Promoting local music and musical talent is not always easy, but it is something the team at Ambient Luxe takes very seriously. An authentic music production house, Ambient Luxe is an authentic Sri Lankan brand designed and determined to
create a unique music entertainment experience.
Created by three friends, Chandana Karunarathne, Indika Anurudda, and Deenath Kesara in 2019, now, two years later, Ambient Luxe has just launched their second season of musical performances in a bid to foster and empower local musicians.
Brunch spoke to Ambient Luxe Creator and Executive Producer Chandana Karunarathne for a little more background on this homegrown music production house. Chandana explained that he had always had a passion for music and sound and that before Ambient Luxe, he had over 13 years of experience as a sound engineer in Sri Lanka working on many large-scale and international events.
Ambient Luxe first started as an informal venture with friends shooting in his brother’s warehouse, before becoming a formal venture with Indika and Deenath and the support of their companies BTL Marketing and Pencil Cutter Advertising.
Ambient Luxe was created to be Sri Lanka’s response to platforms like MTV Unplugged, giving musicians a chance to produce professional music, whether that music is an original composition or a cover performance, and show that music to a wide local and global audience on a platform that can stand up to an international level. “The concept is to meet the international market standard,” Chandana said. “This is something that we want to be able to compare at the same level.”
To achieve this high standard, there is a big team behind the productions that Ambient Luxe puts on, from light and sound to photography and videography to the band and orchestra who bring the tracks to life for the performers.
In April, Ambient Luxe launched their second season, a scheduled release of performances by various local artists with whom Ambient Luxe has been collaborating for some time. Their first season, which was launched in mid-2019, featured eight episodes and four upcoming singers with music videos directed by Wings and produced by Ambient Luxe. One of the songs performed in Season One, a cover of KGF Garbadhi performed by Hansini Wimalsiri even went viral in India, proving to Ambient Luxe that with the right backing Sri Lankan talent can indeed make a mark internationally.
Ambient Luxe Season Two is a season of 12 episodes, three of which have already premiered. The performers of Season Two are Kasun Kalhara, Devashrie de Silva, Palinda Uduwelaarachchi, Kenneth de Silva, Lanka Dirukshi, and Priyangani Nikeshala, with backing vocals by Ravindu Peiris.
The comprehensive production team behind Ambient Luxe Season Two includes Music Director Malick Perera, lighting by Million Laugh Entertainment, Srimal Wimalarathne and crew, lighting engineer Chathuranga Karunathilaka, LED wall operator Osanda Samarasena with video production by Studio FX and Roshan Fernando, and photography by Chanuka Thiyambarawatta and Prauda Buwaneka.
Chandana shared that Ambient Luxe had initially planned for their second season to end in the format of a big outdoor concert, but sadly, due to the current spike of Covid-19 infections, this is no longer to be.
Covid-19 has had a great impact on Ambient Luxe, Chandana shared, explaining that Ambient Luxe Season Two was initially supposed to be released in 2020, but with the pandemic, the lockdowns and the uncertainty of 2020, the Ambient Luxe team was only able to plan in 2020 and begin actually producing the season only in 2021.
Giving us a peek behind how Ambient Luxe Season Two was made, Chandana shared that the filming of the music videos took place over a two-day period at The Barnhouse Studio in Panadura, with The Barnhouse Studio Team providing invaluable support in helping facilitate the shoot and helping the team to maintain Covid-19 safety protocols throughout.
“The first day was just us and the technical crew because there was a lot of setup needed – sound equipment, music equipment, and all that,” Chandana said. “Then the next day, we started shooting with the artists, starting at 10 a.m. and going on till about 1 a.m. It was quite exhausting.”
With Season Two now ready for release, Chandana shared that the Ambient Luxe team is already starting to put their minds to Season Three, putting their heads together on how they can refresh the concept.
“We are looking for new faces and voices to be a part of Season Three,” Chandana said. “We’re very keen to get these new faces out because our country has a lot of talent and that is something we want to promote.”
Being a part of Ambient Luxe has no strict requirements. In fact, Chandana explained that what is most important is talent and commitment. “We are able to work with artists who are passionate and give them the opportunity to showcase their talent.”
For more information on Ambient Luxe and what they do or to apply to become part of Ambient Luxe Season Three, please visit the Ambient Luxe Facebook page.
create a unique music entertainment experience.
Created by three friends, Chandana Karunarathne, Indika Anurudda, and Deenath Kesara in 2019, now, two years later, Ambient Luxe has just launched their second season of musical performances in a bid to foster and empower local musicians.
Brunch spoke to Ambient Luxe Creator and Executive Producer Chandana Karunarathne for a little more background on this homegrown music production house. Chandana explained that he had always had a passion for music and sound and that before Ambient Luxe, he had over 13 years of experience as a sound engineer in Sri Lanka working on many large-scale and international events.
Ambient Luxe first started as an informal venture with friends shooting in his brother’s warehouse, before becoming a formal venture with Indika and Deenath and the support of their companies BTL Marketing and Pencil Cutter Advertising.
Ambient Luxe was created to be Sri Lanka’s response to platforms like MTV Unplugged, giving musicians a chance to produce professional music, whether that music is an original composition or a cover performance, and show that music to a wide local and global audience on a platform that can stand up to an international level. “The concept is to meet the international market standard,” Chandana said. “This is something that we want to be able to compare at the same level.”
To achieve this high standard, there is a big team behind the productions that Ambient Luxe puts on, from light and sound to photography and videography to the band and orchestra who bring the tracks to life for the performers.
In April, Ambient Luxe launched their second season, a scheduled release of performances by various local artists with whom Ambient Luxe has been collaborating for some time. Their first season, which was launched in mid-2019, featured eight episodes and four upcoming singers with music videos directed by Wings and produced by Ambient Luxe. One of the songs performed in Season One, a cover of KGF Garbadhi performed by Hansini Wimalsiri even went viral in India, proving to Ambient Luxe that with the right backing Sri Lankan talent can indeed make a mark internationally.
Ambient Luxe Season Two is a season of 12 episodes, three of which have already premiered. The performers of Season Two are Kasun Kalhara, Devashrie de Silva, Palinda Uduwelaarachchi, Kenneth de Silva, Lanka Dirukshi, and Priyangani Nikeshala, with backing vocals by Ravindu Peiris.
The comprehensive production team behind Ambient Luxe Season Two includes Music Director Malick Perera, lighting by Million Laugh Entertainment, Srimal Wimalarathne and crew, lighting engineer Chathuranga Karunathilaka, LED wall operator Osanda Samarasena with video production by Studio FX and Roshan Fernando, and photography by Chanuka Thiyambarawatta and Prauda Buwaneka.
Chandana shared that Ambient Luxe had initially planned for their second season to end in the format of a big outdoor concert, but sadly, due to the current spike of Covid-19 infections, this is no longer to be.
Covid-19 has had a great impact on Ambient Luxe, Chandana shared, explaining that Ambient Luxe Season Two was initially supposed to be released in 2020, but with the pandemic, the lockdowns and the uncertainty of 2020, the Ambient Luxe team was only able to plan in 2020 and begin actually producing the season only in 2021.
Giving us a peek behind how Ambient Luxe Season Two was made, Chandana shared that the filming of the music videos took place over a two-day period at The Barnhouse Studio in Panadura, with The Barnhouse Studio Team providing invaluable support in helping facilitate the shoot and helping the team to maintain Covid-19 safety protocols throughout.
“The first day was just us and the technical crew because there was a lot of setup needed – sound equipment, music equipment, and all that,” Chandana said. “Then the next day, we started shooting with the artists, starting at 10 a.m. and going on till about 1 a.m. It was quite exhausting.”
With Season Two now ready for release, Chandana shared that the Ambient Luxe team is already starting to put their minds to Season Three, putting their heads together on how they can refresh the concept.
“We are looking for new faces and voices to be a part of Season Three,” Chandana said. “We’re very keen to get these new faces out because our country has a lot of talent and that is something we want to promote.”
Being a part of Ambient Luxe has no strict requirements. In fact, Chandana explained that what is most important is talent and commitment. “We are able to work with artists who are passionate and give them the opportunity to showcase their talent.”
For more information on Ambient Luxe and what they do or to apply to become part of Ambient Luxe Season Three, please visit the Ambient Luxe Facebook page.