical journey that spanned decades.
Born in 1934 in Mount Lavinia, Latha Walpola revealed her extraordinary talent at an early age, making her debut on Radio Ceylon in 1946 when she was just 12 years old. From that moment, her voice became a defining presence in Sri Lankan music and broadcasting.
Over her illustrious career, she sang more than ten thousand songs, including several in foreign languages, earning admiration across generations. Revered equally in cinema, she is remembered as the timeless “Queen of Songs” on screen as well.
She made her cinematic debut with the film Eda Ra in 1953 and went on to lend her voice to over 600 films, leaving behind an unmatched legacy in Sri Lankan music and film history.
