Desmond de Silva

Desmond Anaclitus Rajiva de Silva (ඩෙස්මන්ඩ් ද සිල්වා in [Sinhala]; 13 July 1944 – 9 January 2022), popularly known as Desmond de Silva, was a Sri Lankan singer, background musician and entertainer. Often regarded as the "King of Baila", he is noted for his youthful voice that was said to have changed little over four decades of performing.

Early life De Silva was born on 13 July 1944 in Matara, Sri Lanka as the eldest of the family with two siblings. His father Clement Arnold de Silva from Matara was a Public Health Inspector (PHI) and mother Olga Correa from Chilaw was a teacher. He had one younger brother (Milroy) and a younger sister (Varena). After moving to Bambalapitiya, he first went to St. Peter's College, Colombo. Then he was boarded at St. Aloysius College due to being stubborn. Later he was sent back to St. Peter's College and finally school life ended at St. Thomas' College, Matara. He did not go to high school and came to Colombo to join the Army. De Silva could not bear the hardships of military life, so he decided to leave. As a result, he left the Army and joined the Air Force. He left the army and became a soil digger at a bank construction site. At that time his daily wage was five rupees. In 1976 he decided to form his own band, "Desmond and the Clan", which performed in various countries in Southeast Asia, including the Maldives. He also represented Sri Lanka at the 5th Olympiad of Songs in Athens, Greece in 1979 and became the champion and at the Yamaha Festival of Song in Tokyo, Japan. De Silva also sang record songs and Nadagam songs such as Raja Sangabo Hisa De Dugiyata, Muni Nandana Siripada, Panamure Eth Raja, Amba Damba Naran, Budubawa Pathana Vesathuru Nirinda. He launched the first ever Concert for Autism for Sri Lanka in Sydney, Australia on 31 March 2006.

Personal life and death De Silva married Deanna de Zilwa and they had two sons and a daughter.

His second marriage was to Lilamani Wijeratne.

Desmond met and married his third wife, Phyllis Van Houten, in Sydney, Australia, where they lived. They were in Melbourne where he performed at a New Year’ Eve Dance. He died of a heart attack on 9 January 2022 at the age of 77.

Discography Baila 20 Gramaphone Express Chuuda Maanike Haadu Hathak Komali Pane Baila Rajje Desmond Silva with Sunflowers